Private medical costs

My name is Simon Lamb. I have suffered my entire adult life from a severe form of Bipolar Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I have been under the care of the NHS mental health model since 2006, but I have now exhausted every level of support they have available.

In June 2022, my OCD symptoms became critical and life-threatening again, and it was agreed with a private therapist and my GP that I needed access to further specialist care. Unfortunately, the NHS could no longer support my needs.

I am fundraising for private medical care and the specific CBT+ERP treatment I need.

(CBT is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. ERP is Exposure and Response Prevention and both are the evidence-based therapies for OCD.)

I have dedicated my life since 2020 to constructing my own method of psychiatric care. Through this method, I have lived for these last 3 years, psychiatric drug free. I have privately funded weekly basic counselling (paid for from my disability benefits). I’ve switched to eating a vegan diet and developed a daily running programme. My method works and has led to me losing 7 stone (45kg) in weight, Reversing type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and sexual dysfunction.

It has been relentless back-breaking work, where I have had to sometimes fight for my life. However, due to a reoccurrence of severe OCD symptoms, I am back to fighting for my life again, in a way that I am not able to control without support. I don’t want to go back on psychiatric drugs. I want access to evidence-based therapy, which is only available privately at the moment. I am fully engaged in fighting my disabilities, but I need further help and more specialist access to knowledge which is missing within the NHS.

The severity of my illnesses mean that I cannot work traditionally, and I have to survive on Universal Credit and Disability Benefits. This is why I am asking for help. The private therapy I need is simply not affordable on my budget. I need access to a private psychiatrist for assessment and treatment plan at a cost of £480. Therefore I am then aiming to secure enough money to start ongoing weekly private CBT+ERP therapy. A example of a year’s costs would be £4160. Total costs of £4640.

Anything you can give would be received with gratitude, love and appreciation. Please share this page on your social media if you can. My Instagram page can be found at: Lambsnotebook

Living alone and managing my disabilities alone without professional care or support is breaking me. I am now desperate for help, now.

Thank you for taking the time to read my request for support and help

Simon Lamb