Topic Tuesday // What is mental health reform and why is it important for you // Feb 14, 7-9pm AEDT

So I have been reading through the mental health plan draft and it seems to me - I might be wrong- that, just like so many other areas of society, vast amounts of money and resources are being touted for the collection of data, evidence and informing governments of the 'gaps' in our system. We already know that around 15 billion dollars is spent each year on the loss of productivity, health and social costs for people with MI. Why are we continually spending money on the 'research' rather than putting it into the 'on the ground' services and expanding early prevention and 'front-line' providers? This forum is a perfect example. It provides an amazing service for people to connect and support each other - wouldn't it be amazing to have a 'counselling' service attached to it - especially for those who find the 'physical' interaction with care providers stressful. I know there are other services that provide online support however it then becomes an issue of trust - and sometimes safety for a person - when you have such a fantastic 'community' support around you.

no one should be made to feel that way @BlueBay 😞 I am sorry that was your experience - we need to do better!

I wonder how many others are like me, and reading the conversation, cheering the input and the impulse to contribute, but struck dumb by the fear of having nothing positive to contribute?

Well, I've started now. Over my years, my experience of the "mental health" system has been relentlessly bleak. I find it overwhelmingly unsupportive, and dominated by ... well, ego. By people who insist on seeing themselves as the benchmark for "normal", however you want to slice that word, and tend to easy annoyance and even retribution if you don't concur.

I refuse to believe that's just me being "negative". But what stumps me, is that I don't have the first clue how it can be addressed. I'm discouraged that even the possibility of it doesn't appear in official talk about a mental health response.

Hello @NikNik xx

mental health currently receives only a tiny % of the medical research dollars @Arjay. If it received more their might come a day when we COULD meaure those chemicals and whatever else might be going on!

Telling your story is important, and things have changed, but we have so much more to do!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂

@Zoe7 I fear that this is the age old story of bureaucracy. Another inquiry, another discussion, another research paper. Why can't we just get on and fix the issues that we all know are there!!!! I'm guessing @FrankGQuinlan doesn't have a magic wand to fix that???

sorry @Former-Member - what a dissapointing response from your boss

Conditions seem to be harder for people to accept the more visible that they are.

We have to change that, along with changing the "just get over it" attitudes!

I have often questioned the efficacy of using GPs as the only first port of call for referral and tentative diagnosis. It took me 5 years of navigating the system, and finding every treatment/medication prescribed to me was not helping before I finally stumbled upon my own diagnosis. And I found it after some light Wikipedia research. It was only after I first suspected I had BPD that I was then referred to a diagnostic clarification psychatrist and then referred to a psychologist that specialised in DBT treatment. I am university educated and not entirely un-self-aware, and I was lucky to happen upom this insight into my condition. But not everyone has the ability or my luck in order to self-diagnose and finally find the right treatment. I suffered for 4 years under successive CBT therapists (the cool detachment of this treatment is not helpful for people like me and often only antagonises the feelings of a lack of trust), and it seems now to be such a drain on the system. What more can we do to make sure that effective diagnosing happens quickly and accurately?