Female
Age 26

“I have been suffering from depression from the age of 16 and as a result of this I developed an eating disorder and I suffer from anxiety. In the past I have tried talking therapy which really helped me however, the number of sessions weren’t sufficient enough. I have also tried a range of different therapies and anti-depressants throughout the years but nothing has helped. I have been suffering from panic attacks for 6 years which has made going out the house a struggle.

During my Social Prescribing appointment I was made aware of all these projects in the local area that can support me. The Link Worker referred me to Counsellors Together CIC and had free 8 sessions and then after that £10 a session which is really affordable. The Counselling sessions have really helped me to manage the panic attacks and also includes mindfulness which I practice every day.”

Link Worker Referred Patient to Horticulture Therapy Programme at The Eden Project. Vounder Garden, an area in Eden's outer estate, provides a safe, friendly environment where people can connect with nature and try out something different and learn new things. Run by an experienced horticultural therapy team, the project helps individuals living with anxiety or depression to establish a personal plan to explore what they can achieve from their time in the garden.

Patient’s comments

I have learnt new skills and developed a hobby which I am really interested in. I have also learnt to propagate plants, planned the summer garden, learnt mulching techniques and also designed a vegetable garden

Social Prescribing – introduced me to opportunities that I didn’t know were available to me. When your depressed you mind doesn’t function the same and contacting strangers is extremely daunting. I wasn’t in the head space to find out these things and the thought of picking up the phone to call people made me anxious. The Link Worker referred me and explained to me how supportive the people who run the groups are. I didn’t have the confidence to do this myself. The Link Worker supported me with setting things up.

More Doctors need to be made aware of Social Prescribing. My GP said I was a patient that the NHS has failed. I was told there was no other services I could be referred to. The week before I was going to give up and then my GP found out about Social Prescribing and I was referred.”