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What does it mean to be an Aussie man living with bipolar and navigating relationships?
We ask Matt and Mark, two SANE Peer Ambassadors, about their experiences. They share how they deal with stigma, harmful stereotypes, and what they find helpful from the people close to them. At the end of the day, they say speaking up about their mental health (as hard as it can be) allows others to do the same.
On Thursday 28 March, Julia Young, Curator at The Dax Centre, sat down with four artists from their current exhibition—STIGMA: dismantled, revealed to talk about their experience of stigma, self expression and art making.
Once the audience had indulged in cheese platters and drinks, they gathered around Cornelia Selover’s oil on board artwork, The complex heaven of a broken mind, to hear Simon Crosbie, Lucy Hotchin, Kylie Steinhardt and artist in residence Jessie Brooks-Dowsett participate in a Q&A style panel conversation.
“What are your experiences of stigma, and how do you feel we can dismantle and reveal it?,” Julia asked the artists.
“I think my own self stigma was my biggest obstacle,” Kylie said.
“Emergency room stigma from doctors, nurses and the medical system is the worst. That’s the part of the stigma that gets in your soul,” Lucy added. “The whole idea of doing well whilst experiencing mental illness—you can actually be in a state of flux and still be doing well in life.”
Is it okay to ignore Christmas?
Absolutely!
Is it okay to take the bits of Christmas that work for you and discard the rest?
Definitely!
And is it okay to enjoy the solitude of Christmas Day and indulge yourself without feeling guilty?
Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart from others. It can occur due to misunderstanding as well as prejudice. For people living with mental illness, stigma can lead to a lack of support or compassion, leaving them feeling misunderstood and marginalised. Stigma is sadly prevalent in the workplace. Many workers are r...
SANE Peer Ambassador Cameron was one of the participants in the two-part SBS documentary How 'Mad' Are You? We asked Cameron, who lives with schizophrenia, to share his thoughts on taking part in a series that questions society's assumptions about mental illness.
I've just received an email from a former colleague, telling me what she said in a referee statement.
'I talked about the value you add to a team through creative thinking and said you are that rare person who combines exceptional creativity with solid administration skills. I told them they'd be very lucky to have you'
By the time I've finished reading, I'm sobbing.
SANE Peer Ambassadors Sandy and Hannah share what it was like star in the schizophrenia episode of ABC TV's You Can't Ask That.
What's the biggest day-to-day challenge people living with mental illness experience?
We asked 10 SANE Peer Ambassadors for the biggest challenge, fear or obstacle they face.
And they said their biggest challenge is . . .
It's a sad reality that people living with a complex mental health issue will hear inappropriate comments, sometimes at a time when they are struggling.
A glib, flippant or offhand comment – whether born of ignorance, awkwardness, or arrogance – can cut to the bone and leave people questioning their place in the world.
So, what's the worst thing you can say to someone living with a complex mental health issue?
Imagine watching a film about the mental illness you’ve just been diagnosed with. Now imagine that film paints a picture of violence and danger. It suggests people with your condition are a terrifying threat to society.