Case Study – Client B – Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent Mind

Client B is a 19 year old female who was referred to our services by Marie at

Torfaen Volunteer Alliance (TVA) at the end of January 2016. B presented herself to TVA after an argument with her father meant she was not able to return to the family home.

B had an unsettled childhood and states that she has been experiencing mental health issues since the age of 11. During her teenage years B became involved with taking drugs and says that this was due to her poor mental health, drug use acted an as release and she would often use drugs alone. Since she has been receiving support for her mental health, the drug use has stopped and B says talking about her issues has proven to be more beneficial than substance abuse. B had previously has involvements with the police and arrested for being drunk and disorderly and assaulting and police officer. B explained that she heavily relied on alcohol because of her family’s situation and the strain the negative relationships were having on her at the time. Since moving away from her family and living alone, B has greatly reduced her alcohol intake and has not been involved with the police.

B received support from Torfaen Mind to find her own accommodations as at the time, B was living temporarily with her sister. She was introduced to Homeseeker and was supported to register herself with an account. B had never used Homeseeker previously to receiving support from Torfaen Mind. This eventually led to B being accepted for a one bedroom flat in Garndiffaith where she lives alone but receives additional support from Bron Avon in regards to education and employment. B believes that living independently away from her family has helped to improve the relationship she has with her mother and father. They are now able to communicate in more efficient ways and B is able to remove herself from situations she feels uncomfortable with.

B’s mental health was very poor when she first began receiving support from

Torfaen Mind. She was very unsettled and her mood became very low, resulting in B taking an overdose of her anxiety medication. We worked with B to keep her safe and to reduce the harm B was causing herself. Referrals were made to our Recovery and

Beyond courses of which B has now attended the Understanding Anger course. B stated that this course has been very helpful and she has learnt a lot about her own behaviours from this course. B has been able to use the information sheets, techniques and useful tools gained from this course and apply them to the relationship she has with her parents, once again improving communication. B is looking forward to attending the other Recovery and Beyond course that she is currently on the waiting list for.

Over the past few months we have supported B to GP appointments regarding changes to her medication. B struggled to find medications that treated her symptoms of anxiety as well as some of the psychotic symptoms she was experiencing from time to time. After a first appointment with Talygarn it was suggested that B may be suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder rather than anxiety and depression.

However, at a follow up appointment with Talygarn B was then diagnosed with Bi-polar affective disorder. B felt relieved after finally receiving a diagnosis but has now been struggling with coming to terms. A referral to Torfaen Mind’s counselling service has been submitted for B as she feels she would benefit from speaking with a counsellor about her new diagnosis.

While waiting on the outcome of her ESA and PIP medical assessment, B is engaging with People Plus, an employment support team, to improve her chances of finding suitable work. They are providing support with education opportunities, creating a CV and applying for jobs. As B feels that she is too unwell to work at the moment, we supported B to the initial appointment with People Plus so that she felt more comfortable speaking about her mental health issues. Since this, B now feels more confident attending these appointments alone as she believes People Plus have a good understanding of her mental health.

Currently B’s situation has improved massively since she was first referred to our service. She is living independently and bidding on Homeseeker again for a new property that will not be supported accommodation as she now feels ready to live without the support from Bron Avon. B’s mental health still has its ups and downs but is much more stable than the past. B is looking forward to engaging in more educational opportunities and is also hoping to start volunteering in the near future.