Lived Experience Forum

[Bipolar94]

So much for free health care in Australia! 

Sure i had heaps of mental health support growing up and as a young adult but now im nearing 30 with a diagnosis of bipolar, depression and anxiety plus probably also undiagnosed OCD and PTSD. Theres nothing.

Psychiatrists and psychologists are bloody expensive. Its money i juat dont have because i cant hold a job long enough to have that sort of money to spare! 

The public system is a joke with massive waitlists and even when the emergency mental health team get involved they treat you like absolute rubbish! Request to be seen when my son is at school because i dont want to talk about my 20+ years of issues in front of him and they just rock up to my front door whenever they bloody like without even giving me a call! 

Seriously, the mental health services thats available now make me feel even worse about my mental health because really there is no adequate support out there! 

I need review, i need medication changes, i know i need those things but cant access it.

[Appleblossom]

Yeah there are heaps of problems with the system here. @Bipolar94 

Do you know where it is better?  I keep talking about Scandinavian models but not real experience.  Recently I hear a lot of the UK health has been outsourced. Not sure how true that is, but it made me sad.

Welcome to the forum where we struggle but try and make the best of it.

[Bipolar94]

I honestly havent heard of anywhere that provides great mental health care. But why advertise universal health care when it really isnt universal. Why promote support for mental health when theres no support. Honestly, days like "r u ok?" day make me sick. Im no where near ok but what the hell are you or i going to do about it? Its not like theres anything that can really be done about me not feeling ok because its too expensive for my already tight budget.

[Appleblossom]

I am pretty wary of one size fits all ... it does not seem to work in physical or mental health.

Not a fan of ruok meself.

If you want to tag a person use the @sign and a drop down gives options or type whoever you would like to talk with. ... EG @Bipolar94 

[chibam]

Hi @Bipolar94 . Welcome to the forums.

I'm sorry to hear about your rough ride with the mental health system thus far. Your not alone in that regard. It's terrible that they just rock up to your house whenever they feel like it, regardless of your needs. I encountered similar issues myself.

From what I've heard, the sorry state of Australian mental health care isn't unique. I've hear similar horror stories from all over the world. It's a very uncaring profession, in general, from what I've been told.

The only manner in which Australia is unique is with our accessability issues in rural areas; since Australia is such a sparse & vast country, which makes it somewhat geographically unique, compared to other western nations.

Edit: BTW, I am completely on the same page as both you and @Appleblossom regarding RUOK. What's the sense in pushing people to "get help" when help doesn't actually exist?

IMO, it's just all about sweeping 'troubled' people under the rug, where they can't be such a disruption. Push them all into some sort of system, so that we can all feel god about ourselves, knowing that they are getting "the help they need".

[Millieme]

Also find the Ruok days so difficult. I feel like the 'offerings of service' are more applicable to those having transient difficult patches in their lives or some shorter term challenges and already have strong enough social networks/supports for anyone to realise that they're having challenges. If you have moderate to severe mental health, are isolated, have complex health and mental health... there just doesn't seem anywhere to turn in the public non-system.

[Former-Member]

I understand your frustration but at least we have some level of care here in Australia.

[ArraDreaming]

Yeah I agree once you age out of “youth” services, it’s $100-$200 a session and months and months waiting...

[MDT]

hey @Bipolar94
Sounds like you are close in me to age
I hope you find the forum useful

Yeah I think we've all had a fair share of the crap system. Sometimes I have been at an ED and the assessor has made off the cuff remarks about me to my face about something (one time i remember it was what i was wearing). I think the assessor failed to realise that I Wasn't interested in putting on my sunday best to go to the ED... silly idiot. Then proceeded to make more comments. I was tempted to get up and walk out. But I won't ever be going back to that ED ever again if I need help.

I hope you find the forums helpful. Share as much as you feel and welcome once again

[BPDSurvivor]

Im sorry to hear things are so tough  @Bipolar94 .

Have you spoken to your GP about your meds etc.? Also, perhaps ask your GP for suggestions about where to seek help within budget?

I hear what many people are saying here, and absolutely acknowledge the limitations in our mental health care system. 

I guess I just 'fell into the right hands'... my entire support system was based in the public system to the point where I knew I no longer needed them as part of my care. I've never had to pay for a pdoc or anything else. I know I'm a lucky one.

Where are you located? I can only share of some of the resources in my area which have low or no fees involved. 

BPDSurvivor