Lived Experience Forum

[Appleblossom]

Thank for tags @Anastasia @HenryX 

There is still so much work to be done re stigma of these illnesses.  I still come up against stigma with people again and again, even who I thought were open minded, aware and sympathetic, but maybe do not want it in their backyard or their choir .... etc ....

@Coffeelover @StuF @Rosie 

In many ways I identify with schizoaffective disorder and aspergers.

[tyme]

Hey @-JJ- ,

How lovely to hear you reaching out in sharing your experiences. Your experiences are invaluable to the community, including me. I have very limited understanding of most of the MH conditions you have named.

Thank you for being so open.

tyme

[-JJ-]

Can I ask tyme that I was under the impression that a peer worker role was based on lived experience, thus is why I was being so straight forward. I have been considering applying for a similar role. I am just trying to understand how this works.

Respectfully

JJ

[tyme]

That's a really good question @-JJ- . I'm glad you've raised it.

A peer worker DOES support others through their lived experience, YES. 

However, what I was referring to in the above post is that I don't pretend to know much about the MH conditions you have included - "schizoaffective, bipola affective, bipolar 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5"

My lived experience revolves around other MH conditions including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), depression etc.

But definitely, your experiences can mean so much to the community who may be going through similar situations. Engaging in sites such as SANE will indeed give you first hand experience of peer work - it's exactly what I did to be where I am today (as a peer worker).

I realised a gained so much by sharing my story with others, and reaching out to others. Hence I pursued that path.

I hope that clears it up a bit 😊

tyme

[tyme]

Oh, and @-JJ- , just a gentle reminder that you may want to sign off differently (if, per chance, you have signed off with your name in real life in the post above). This ensures anonymity as per our forum guidelines.

If you feel you need to revisit the guidelines, you are welcome to click HERE .

Kinds Regards,

tyme

[-JJ-]

Hi Ti

That's ok. I just put on my professional hat and answered with regards

[-JJ-]

Thanks again Tyme and sorry if I was offensive when I text you. I am passionate about mental health so can be pretty outspoken at times. I had a bad day at work about something that has been going on there for about a year and I think it has finally come to a head. My intentions were just to talk not to take it out on you. You are doing a great job and don't need that. I'm going to get a new job

Regards

[Former-Member]

@Rosie thankyou for sharing. I once painted a mural on a bedsheet for Schizophrenia Awareness Week during my first hospitalisation when I had received my diagnosis. 

After watching so many frightening older documentaries about Schizophrenia on YouTube recently, your testimony is a reminder that we can be fully functioning (albeit secretive about diagnosis at times which is understandable) in living a highly independent life post diagnosis.

I was diagnosed in 2006 and was completely intervention free between 2010 - 2021, just taking my medication and living a normal life. I thought I could have healed myself through healthy eating and was hospitalised last year for a relapse due to stopping medication. It really is important to remain stable by taking the pharmaceuticals best suited to you in my own experience. Lesson learnt. Anasognosia is strong during relapse since it is often a highly emotional time when fight/flight takes over.

It is important to be honest about who we are but I also understand why withholding the diagnosis of Schizophrenia during times of stability allows for a normal life, which is part of the healing journey. I wouldn't wrestle my mind about it.