Access to Mental Health Help

[ivana]

This is a bit of track-sorry @Billamba,but personally I believe that Terry should be entitled to tell his stories/opinion "as it is" and that his story should be held as being as valuable as other people's who have had more positive experiences with Mental Health servces.

To not want to hear critical opinions is not being positive,rather its being "delusional" and painting a rose coloured glasses outlook which does not serve anyone nor does it lead to mental health reform.

We can't change what we won't acknowledge-so to speak.

There are some very good and caring Mental health service providers who are commited to treating patients with dignity.

We shouldn't ignore though that there are also still many instances (varying from hospital to hospital and state to state) of abuses,or inequalities which are sometimes leaving patients with low self-esteem,traumatised,perceiving that their feelings arn't being aknowleged or heard, or in poorer mental health states.

By communicating and addressing these things is how we bring about change and build a mental health system that is more patient centrered.

Thats not being negative,its being realistic.

Hopefully (?),Sane forums can be a place for all people with different outlooks and experiences as everyone "brings something worthwhile and different" due to their unique viewpoint.

[Terry]

Thanks Ivana, I've actually been through the mental health system for DECADES, and experienced it's worst excesses.  I'm sorry to tell you that it's not a good system, and no matter HOW well you do your job they will hold your mental illness AGAINST you instead of making allowances (like they do, or try to do, or say they try to do, for people with other disabilities). I'm very sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but there is an excellent and happy life to be made if one has a mental illness but it excludes paid work and the mental health system, and i'm very sorry to have to tell you that.  i did excellent qualtiy work over and over again for over 20 years in the paid workforce (i was a top student at school) but they discriminated against me constantly.  I suppose they thought it was fair to discriminate for some reason, but I was turning up on time, well-dressed, with a professional attitude (admittedly my attitude did suffer after a while and I kept trying to work after this point, with a bad attitude) and doing good work, and they STILL gave me hell, for having a health condition/disability, no less!  Eventually, I gave up - let 'em pay to keep a top notch worker on the pension, if they so want to!  Mind you, the mainsteam Australian culture is pretty ruthless all 'round - I have a friend who had a sister with down syndrome and she got sacked from a sheltered workshop for not working fast enough - Incredible!  There really is something badly wrong with the entire mainstream Australian culture if you ask me but it's still sunny and rich here (I hope the weather is ok wherever you are.  Where I am it is sunny today).  There's HEAPS of support out there - you just have to know how to find it!  And I don't bother with the mental health system any more - they're useless, pretty much.  Not self-stigmatising is a good start - it will help you to recognise that you deserve as much courtesy and respect as anyone else, and that will help you process what you have been through and that will help you to find support.  as i said, if i can help anyone at this forum, then ask away, please!  and god bless x 🙂  (ps. not forgetting you will still have good and bad days, good and bad times, like everyone). ps. take it VERY easy, I have learned.  If you knock yourself out there is only the mental heath system to turn to and I just don't find them helpful - quite the opposite, in fact 😞

[CherryBomb]

Hi @Billamba,

I'm also sorry to take this off track but I just want to share my thought with @Terry and @ivana,

It seems people have differing opinions about the MH systems. Yes, some are bad, and yes some are actually good.

As @Former-Member has mentioned, she's had postive experiences, and I'm sorry to hear that @Terry hasn't had good ones.

The main point that I'm trying to get across is that everyone's experience is individual. We can't define someone else's experiences based off our own. 

[ivana]

@CherryBomb Agreed:)

[PeppiPatty]

Jeepers Kreepers @Billamba

You write of a worry of mine....probably lots and lots of people then.........my Father in Law whos both children have significant times of mental ill health and one of them is my husband. I'm not allowed to talk about my husband but I can tell you what he told me.........

he truly is the most caring beautiful Father in Law that you can have............

When we first met he told me that he stopped visiting his friends for dinner because they all were showing off about their children and he had nothing to show off about.......

You know @Billamba Ive read quite a few messages from you and it feels like to me that you.....use your head. My Mum LOves showing off about her four children but when it come to me ...........it's not necessarily true. 

This is just a funny idea......if you really really desire to go to University this year ....listen to @lisajane. Shes one beautiful person who did the hard yards to get her degree. I havent been able to say g'day to her lately because of my own little life but she knows how much I respect her.......

I did a weird thing too.I did the uni thing and much to us human's astonishment.....around the universe.....the Greek Gods came downstairs and waved a wand and decreed that I passed........lol

[Terry]

The longer one is exposed to the mental health system, the nastier they get, i'm sorry to say.  But there is a way through and life after the buggas, and a good life too!  I've picked through the rubble to find the pearls and am working through stuff with a christian counsellor now 🙂

[Sakurapuss]

@PeppiPatty a free mental health care plan sounds great! I live in QLD so I'll have to look into it. I work 2 jobs as does my husband to pay a mortgage and support 2 teenagers. I don't have a health care card as we "earn too much" but as I'm constantly having to take unpaid leave we're probably entitled to one! I stopped seeing a psychiatrist as it was a choice of feed the family or get support. I know that my full time job is a major contributing factor to my mental illness but I feel stuck in that we have so many bills to pay and we'd lose the house if I gave up the job. I also want to provide the kids with the best we can afford, which isn't much so I can imagine what id'd be like without the majority of my pay coming in. If only there were a magic solution of fixing my household income... I think most of the factors contributing to my mental illness would disappear

[Terry]

Sakurapuss, surely you are eligible for the public mental health system, even 'though you work?  And once you find a medication regimen that works for you, you can get your tablets from a g.p.  Don't forget Lifeline (13 11 14) (just in case), and there are probably cheap and/or free counsellors that will do you a cheap/free deal even 'tho you are working because of your health/disability.  Make a few phone calls and check with your local community centre and see if they can help you.  good luck and god bless 🙂

[PeppiPatty]

Dearest @ivana,

I think Terry is venting........

It's so great to see you and I am responding to your message before reading Terry long message. I agree that we need to keep up the different information and yes, yes, we have all been misstreated and where I live theres some horror stories that I do.we all have stories inside us from misstreatment from DOCS, (taking children from parents to foster care. Aboriginal people mistreatment....robbers and gangsters And Mental HEalth)  WE have the most amazing crew of people who visit every fortnight and I am so grateful. On the police........yes, yes......BUT the last two encounters with the police LOVE but Im also very caring to Terry.......you are very valid and wanted and needed. I love your way of thinking on other things.......

[PeppiPatty]

Dear @Sakurapuss

I really feel for you 

It's really difficult I know. I lost my home. but I have the most amazing public service home in a good place in PErth. I worked very hard to get it though .

My oldest son lives in Queensland and really, I loved the Mental Health service there but I have only been in contact with them a little so my view may be tainted (lol)

When the Doctors in the locked ward ....hospital there (forgot which one) asked me how I was...I ran out in the corridoor and rang my support paople back in PErth and said.......the Doctors ASKed me how I was....can you believe it ???