Any Suggestions Welcome Please.

[tenrec]

Hi all. I have a friend who is very down/depressed. He wants to do the best for his family but feels he isn't good enough. I have tried to get him to seek professional help. Now he tells me that he can't go to his GP as his mother works as receptionist and he is worried she will find out. She is recovering from cancer, suffers from severe back pain and in his words is bordering on being an alcoholic, so he doesn't want to burden her.
Have you any ideas what he could do to get help. I feel he is at the end of his tether. He doesn't live near me, so I am a long distance friend.
Any help would be appreciated.

[jakep]

Some of the mental health services in our area, particularly access to a counsellor, are obtained by self referral. If he could get the details on line and give them a ring, this would start the process.
An initial phone consultation which is like a triage and then face to face with a counsellor.
Hope this helps a bit.

[ladybirder]

Would he consider changing his doctor?

[Bobbisox1]

Tenrec, // his mother works as as a receptionist// surely she shouldn't ever find out ( patient confidentially )
Could he contact the Samaritans? They may point him in the right direction , good luck by the way

[237SJ]

He should Google mental health help in his local area. Most Councils have free help available (talking therapy, CBT etc) and he can self refer.

[TonyV]

tenrec as a receptionist his mother will have no idea what appointment is about.
Alternatively he could go to a walk in clinic at local hospital.

[EDDIE51]

He can go to any Doctor, just explain at reception what the problem is . They WILL have had this many times before !!

[ummmm]

I don't think it's as simple as self referring. Two users of this site had to fight for referrals.

[237SJ]

My GP told me to self refer when I went to him after my Mum died.

[EDDIE51]

Ummmm, in this situation 'self referal ' is the prefered option ! It CAN be done !!

[Maydup]

He might find it useful to contact MIND, either by phone or online chat either of which will be private.

Have a look here and see if its relevant.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/

[wolf63]

are you able to go visit your friend, a day out or something so that you can talk it over with him? Sometimes talking things over is a good place to start.

[tenrec]

Thank you all so much for your sensible answers. I don't live near him, but can send him a message with your ideas and hope he is brave enough to take the second step (the first step was admitting he had a problem). He is a lovely man & I feel so sorry that he is going through this. That has really helped me to help him, many thanks.