Lived Experience Forum

[Historylover]

 Absolutely agree, @Appleblossom re not wanting to waste the health budget's money.  I treat is as if it is coming out of my own pocket and if I can't get value for money - I don't spend it.  And I can't - so I don't.

[Zoe7]

Just a member like you @chibam but will raise this with our Community Managers @Daisydreamer and @pipinya  👍

[chibam]

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@Zoe7 wrote:

Just a member like you @chibam but will raise this with our Community Managers @Daisydreamer and @pipinya  👍

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Thanks, @Zoe7 !

[Zoe7]

You are welcome @chibam You can also email the team yourself team@saneforums.org

[Appleblossom]

Yep @Historylover 

Same here, but my son also did not want to waste the tax payers budget and needed to come into his wisdom more, so until that happened I personally became very needy of MH services in last 5 years.  (edited typo) Son seems to be coming iinto his wisdom now,  most kids these days take longer to grow up I guess ... such a complex world.

So I was left to grovel and be treated as a fool by various services, to keep me alive while he was struggling and not claiming his legit due.  Yes 3 separate abuses since April 2020.  Lucky I could get up after each one.  Now I am better armed..... hmmmmm!  Actually 2 more but they were identified and given the sack.  Still that is 5 cases of stigma in one year ... at the moment I am happy with "my team", maybe one day I will not need them anymore . .. here is hoping.

I have paper copies of various reports of  3 relevant enquiries etc etc ... on my handy bookshelf.  I have submitted to various enquiries, state & fed over the years.  We dont like the enquiries being a mockery, along with the health budget, either. Its a mistake to think that all suffering from Mental health issues are lacking in morals.

Dear @Zoe7 I was very used to towing the line ... for whatever authority was relevant ... eg my mother, welfare, school, this boss, that boss, taxman ... do the right thing for kids... my own and others ... etc etc .... sometimes it is good to maintain independence ... it might even be a good life purpose for me.   Give me a reason to take recent 'hiccups' with health services on the chin ... all for a cause.... Hope you are well.  Always love seeing you about.

[Historylover]

@Zoe7 , I have no family and no friends. 

I had a dysfunctional family for whom I laid everything on the line in the belief that, shown a better way of doing things, shown that honour does pay, that ultimately they would change their ways.  They didn't, and I have lost almost everything. All I have left is an inheritance for my daughters.  I continue to save for them yet haven't seen them for 36 years.  I do not have a home or a car.  I live frugally.  I am thoroughly broken.  

Am I alright?  No, I am not.  This site and the caring souls on it are the only people who have sustained my life since my last overwhelming trauma eighteen months ago.  I limp on daily - but I have no future.  Without family and friends, we are lost.  I have no-one.  Absolute despair sweeps over me in waves and all I see are people, in the real world, who are predatory towards me.  I trust no-one.

I am a good, thoughtful, decent person and faithful friend.  I have a lot to offer.  I am worth knowing - worthy of friends and of respect.

I could survive if the folks here were in my real world.  We could support each other and I would think, could become a force to be reckoned with.  Such decent folk.  I thought everyone fitted somewhere.  Somewhere they could be loved and prosper.

I can only limp on and wait to see how I will next be taken advantage of, discredited.  I don't think much of people.  

[Zoe7]

Agree @Appleblossom Unfortunately people (us) are often just put in a box or a box ticked and it does not actually help or benefit us at all. We often have to fight for help and that is not the way it should be - we have often had to fight so much already to ask for help (and along our 'journeys').

I have been part of a local suicide prevention network for a while but have also become so frustrated with it - the main reason is they want more people with lived experience but their meetings are always held in the middle of the day - services that deal with these issues have representatives that attend but they completely exclude those that work in other areas. I have asked for the meetings to be more 'individual' friendly but so far nothing - so I think my participation will end - it really is just another example of a committee or agency 'talking' too much, not listening at all and justifying their position by saying they need to do more without actually doing it.

[Daisydreamer]

Hi @chibam 

Thank you for raising these important issues that are contributing to the stigma and current issues within the mental health system at the moment. There are lots of really important points here and we share the passion for change to ensure that those living with mental health concerns can access safe and recovery oriented mental health services that put lived experience at the core of what they do.

One of SANE's core pillars is advocacy, aimed at amplifying the voices of those living with mental health concerns and their friends, families and carers. We advocate in lots of different spaces at all levels of the mental health system to make sure that the voices of lived experience and the needs of our community are represented as widely as possible.

Through consultations and our work with our Peer Ambassadors, we are always keeping our ear to the ground to make sure that we are hearing the needs of the communities we support. That's where hearing from you is really important, and I will make sure to share your post with our team, and we will share any consultations or opportunities to get involved in SANE's advocacy here on the forums 🙂

Openness and transparency are really important to us, and so it's important that I pass on that in this instance there is an agenda set for the meeting that is predetermined. We will be representing and ensuring the voice of lived experience is embedded in all we do, but I'm mindful this meeting may not speak to every concern raised here today.

That being said, we advocate in every part of what we do and we are always looking to hear your thoughts and experiences so we can be better advocates. You are more than welcome to also send any things you would like us to know about to the forums email address (team@saneforums.org) 🙂 

[Zoe7]

Just read both this and your post on the new thread @Historylover I can absolutely hear your mistrust and despar around people  What you have been dealing with from this group is both bullying and assault. You do not deserve that and it should not be happening. Quite frankly it is disgusting that you are being put through this.

I am so grateful you have us here - I do know it is not at all like having people in the real world - but we are also real people and the care and support we offer is real - so whenever you need please reach out here. I can also very highly recommend the SANE counsellors if you need one on one support - even just a chat about what is happening for you. I won't suggest other services as I have had mixed experiences myself so I stick with what I know and those I know here at SANE.

The value of this community is that we are all here because of MI but we are also all here because we have people around us that get it - not every detail because we are all different, have different paths, histories and stories - but can truly empathise with each other. I hope we here can help to restore your faith in people a little - it certainly has for me.

[Daisydreamer]

Also echoing @Zoe7's beautiful comment above, we are here to support @Historylover and be a listening ear if you need someone to lean on The SANE Helpline is still available until 10pm tonight, and we have counsellors around to support you