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Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

jamesmarksContributor06 Oct 2014, 5:34 pm AEDT

Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

As a long time sufferer of anxiety and depression in get really annoyed by campaigns like the one running on ABC etc now. Thye constantly promote the work of high profile 'depression help'organisations - my experience of these organisation is that they are very self serving and really offer nothing new to 'sufferers'. They pump out all the cliches around mental illness - diet / exercise / see a counsellor or psch/ etc etc

I have tried all therapies etc etc and realise depression and anxiety are complex issues - i have not found any 'professional' that has helped - no medication has helped - in the end it comes down to finding your own solutions and learning to manage the condition.

It really frustrates me when you get these 3 minute 'grabs' on tv around depression etc - they trot out all the old cliches and nevery go into any detail - there is awareness around the issues and we need some 'smart people' to talk INDEPTH about the subtler approaches to depression - talk with REAL people suffering from depression and anxiety and ask them what has helped them ...less of the 'PR' and fundraising for these hopeless organisations . I think many of the 'organisation' that supposedly help with depression fall into the 'jobs for boys' organisations and suspect most of the $ goes into their paypackets rather than serious research and solid approaches to depression/anxiety. My original post was knocked back as i mentioned one of these well known organisations that supposedly is their ti help sufferers of depression.

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In response to: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

JacksonContributor09 Oct 2014, 9:02 am AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

In my experience, having people who remind that things may not turn out the way you expect are handy to have around. Reminds me to think of what I need to have to back me up if things don't work out as a positive attitude might predict.

In response to: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

jamesmarksContributor09 Oct 2014, 8:57 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

thanks for sharing and your insights Shultz!! I wish you well in your jouney.

In response to: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

inSANECasual Contributor14 Oct 2014, 6:06 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

This has been my experience with these organisations too. What do these organisations actually do? I don't get it. You claim to support people with mental health issues yet you openly admit that you are not a crisis centre for these people. What is the use of awareness if it does not create real action? Please don't pretend to be on my side when you have done nothing to help and don't even know the pain I'm going through.

The public mental health system is just as bad, if not worse! I have heard staff members bad mouthing certain consumers and even excluding certain individuals from activities as they did not want to deal with these people with mental illness. This is coming from first hand experience but I have heard so much more unpleasant stories. If you didn't want to work with people who are mentally ill then don't.

Finally, I would just like to say I don't get why everyone is so iffy about suicide. You stop me from taking my own life but my suffering doesn't go away. Living is like living in a never ending purgatory - which is the reason why I want to end it all. I don't need to be lied to about how everything is going to get better time and time again.

In response to: Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

jamesmarksContributor14 Oct 2014, 6:13 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

Yes most of these organisations are, i think, totally self serving, probably 'jobs for the boys' - they raise huge sums of money, most of which pays for their wages - they offer only 'cliches' and information that can be googled in a couple of minutes - nothing new, little in the way of current research, new treatments, new therapies etc etc
Re suicide - well things CAN get better. My personal view is life is precious (sorry now i am talking in cliches!) and im gonna fight til the bitter end. Also suicide impacts hugely on those around us, so not a good option in my opinion.

In response to: Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

NikNikSenior Contributor14 Oct 2014, 6:53 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

Hi @inSANE

Welcome to the forums and thanks for your honest opinion.

In terms of your comment around claiming to help people, but not being a crisis centre - I can only comment in terms of these forums.

Basically the aim of these forums is to provide a different type of support - peer support. This is a space where people can share their experiences, get & give advice and encouragement. We say that this isn't a crisis support service because;

- the nature of the forums being peer support community

- there are other services (lifeline, mensline etc) who do a professionals in crisis support. We don't want to double up on services across the sector. (eg: more funding for a few organisations that do crisis support very well, rather than less funding for more organisations to do crisis support)

- safety of all members. This means avoiding particularly triggering posts.

You can read more about the forums here and also the Forum Guidelines here

I was disappointed to read that you have had those negative experiences with mh "professionals". You're right - if people don't want to work with people who are unwell... they shouldn't (can you imagine a doctor saying "those damn cancer patience... I don't want to deal with them"?!). As someone who works in the mh sector it frustrates me to hear that, and I'm glad you feel comfortable voicing your opinion about it here. You can find more information about standing up for your rights on the Mental Health Coordinating Council website. I think this page may be useful.

Finally - I was concerned to read your thoughts about suicide. I do want to share some crisis numbers that you may find helpful:

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Salvo care line: 1300 36 36 22

Mental Health Access Line: 1800 636 825

Secondly, I hope you stick around in the forums & find them helpful. I have seen members of this community voice some of the same thoughts about suicide before, and have come through the otherside - as @jamesmarks has.

Nik

In response to: Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

Alessandra1992Senior Contributor14 Oct 2014, 8:02 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

hi NikNik, can you post up the number for the Suicide CalbackService please?

I have heard that it's a very useful service for people living with suicidal feelings. Which may be a useful number to have listed.

In response to: Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

NikNikSenior Contributor14 Oct 2014, 8:07 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

Absolutely!

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

Their website is also very good. They have online counselling - which you can register for here

In response to: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

ivanaSenior Contributor02 Nov 2014, 7:23 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

I completely agree with you.
Instead of so-called "mental health awareness" campaigns,we need awareness into the wide variety of causes of these illnesses and creating innovative new treatments for them.
We need:

*A much better understanding of the huge variety of causes and we need Psychiatrists to "lift their game" regarding understanding these illnesses.Many Psychiatrists are still living in the 1980's regarding their depth of knowledge.
For example, the majority of Psychs would say "depression is caused by a chemical unbalance in the brain" but this is so "old news" of only Serotonin levels are only a small part of the picture.Many Psychs don't know that some with Depression have oxidative stress,low BDNF levels,brain inflammatory markers,hippocampal volume loss etc...
So,with the huge amount they get paid,patients should demand Psychiatrists read the latest research papers etc.

*A greater acknowledge of
,and understanding of,the many physical causes of mental illnesses and departments of Neurology,Psychiatry,Immunology should not be different fields.Instead it should all be working together as so many other causes can cause mental illness symptoms and are overlooked.
For example thyroid disorders are just one thing that can cause depression or psychosis symptoms but "mental patients" symptoms will often be dismissed as Psychiatric by Endocrinologists due to the stigma that still exists from some Medical practitioners.

In response to: Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

jamesmarksContributor02 Nov 2014, 10:10 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

Spot on ivana - absolutely agree. Most 'mental health' professionals have a very narrow and often outdated knowledge base they are working from. I really think most of the 'medical profession' are driven mainly by amassing as much $ as possible. Certainly few go 'the extra mile' in really trying to understand their clients and looking at newer therapies or offering alternatives.

In response to: Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

schultzContributor02 Nov 2014, 10:13 pm AEDT

Re: Frustrated with ‘Awareness” Campaigns

Hi Ivana. I saw my GP on Fri 31/10 to get the results of a blood screen (no fasting thank God). Helen is fantastic & must read everything that crosses her desk.
My psychiatrist on the other hand is a registrar as well as having a private practice & all we seem to do is talk about "guy stuff". Cars, politics etc.
At the end of the day, all i can offer is a realization that i have an ongoing problem & i have two professionals ( with whom i have rapport & in whom i trust) on my side [as it were].
I have much to be grateful for. S.

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