Lived Experience Forum

[NikNik]

Hi everyone,

 As some may know Sunday 4 Oct - Saturday 10 Oct is Mental Health Week. During this week, the ABC will be running programs on TV and radio that revolve around Mental Health.

On Monday night we saw the focus on mental health, with panelists:

• Professor Ian Hickie, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney
• Wayne Schwass, Former AFL star & mental health advocate
• Professor Pat Dudgeon, Australian Indigenous Psychologist’s Association
• Fay Jackson, Deputy Commissioner, NSW Mental Health Commission
• Dr Roderick McKay, Director, NSW Institute of Psychiatry.

In this thread we aim to have a discussion and even debate about the topics on Q&A. Please keep it respectful and remember - everyone has various experiences and opinions, none of which are wrong; just different. So keep it productive and respectful.

Also, please no personal attacks on each other or panelists.. you can disagree, but keep it all above board 🙂

Once the show has finished, lets continue the conversations.

What do you wish was asked that wasn't?

What panelist did you identify with or what points do you feel passionate about?

[coffeegirl]

I think it's really cool that Xaiver was able to stand up in front of his whole school and could share his experience. I couldn't even get up and do a speech, can't imagine sharing something so personal.

He would have changed many people that day.. whether it be people's opinions, opened their eyes to mental health and/or inspired them to get help

[suzanne]

How impressive is Xavier?  I don't think I would have had the courage to talk about my problems so openly at his age.

[NikNik]

Self stigma... such a great question.

[chookmojo]

And self stigma can take such sneaky subtle forms - for me for 20 plus years I was determined that I had to 'handle' it all myself. that asking for help was failure.

[NikNik]

'It's interesting you can be successful in your career, but hate yourself'

Wayne Schwass

[NikNik]

I'm really enjoying Fay's stories -  she's great at sharing really meaningful and powerful stories... in a hilarious way.

[chookmojo]

She's awesome - would be nice to see more open and 'out' MI comedians.

[Jacques]

No one is speaking about the massive differentiation between private and public mental health systems.  and how many treatment facilities are being shut down.

[coffeegirl]

Gosh - it's so obvious that mental illness touches all aspects of our communities...

They have already talked about -

young people

indegenous people

older people

young men

older men

young girls

It's so hard ... the solutions are different for every single person it seems.