Topic Tuesday // Stigma// Tues 14 May, 7pm AEST

To me stigma seems to be a scar - one that started it's life as a humiliating open wound

Dec

Hi @Former-Member . I do think it needs to start from the bottom up. You are right in that I’ve had some great care from some but horrendous from others. It has improved over the years a bit. I haven’t used an ED dept for over a year now. I think mi are too much put in a box with not enough understanding of how we experience our own episodes. Once a hospital became familiar with me it was better as well. I understand how difficult it is for mh professionals in that setting to diagnose and treat in a very short time. The hard part is that the stigma sticks for a long time after a bad experience.

@Fracturedlight I do agree with what you wrote. The hospital experience is so hard and then coming home can be harder again. Once you find a supportive team I hope it is helpful to give you the support you need at home. I ended up on a merry-go-round for a long time in the beginning with hospital and finding good support.

Be kind to you. It’s really a scary experience going to hospital and then coming home and feeling isolated.

That is an interesting point @Fracturedlight - stigma can be based around fear of the unknown.

A lot of you here have shared some very tough situations, it's great to see the support happening here between peers. Some shared things coming up are peoples lack of understanding what it means to live with mental health issues.

I wonder if for our next question everyone, we could look at sharing ways in which you could or would try to explain just a few things about your mental health issues with someone? What could a sentence be that you feel comfortable with, that you could share with someone close to you to give them some insight into what you experience to help them understand and break down that barrier of stigma?

I have several mental health related issues that much like any disease or illness need vigilance and care to stay on top of @Former-Member That is how I describe my MI

@Former-Member @Fracturedlight

I agree that stigma comes from the unknown. But I don’t understand why people can inform themselves about other physical health related issues, but turn a blind eye on mental health.

I’ve had some good experiences though I’d like to share. I go to charity run groups and they’ve always made an effort to ask, without needing to know my story, what they can do to make me feel more comfortable or what they can avoid that triggers me. And that is nice. I’d like to have more people who learn how to do that. If someone had a broken leg, that’s what people would do?

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@Fracturedlight wrote:

@Teej yes!!! The public hospital ED is so bad for it. I was in hospital 2 weeks ago. I felt so ashamed, unsupported and alone. Then you just get released and moved on. It's devastating impact at that moment.

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The ED can be a hard place to go with chronic pain too @Fracturedlight

I haven't gone there recently - in the past though it was usually the nurses - certainly not all - far from it - but I found a lot of condescending attitudes with the comment

"We can't cure your chronic pain with a night in hospital" - of course not but I was cured of wanting to visit the ED

Dec

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@Fracturedlight wrote:

@Teej yes!!! The public hospital ED is so bad for it. I was in hospital 2 weeks ago. I felt so ashamed, unsupported and alone. Then you just get released and moved on. It's devastating impact at that moment.

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@Former-Member

I think fir me with my MI and BPD I say very little. I explain it to people that my emotions are unstable. I never say I have BPD.

Hi @Teej I am sorry you have experienced, such a negative experience, where it has left you feeling distressed and alone. I can't understand this and why people work in this field when they have such uncaring and unhelpful way of treating people who have a medical condition. I know you struggled a long time with accessing suitable support. My heart goes out to you and the struggles and obstacles you have faced. Just remember its not a reflection of you but a reflection of them. You're amazing and caring and engaging person. Its been a privilege to get to know you.