25-10-2021 07:50 PM
25-10-2021 07:50 PM
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.
25-10-2021 07:54 PM
25-10-2021 07:54 PM
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.
25-10-2021 08:00 PM
25-10-2021 08:00 PM
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.
25-10-2021 08:11 PM
25-10-2021 08:11 PM
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
25-10-2021 08:16 PM - edited 25-10-2021 08:21 PM
25-10-2021 08:16 PM - edited 25-10-2021 08:21 PM
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".
25-10-2021 09:11 PM
25-10-2021 09:11 PM
25-10-2021 09:24 PM
25-10-2021 09:24 PM
25-10-2021 09:25 PM
25-10-2021 09:25 PM
26-10-2021 09:51 AM
26-10-2021 09:51 AM
26-10-2021 04:50 PM
26-10-2021 04:50 PM
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
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