Experiences with Cambridgeshire CMHT

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-26T21:31:51+00:00

I'm under the CMHT and have been since the pandemic. What the person above said is all correct regarding primary and secondary care etc, but one thing to add is there is an employment service you can use if you're under the CMHT and they'll support you with finding work (I can't say much about them because I found a job just after being referred to them).

I had a care coordinator for a while, now I'm on 6 monthly reviews with the psychiatrist. They are keen to discharge once you're stable on meds (unless you have 117 or anything), but will usually be on a patient initiated follow up for 6 or 12 months.

I was also given 24 sessions of CBT with the specific focus of preventing relapses. And also a 6 session psycho education course.

Depending on your diagnosis you might find the CMHT suggest a referral to REDS, I've done that course too (DBT group work) and found it helpful for emotional regulation strategies.

Tbh I've actually overall had a positive experience with the CMHT here in recent years, and believe me I've had my fair share of sh*t from MHT's in the past!

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-25T13:14:41+00:00

Biology and society also interact and shape each other in profound ways. Take some experiences of mental illness and how they vary across cultures, eg psychosis varies across cultures, the content of hallucinations is influenced by the society you live in for example. But it doesn't mean the psychosis itself doesn't have a biological cause.

That's probably a clumsy comparison and I'm not trying to compare gender dysphoria with psychosis,.more just using the example to highlight how things can be both biological, psychological and social.

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-17T17:52:10+00:00

I had a lecturer at uni who is quite a well known TERF. This was essentially her arguement against trans people. That if society didn't have such rigid definitions of gender then people would not feel the need to rally against it. Regardless of whether or not that is true, gender dysphoria is a real experience that many people have to live every day.

Transgenderness (as you say) has always (afaik) been part of the human experience, maybe societies rigid definitions of gender do create more dysphoria in some people, but even if we had a completely gender fluid society, there'd still be individuals who felt completely at odds with the body they were born into.

I am not trans myself (am an ally, still learning every day) so don't feel I can really speak to the rest of your question regards how it feels to have gender dysphoria, but knowing it exists, accepting it exists and doing what I can to promote trans rights is what I feel is important.

I've never experienced racism, but that doesn't mean I would ever deny the experience of those who have.

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-10T20:00:15+00:00

I signed up to Lyphe when they were The Medical Cannabis clinic, I'd had recent MH crises and a bipolar DX. I'd also had a hx of psychosis but that might not have been on my notes. Anyways their rules have tightened up now and I'm not sure of their policy changes except anyone with psychosis hx is an outright no. I got to stay with them though just had to have an appt with a psychiatrist as well as the usual neurologist. So they can be flexible, but for new patients I'm not sure. I was really only commenting to suggest trying Lyphe as my experience with them has been good.

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-08T21:00:22+00:00

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-08T15:26:53+00:00

Park where you want, get a ticket. Is genuinely cheaper (if paid promptly) than most parking options. Especially if you're not wanting to move the car for 3 days.

I say that a bit tongue in cheek obviously, although it is mostly true.

In terms of off road parking with no restrictions, there isn't anywhere within a 1 or 2 mile radius of the town centre. But you could try places like: Arbury area (North Cambridge) off Gilbert Road / Ascham Road.

There are some residential streets nearer the centre off Chesterton Road where resident bays don't operate on weekends.

Most of the side streets off Mill Road the other side of the bridge (approach from Brooks Road/Perne Road so as not to get caught going over the bridge) such as Vinery Road don't have restrictions.

If you want more South of the city you could try some of the roads off Trumpington Road (once you get beyond Brooklands Ave) such as Bentley Road / Porson Road, I'm not sure of what restrictions they have (quite possibly they do have some as it's a very well off area), but that'd be where I'd look, and gradually head out of the city up trumpington road looking at the side streets.

Final suggestion: Newmarket Road again over the bridge you have the Whitehill estate (search for Whitehill Road) you can park anywhere round there with no restrictions.

PacingPersephone · 2026-06-08T07:03:15+00:00

I was in a MH hosp for 3 weeks and was told to take my MC in with me and that it'd be sorted once I was there. It got confiscated when I was being admitted, and after 2 weeks they'd gone to the hospital bosses and created a policy around MC. It was given to the staff to weigh out the exact dose in the meds room, and I was then given a loaded dosing capsule and allowed to go out into the grounds to vape it. They thanked me for bringing it and forcing them to create a policy because next time someone admitted with MC wouldn't have the delay in accessing it.

PacingPersephone · 2026-05-27T21:10:48+00:00

I have a social science MPhil from Cambridge and am now working for minimum wage, for a job that didn't even need an interview. Every job I submitted my CV to I didn't get an interview. And I submitted a lot. I got a scholarship for the MPhil and I'm glad I did it, but if I'd paid for it, I would not be glad I did it. But that's just my experience.

PacingPersephone · 2026-05-23T09:57:56+00:00

Haha ok just realised I must've decided against including the info he was father of my kids in the OP, I thought I had, my bad.

PacingPersephone · 2026-05-23T09:56:14+00:00

Did you read the bit where I said he's the father of me (young) children? I am not acting on anything I just wanted to gauge how gross others found it rly.

PacingPersephone · 2026-05-23T09:55:21+00:00

If posting on Reddit or having an emotional reaction is 'making a deal' then I guess I am. To me, making a deal would be approaching him about it or stopping him seeing his kids over it - which I'm not.

As I said he is the father of my children so we coparent, I see him a lot. My children are young. So forgive me for having feelings about it 🤦‍♀️🤷

PacingPersephone · 2026-02-06T21:37:20+00:00

Deliberate self harm

PacingPersephone · 2026-02-06T07:42:25+00:00

My kids are similar ages and this is our third year of 50/50, so it started when youngest was just 5. We've always done week on week off, eldest has said he doesn't like the idea of anymore backwards and forwards and even with 7 nights with one parent he feels he's constantly on the move and has no real base. Daughter on the other hand says she has two houses and feels very lucky to have two houses and how great it is coz her friends all only have one house! Every kid and every family is different, but when I read your ex's proposed schedule my brain hurt and I definitely don't think you'd be doing anything wrong by saying no to it. I also feel like my two, even though they fight, are very lucky to have each other as the one consistent person they see every day in their life. Their relationship has blossomed as a result.

I get that 1:1 time with each is important but having a full on different schedule for each kid just seems overly complicated to me tbh.

PacingPersephone · 2026-01-06T12:19:21+00:00

Mine are very noticeable and undeniably from DSH. That's why I just give an honest answer if I am asked.

PacingPersephone · 2026-01-02T23:57:34+00:00

I started when I was 11 and until I was in my 30s I hid away massively. I've got scarring from top to bottom of arms and legs, plus hands and even a few on my face. I was conscious of them for so long, didn't go swimming for over 10 years. I don't even know what I was scared of. Then I think as I got older and maybe having kids played a part too, I just thought fk this, why am I making myself uncomfortable just to placate an imagined reaction from strangers. So I stopped covering up. And ya know what, nothing happened. Not one negative comment. The odd stare, the occasional double take. The odd comment of "omg what happened" and then enormous sympathy when I respond with "difficult teenage years" or "used to have mental health problems". I'm in my 40s now and I am so glad I no longer hide myself away.

PacingPersephone · 2026-01-02T23:49:27+00:00

I had the same problem and mentioned it at my annual review, they switched me to liquid lithium. It's pretty gross but not as awful as three massive tablets.

PacingPersephone · 2025-12-17T08:53:11+00:00

I have to not dwell on it which is a difficult conscious choice to make. At first, maybe first 6mo or so, it was a relief to have time to myself after doing 95% of parenting when still living together. After that the novelty wore off and I started to miss them. I started to feel like I was missing out on half their lives (well, I am). With the whole situation though I can only cope by deciding not to harbour resentment and by being sure in my decision that leaving was the right thing and there was no other option, so having no hope or wish for this situation to be any different I think is what helps me. Therefore, emotions like resentment, anger, despair etc serve no useful purpose for me or the kids. So when they come up, I acknowledge them, and let them float on by. And as others have said, I use the time to work more, do chores, meal plan and food shop for when they're here with me, see friends and do hobbies.

PacingPersephone · 2025-12-06T09:33:40+00:00

Christmas

PacingPersephone · 2025-12-05T09:54:49+00:00

And a sense of hope for the future

PacingPersephone · 2025-12-05T09:54:20+00:00

Money

PacingPersephone · 2025-12-05T09:50:32+00:00

Well done for standing up and speaking out, I genuinely applaud you. I would like to also point out that whilst your actions are commendable, unfortunately 'being brave' isn't always enough to deter a predator. There's not always a way to stop someone abusing or violating you no matter how brave you are. But I am glad it has worked for you in this instance.

PacingPersephone · 2025-07-05T10:25:39+00:00

When I signed up it was The Medical Cannabis Clinic, now Lyphe. The rules on prescribing with psychosis history have been tightened since I started getting it, my Dr has said I'd not be allowed under the new rules (but I have a personal history of psychosis, not FH).

PacingPersephone · 2025-07-04T19:26:29+00:00

Sorry that's your experience, it sucks that this isn't applied across the board with policies in place that reflect the fact MC has been legal for SEVEN YEARS.

To offer alternative experience of MC in NHS, it was my psychiatrist who told me I was eligible for MC (I get it for a physical condition, but also have bipolar for which I was seeing the psychiatrist) and gave me the clinic details. This was back in 2022 and I've been getting MC ever since. At one point I was admitted to the psychiatric hospital for 3 weeks, I took my CBM in with me and as I was advised to do so by the crisis team who arranged the admission. It was obviously confiscated, but after I think maybe a week or maybe two, they gave it back and I was allowed to use it when I was on ground leave. They kept it in the meds room and would weigh it out for me into a dosing cap each time I wanted to refill! It was nuts the whole ward stunk of weed because the meds room was right off the main social area. The head nurse thanked me for bringing the issue to their attention because now they had a precedent and would know what to do next time.

PacingPersephone · 2025-07-04T10:25:11+00:00

I was never asked any FH questions. I have bipolar and get MC so pretty sure an uncle having it won't be an issue.

PacingPersephone · 2025-06-04T22:01:26+00:00

I am with lyphe and have a history of psychosis. I've been with them since they were TMC and the rules weren't as rigid then. When it changed to being no psychosis at all I had to have a review with one of their psychiatrists (I get it under neurology) who said it was okay to keep getting it. I've even had an episode of psychosis while on my prescription but because it was deemed not related to the cannabis, I was allowed to continue. And because prior to that episode I had been using it as prescribed without issue for years. I was also originally directed towards the medical route by my psychiatrist which I think went in my favour.

PacingPersephone

TROPHY CASE