Lived Experience Forum

[ivana]

I agree with what everyone had wrote.
My concern is that this Government has a poor understanding of mental illness,however they arn't fully to blame as they've received this information from somewhere (eg:psychiatrists or websites about MI)
They've incorrectly formed a belief that some people with Schizophrenia have “episodes“ and that they are completely “normal“ and functional between these episodes.
This is possibly how it works for some with paranoid type schizophrenia,however this Government appears to have zero insight (and often neither do some Psychiatrists) regarding the severe cognitive loss that some people with a diagnosis of Schizoaffective disorder,Autism,Disorganised Schizophrenia,or some without a clear diagnosis, have.
I believe it needs to be recognised that some people have extreme cognitive loss,at the same level as Dementia,and I believe that some with a diagnosis if Schiziaffective etc have a Dementia process going on and that it should be labelled as such.
I'm concerned how this Government expects them to work-in a shop for example-when they might stand there rocking back and forth,in another world,and not be able to comprehend any instructions given to them.
I think people's disabilities are being down played by this Government.

At the same time,the Government should be doing much more to encourage Employers to support those with M.I who do have the capacity to work.They could provide Employers with financial inventives to employ them etc.
Employers and the community need to think of people over profits (within reason) and have the same compassion for people with M.I as they do for people with Cancer.

I'd also like to see “celebs“ on TV doing phonafons to raise money for Schizophrenia (for example) instead of always just for cancer or the Westmead Children's hospital.

[kenny66]

The episodic thinking is totally wrong. I have Schizoaffective Disorder and yes I do have episodes, but they can last anything from a day, a week, a month or in my case over years.

There is nothing predictable about it. My hallucinations, mania, delusions and every other thing that goes with schizophrenia can happen anytime and sometimes continually, so there is no predictability about it.

On the one hand the government says you should work because you are functional between episodes and on the the other hand no one will employ you at all because you are MI.  I really want to work but no one will even look at me because I disclose my MI. So episodic or not its mainly impossible to get a job anyway.

[ivana]

I'm not sure where the smiley in my post came from as I didn't put it there?

[ivana]

It's a catch22 situation Kenny.

The Governments stance will only cause more stress,fear and worry for many,factors which are known in themselves to cause or exacerbate mental illness symptoms.
Are you able to not disclose your MI or is it obvious in some way like obvious cognitive issues during the interview or appearing “absent“ etc?

[kenny66]

Hi Ivana

I do let everyone know about my MI at interviews and that mostly means I never hear back from any one who might offer me a job.

When I am  OK-I am quite on the ball so I mainly do fine at the interview until I tell them I have schizophrenia. Its not something I feel I should hide-Im not ashamed of it.

I did get 3 job offers when I didn't tell the employing people at first but thought about it and felt i shouldn't have to hide it so I told them. I was knocked back for all 3 after that.

I get some thinking and concentration problems from the mood stabiliser drugs and a couple of the antipsychotics can knock you around. If I take my drugs when I am supposed to I most often keep the worst of the schizophrenia jazz under wraps.

The government gives $10,000 for unemployed people to get jobs but I think just unemployed people get the jobs through this, not unemployed people with MI.  i am not depressed about it, but I think I have to give up any chance of work.

[chemonro]

You typed colon P and the software autosmilied you, Ivana! 😛 😛 😉 :P;( 😞 🙂 😉 🙂

[JubileeJohnson]

Hey Kenny.

I have been diagnosed with a Bi-polar Affective Disorder. Consequently; I know things.

I know I will get the right job, at the right time, with the right employer.

I hope you know that too.

[kenny66]

I hope I do too