Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

I can see from your letter how difficult your life is right now. It sounds like you’ve worked really hard to reach out for help but you’re still not getting support with your suicidal thoughts and anxiety.

It was a really brave step for you to tell a doctor how you’re feeling and it was the right thing to do. I’m disappointed to hear how unhelpful you found the appointment. The fact that you are under 16 certainly doesn’t mean you can’t get help with your thoughts and feelings. Until you are 16, a doctor may feel he needs to ask for your parents’ consent for certain types of treatment. If that was the case with your doctor, then this is something he should have talked through with you, so that you understood all your options. It was not ok for the doctor to send you away without assessing how the suicidal thoughts and anxiety are affecting your life.

I wonder how it would feel to talk to another doctor at the same practice? Some doctors are more confident that others in supporting young people with their mental health. Maybe you could also think about talking to someone you trust who could give you the confidence to insist that you get support. Or you could try taking a list of questions that you want answered into your appointment? This is something other young people have told me they’ve found helpful.

I know that it can feel hard to be upfront about what you need, particularly if you are feeling down about yourself at the moment. You also mentioned not getting help from your school nurse or your parents and I can understand how all these experiences have knocked your faith in getting help. But you deserve to be taken seriously, and there is help and support available out there, so it’s worth persevering. There are specialists who are trained to support young people and a service called CAMHS that a doctor could refer you to if it is appropriate to your situation.

A website you might find interesting is Young Minds. They have specific information for young people about the types of support available for a range of different emotional and mental health problems.

There is also information about coping with suicidal feelings on the Childline website. If you are feeling isolated by these very difficult emotions it might help to talk to a counsellor at Childline by ringing 0800 1111 or logging in for a 1-2-1 chat. If your suicidal thoughts become overwhelming you can ring 999 to get help fast.

I can see that you have been let down in the past when you have asked for support but there are people who care for you and want your life to change for the better.

Take care,

Sam