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Magpie22Peer Guide
Hi all
thought we could start a thread to share what we have learned that we wish we’d learned earlier.
I had a health crisis last year along with some mental health stuff and personal life stuff. Lots of friends reached out to me to offer support, and in the past I never felt safe to let people help me - to show vulnerability. I am the helper, not the helpee. But I needed help, and asking and receiving help was not actually as scary as I thought.
In response to: Lessons Learned
OaktreeSenior Contributor
@Magpie22
I am not sure I have learnt it yet but something that I want to learn is how not to self sabotage myself. I have to find out why I am doing it and work out how to head it off at the pass. I am going to speak to my psychologist about this today…
In response to: Lessons Learned
ccau_82Peer Guide
Great idea 💡 my main lesson learnt is not to give too much of myself away in service to others. I can't run around the island trying to save all the boats. What I CAN do is look after myself and share, stay accountable to myself and model that behaviour like a lighthouse to other veterans. @Magpie22
In response to: Re: Lessons Learned
tymeModerator
Wow @ccau_82 , that is an amazing analogy @ccau_82 . Thank you so much for sharing. It's really gold.
A lot of us want to 'save' everyone else, but unless we are well ourselves, we simply can't save others.
Take care of yourself.
In response to: Re: Lessons Learned
OaktreeSenior Contributor
@ccau_82
I love your self awareness that you can't save all the boats.
Your lighthouse analogy reminds me of one of the moderators who used to work at Sane.
His avatar was a picture of a lighthouse to represent hope. He made me think more about my avatar and that's why I picked an Oak tree. It also represents hope. I then changed my username to match lol. I have grown to love it. I have to turn off my helper reflex somehow. As a peer worker people don't want advise from me. They just want unjudgmental listening. I am a mother so it's in my nature to try and mother everyone. I have to learn not to do that. It can represent quite a challenge.
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Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
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