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Something’s not right

marc6x
Contributor

Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

My current situation is an interesting case of ongoing and post-traumatic stress disorder which has haunted my life for the last 15 years. Previous problems with family, especially my father, existed in my life before this time, but are no comparison to the trauma I have experienced since then.

 

My antagonists are the police and Mental Health Authority with their ongoing use of enforced medicating. I am currently forced to take an injection of antipsychotics every month, even though from childhood and as a vegan and animal rights activist I am philosophically opposed to the use of drugs, especially those tested on animals, and fearful of the use of needles. My strong argument and belief is that the drugs are NOT a necessity and I have been most likely misdiagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. A complete absence of ongoing symptoms for more years than I can remember supports this view. My experiences of negative effects of the drugs include tremors, bodily shakes, headaches, and impaired creativity. Mental Health Authority express very little accountability for these negatives and are adamant that I should remain on the drugs. I have tried to negotiate a lower dosage but they have refused.

 

I am deeply afraid of the police, especially in the way that they dress, their checkered vehicles, their lethal weapons, and the brievous and presumptuous way in which they force their way into my property or place of residence. My parents have shown limited empathy for this perception and continue to side with the authorities, having being compliant and cooperative with them since inception. Due to the rudeness of police, I get the shits every time I see them and wish that I could blow them away. But I cant.

 

The actions of the police and Mental Health Authority have, indirectly, also costed me literally a very large amount of money. In 2015 I moved away from a lucrative sales job in Canberra (and elsewhere) in order to escape the police in that area. Sales in Brisbane have been far less rewarding and disillusionment with management have caused me to stop selling for a few years. I have lost at least tens of thousands of dollars by making the decision to purchase an apartment in Brisbane and fighting an uphill battle with sales in this location. The police and Mental Health Authority don’t care, and don’t acknowledge this at all.

 

By way of comparison, I want you to understand that I am affected by this stressful state every single day. It has not been an isolated case of abuse, way back somewhere in my childhood. In fact, the only concessions I have are that my childhood was relatively pleasant and that I was not arrested by police until my mid-20s. If it were earlier, it would have been even more devastating. Even so, as a result of their actions I have been placed at significant risk of suicide, depression and anxiety.

 

A few common responses to my case include:

  • “We take the medication because we know that we need it.” The fool who said this did not pay attention to my words, instead focussing on his own experiences.
  • “The police are there to provide a service. That’s why they’re called the Police Service.” I was somewhat encouraged by this response, but not convinced against their arrogance.
  • “Surely there would be some organisations who would advocate for your rights.” No. I have dealt with Queensland Advocacy Incorporated and they are only interested in pressing me to comply with my treatment in order to get me off the Treatment Authority.

I have long held the ambition of leaving Australia for good, but my investigations into migrating have indicated that it may be very problematic and I may be forced to return to my home country at my own great expense. However, I am still hopeful and investigating these options.

8 REPLIES 8

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@marc6x  Hey marc6x I couldn't agree with your more on everything that you have said. I have been threatened with enforced injections if I dont take my medications which make me tired, oh so tired and overweight etc.I have been threatened with having police come knocking at my door to take me to our local mental health ward so I am sitting here today taking my meds like a good girl thinking how can I get out of this situation that I am in.....

 

I have also thought of moving overseas but I have kids who are very needy (have disabilities and mh problems)so it is not that easy to go). It is like being trapped in a maze unable to find my way out. I wish you well. greenpeax

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@marc6x  btw great to find another vegan amongst the sane formites 

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@marc6x @greenpea  Hello I honestly feel like I was reading my past when I read your post marc6x I too was trapped in the system suffering terribly from side effects and the trauma that those services have caused me. I still am suffering from those things but at least now I am out of such services and no longer being forced to take meds. Few things in life fill me with rage but the way the mental health system works here and my experience with it is one thing that does. There is no consideration of individual needs and instead a one size fits all approach is often taken which for some can be an absolute disaster. 

 

I feel so so sad for you that you are stuck there because I know when I was it got to the point where I was ready to leave this world forever simply to escape the system as I couldn’t take it anymore. It was at that point actually that I ended up making moves to get myself out because I had no other choice. I am not sure if I am allowed to tell you how I managed to get free of the system on here because it may or may not be something sane would encourage even though it isn’t wrong they just have a particular stand on this issue and I find my stance is not always the same... 

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@Eden1919  Hey Eden1919 I personally would love to know how you got yourself free from the system. Maybe you could try and word it in such a way it wouldnt cause the censors to start screaming. Please try. peaxx

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@greenpea  I suppose I can try and hope for the best. 

 

Well firstly I had to do my research and I mean a lot. I read nearly the whole of the DSM except the section on development disorders. Well I read a little but not the whole thing, then I also read through the entire mental health act of the state I was in. 

I then identified key concepts and features that seemed to come through when dealing with the mental health act and reasons they kept someone on it. Number one of those was safety, then also issues of capacity which really in mental health is more about having insight. 

 

So I did a few things, I made sure I showed up to all the court hearings well prepared and I found myself a good private psychiatrist who actually listened to me. I also made myself a promise to myself that no matter how hard it got and how crappy I felt I would not do anything to harm myself because that would just land me back in hospital. Then when at the court hearing I made sure to say all the right things and luckily the private psych was able to advocate for me leaving the public teams and I promised to keep taking the meds at that time. And I did take them for another 8 months after. I was firm but remained calm and presented myself and put together and responsible when at the court hearing as well. 

 

I also made sure to be very open and honest with the private psych and I still see them and they are quite happy to have me off meds as I have been doing a lot better off them this last year or so. I still struggle with the issues I did before the system and more as a result but I find for me this is less difficult than constantly fighting with the system. 

 

I also had to accept that even though I experience this whole other world/place that others don’t when I am in the place with others I have to play by their rules and be how they want me to be at least outwardly. So when I hear something or see something or think something I just ignore it if I am around others and then she alone I deal with it which usually involves me doing something to assure the members of the other world that I have heard them and they matter. But nothing unsafe. 

 

‘My world now seems to exist on a fine line between both but that is ok and I am learning how to stay on the line and not wobble so much. 

 

But mostly getting out of the system required a lot of planning and a long period of me being a certain way and doing things a certain way to make sure I was taken seriously enough to be given the chance to leave and then making sure I didn’t waste that chance. I also got very lucky with the psychiatrist I have now as they were a big help. I am not sure if that answers your question but  hopefully you can understand what I am meaning. 

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@Eden1919  thank you so much for explaining it so well there is one thing or a couple which I would like to ask. If you dont mind. Were you ever a danger to yourself or others. You see I am. Which makes me think they would never give me that chance ..... I am going to try though. You have inspired me to at least try and find a pdoc who would give me a go.

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

@greenpea  Yes I was very often a danger to myself that is the only reason I kept ending up in hospital all the time because I kept trying things I certainly never told the drs at the hospital why I was doing that but especially the last few years I was in hospital for that reason most of the time for a few years. And for at least 8 years I was trying to end my life often like almost constantly. So that was very much why I ended up stuck in the system.  I think that in my case I did not have children like you who depend on me so perhaps that plays a part. But yes that was a very big issues for me. It still is something I think about but I have to remember that it is better suffering outside the hospital than inside. 

Re: Ongoing distress and fears about the police and Mental Health Authority

Hey greenpea, it's great you are vegan. Are you vegan for the animals? I know I am.

 

What a beautiful user name you have!! I might have guessed! 🙂

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