Lived Experience Forum

[catalytic]

First time poster here. It's been a long time since I've bothered with forums, to be honest I don't usually get the sort of support I'm after. I haven't had much luck finding support anywhere, even from my own family. I have had a lot of negative experiences while trying to access support services, I could write a book on the failures of the mental health system where I'm located. Many of you would be shocked by the way I have been treated over the years.. My official diagnosis is Bipolar II and Borderline Personality Disorder. My current psychologist believes the BPII diagnosis is incorrect and that I just have BPD.

I've held off posting until I've been in a more stable frame of mind, I don't want this post to be overly negative but part of sharing my story is letting overs know of the challenges I've faced with accessing support. In doing that I can't help but rely the negative experiences I have had and also name the support services that have let me down. Some of those support services are the very ones that are linked to Sane Forums. If that moderators could please indicate whether is is appropriate or allowed for me to share my experiences about these particular services. My only goal is to share my story as a way for these services to improve and for others to be aware of some of the issues they may face.

I live within the bounds of Frankston here in Victoria. The hospital has the 2nd highest mental health admissions in the state. Local support services are unable to keep up with the demand. My local hospital will only deal with people who have attempted suicide or are experiencing psychosis, any other issues you are given a psychological assessment through the community service and then discharged back to the care of your GP in less than a week.

I'm sure I can't be the only one here that has fallen through the cracks of a broken system. I want to do something about it....this is part of my recovery. In the coming weeks I will be having meetings with some of the key people from these organisations that have let me down. Change can only happen if people speak out about the inadequet care people with personality disorders often recieve in the public mental health system. 

[snoopy]

Hi Catalytic. Welcome to the SANE Forums!!

Hopefully the members you’ll find here are able to offer some support and encouragement. You may also find quite a few with similar experiences to yourself. It is not uncommon for people previously diagnosed or thought to be experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder to then be diagnosed with BPD. Hopefully this new diagnosis will help clarify some of the symptoms and behaviours you may have been experiencing but did not quite correlate with bipolar. You may find now with more appropriate or specialised treatment your journey on the way to recovery is a little brighter.

Unfortunately, not every service is appropriate for everyone, or meets everybody’s needs. In a perfect world, they all would. I wish they would. It’s disappointing to read you have had such a rough time. Whilst you may not have found some services helpful, many other people likely have. It is important to avoid negatively influencing people against trying a service, where it may potentially be helpful for them. We definitely welcome your story and experiences, as long as it does not sway others away from potential help.

Advocating for better conditions for people living with mental illness is really important. And it’s great you view that as part of your recovery. Change does not happen in a vacuum, and no doubt your voice will have an impact one way or another.

Again, I want to wish you a hearty welcome to the Forums. I look forward to seeing you around the traps.

[Former-Member]

Hi @catalytic

Welcome ot the forums. I'm so sorry to hear that you've had bad experiences and havent gotten the support that you need and deserve. I think there are lots of people who feel the same way. I think its really courageous that you're going to take some of the issues up with the groups who've let you down. I think you're right, its the only way people know what its really like for us. I have had mostly good experiences so i've been really lucky I guess. 

For myself, I'm glad that you've expressed yourself so clearly and confidently in your post, being so open and honest is so much better. I hope you stay around the forums and let us know how your meetings go! It really is a friendly space with so many people who've had a huge a range of experiences, and we can all benefit from hearing about each others experiences... stops us from feeling so alone when things arent going right for us I think.

Take care of yourself,,

LJ

[Jacques]

Hi @catalytic,

I have been on this forum for about 6 months and have found everyone on her to be very supportive and kind, i live in a rural town and have been housebound for 14 years, in that time i have seen 1 psychologist and 1 psychiatrist, both where a disaster, rural mental health in Australia's not good, the over burdened MH system in conjunction with funding being cut from state and federal governments, have made the system strain under the pressure, MH in Australia has not been taken seriously for a long time, but with bold and strong people like yourself, maybe the system can change.

I am proud of you taking on this subject, it takes courage and determination to get change, i really hope you and others succeed in you quest for better treatment.

Take care, be safe

Jacques

[Appleblossom]

Hi @catalytic

Welcome to the forum.

I hear you ... the whole de-institutionalisation thing was supposed to be about dealing with MH in the community.

I, my brother, sister, son and father have all fallen through the cracks.  My brother is truly a deinstitutionalisation martyr. I am hanging on by the skin of my teeth.

I would be prepared to be involved in active projects if they would benefit others in similar situations to me. I have strengths and resources but am also vulnerable.

I live on other side .. roughly same distance from CBD.

[ivana]

I agree with everything you wrote and would really like to hear your story.

Its not like that just in Victoria,its the same in NSW.

It would be a great idea if you really did write a book as awareness needs to be raised about these experiences and change wont come from raising the issue with the abusive staff themselves or through complaints processes such as hospital client liason as often they 'close ranks' with the other staff that work there and no change comes about + no justice for the patient/s.

[catalytic]

I definitely do not want to sway anyone from seeking help. It's the opposite I'd like people to keep asking and to not put up with sub standard care.

Thank you all for your comments 🙂 I'm actually considering moving rurally. Loosing my psych may be a problem I'll have to face, but the city and this area are just too much for me.

I will share my experiences with the services I have come in contact with. My gripes are mainly with waiting lists and one individual staff member and her not actually "acting in good faith" or according to "duty of care". These are things I want others to be aware of, but not things to discourage seeking help. So I will be careful on being too biased.

[Appleblossom]

I really like the emotional tone of the title of your thread ... I see it as a quietly wishing, but a very big desire to effect social change in the world. 

I believe passionately in suicide awareness and tried to get my choir president to join the RUOK day and Out of the Shadows movement.  Other classical musical concerts next weeekend are getting involved in it, but I was fobbed off.  Win some lose some ... but my personal risk is getting higher and higher atm.

I just had a conversation with a service (10 mins ago).  I appreciated the callback protocol of the service, but she wanted me to agree that I was "happy" to call a crisis service if I needed. I quietly said that I was not "happy" ... it is an unfortunate choice of phrase when talking to some one about significant SI. I said she wanted me to reassure her and that she was trying to protect herself, in forcing me to agree to something.

I think I might be dreadfully triggered atm by young females in the paid work force patronising me ... I have had 30 years of it.  I will try to restrain myself and act with respect but I am very tempted to blast the hell out of next sweet young thing who upsets me . ..

I am so SICK of feeling and being RESPONSIBLE and not getting respect.

[Jacques]

I am so sorry @Appleblossom, i am here if you ever want to talk, i didn't know you where struggling so much.  please be safe.

is their any other places you can go that are not so triggering, it is a shame so many people judge, i struggle with it too, we both need to come up with some coping stratagies. 

Reading some of your posts over the past weeks, things where looking so good, i really thought you where gewtting back on track. 

Take care, be safe, my friend

Jacques

[catalytic]

Sorry you're struggling at the momemt @Apleblossom. Just try and remember this too shall pass. I know how you feel, I'm like that with middle aged men in the mental health profession. I've given up with the local triage service. I call lifeline or suicide line if I feel the need to hear a voice of reason. It's very hard to have faith in the hospital mental health triage, as I mentioned earlier they are only short term intensive support for those that have already attempted suicide.
For those that have no one the only places we can get help is phone lines and forums. I wish I could think of a solution that works for those of us that dont fall into the category of needing intensive support.