Topic Tuesday Focus Group // Treatment and support for people experiencing personality disorders // Tuesday 6 March, 7pm AEDT

Hi everyone & welcome,

Hello to those who wanted a reminder for tonight - @Sam132749 @outlander @OhanaSystem @Hightide @difficulthuman @Lemonjuice @Catcakes @Former-Member @Determined @BlueBay @Oneoone

Before we get started, please ensure you have read the Participant Information Form. Tonight’s Topic Tuesday has a different purpose than usual, and your insights will be informing SANE's research project.

Note that:

• by posting in this thread you are agreeing to have your responses used as part of this project
• while we are discussing personal experiences, you are not under any obligation to disclose anything that you do not wish to
• If their comments are used, researchers will protect anonymity by using pseudonyms and removing any identifying details
• If they do not wish their comments to be included in the report, they must contact team@saneforums.org via email and provide your username and the comment in question after the focus group within a week.
• please keep in mind our Community Guidelines, in particular our guidelines around defamation. While we want you to feel comfortable sharing what didn't work for you, we are unable to publish allegations against organisations.

Now, with that all said I shall pass over to @EliseSunflower

Hi @NikNik and thank you for the introduction!

I'm a Research Assistant at SANE working on this exciting project, which is all about personality disorder treatment and access in Australia. Thank you in advance to everyone who joins the conversation tonight.

To get the ball rolling, my first question is: When did you first experience symptoms of your personality disorder, and what support did you access around this time?

hi all 🙂 @NikNik @EliseSunflower

Hi @outlander, thanks for joining!

I first started exhibiting signs of mental illness when I was 3, but nobody was able to offer my mother any support for me at that time.

When I was around 12, my symptoms began to increase until I finally began to seek help at around 15. I saw a psychiatrist but didn't trust him because I felt he was reporting things back to my mother. Once I hit adulthood, I sought help through various psychologists and psychiatrists mainly doing general talk therapy & medications until I was eventually diagnosed with BPD in my mid-20s.

Hi @Catcakes and thanks for joining us tonight

What sort of challenges were you experiencing at the time, and what prompted you to seek help?

hi @EliseSunflower i didnt know i had a personality disorder or even considered it until last yr when my psychiatrist picked up on it abit and sent me for further assessments and they came up with BPD. i thought there was something off besides anxiety (thought there was more to it) but didnt know what it was.

i havent had a good deal of support at all for any of my mh conditions. the most for my personality disorder was the assessments and trying a few medications. i was offerred a dbt group through the community however once the assessment was done the psychologist who done them 'signed me off' and was no longer on the list. so other than that ive been self helping, having the forums and seeking support elsewhere (or trying to anyway)

Hi @EliseSunflower,

I first came into contact with mental health services and was diagnosed with BPD in 1996 when I was 18 years old. The catalyst was that I was rejected by the man who I considered to be my father-figure. The more he pushed me away, the more I clung and I became increasingly chaotic. At his insistence I saw a psychotherapist. I had my first psychiatric admission within a year of starting with this psychotherapist. All of my psychiatric admissions have been for 72 hours or less in a public hospital and they have always just been for crisis management - I've never actually received any sort of treatment in hospital.