"Mental Health"

My wife was run down and unable to sleep in June 2015. In July we went to the local GP to see can we get a sleeping tablet. The local GP give us two sleeping tablets but in the GP's mind there was something bigger going on. We arrived back to the doctor two days later and as the doctor had predicted there was no improvement in my wife.

The GP said that my wife was suffering from depression. I never had to deal with depression in my life but I was determined to get whatever care is needed. The doctor outlined the services that are available in Sligo using the Public system or by going Private.

Going private would require my wife to go to hospital but I was not okay with that option. The doctor outlined the public care that was available. Even as the doctor was outlining the public service available to me in Sligo, I could not believe what I was hearing and I knew this was the best option.

The following day - a Friday - my wife was assessed by a psychiatric nurse. On the following Monday my wife was seen by a psychiatrist doctor. This was when the diagnoses was confirmed and treatment began.

Every 2nd Monday for the next six months we had a review of my wife's health with the the psychiatrist doctor and every week a visit from the psychiatric nurse. After 4 months of treatment, my wife was on a Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Thankfully my wife is fully recovered from this illness but this would not have happened if it was not for the local health services available to us at our door stop. The constant review by the GP, psychiatric nurse and the psychiatrist doctor keeps us going during this process. They give us so much hope and belief throughout the whole illness. This was just a first class service and thank you very much.