Lived Experience Forum

[Andarna]

@Captain24 I completely understand I was/still am too scared to call the crisis lines when I go into crisis as I'm too scared they will send me back to Hospital and I know that isn't what I need but that is their "quick fix" when what I really need is support and therapy, not to put my life on hold in hospital just to come back to the same issues.

[Andarna]

What's the difference of lifeline, SCBS vs Psychiatric triage?

[Captain24]

It was good @tyme. I think I needed it. 

Puppies whine a lot just so you know 😜 especially spoilt ones when they aren’t getting attention. 

Nah.. nothing planned just work for the next 3 days. I did consider taking tomorrow off since I have a dr certificate for it but I need to save my sick days. The GP at the hospital on Sunday thinks I’m too unstable. So does my CM but gotta do what ya gotta do.

Do you have plans other than here? 

[tyme]

I feel like I've got HEAPS to do here at the moment. Lots of emails and things to send. But it's okay. I'll be on top of it. I'm just procrastinating... and in the meantime, looking for an easier way for the job lol @Captain24 

I'm a firm believer in work smarter, not harder.

[Captain24]

Hi @Andarna 

Nice to meet you. 

I find calling crisis lines hard. But I was in a really bad way and they helped. Not one mention of calling emergency services or hospital. They were really

good and listened. 

Do you have any supports in place? 

[Captain24]

Is it heaps or does it just feel like it? @tyme 

I like to categorise things.sometimes it’s the easy things first to reduce the load. Other times it’s what goes together. That way all of one thing is done. That’s just me though. Plus I’m a list girl. Love my lists! Love ticking things off so I can see what I have done on most days. Other days all I see is what is still to go! 

Definitely work smarter. Out at work they don’t, they make everything much harder than it needs to be. They focus on the spot fires rather than the main fire. 

[tyme]

Hey @Andarna ,

Lifeline and SCBS are general crisis lines who you call when you feel things are tough. They have a general need to ascertain whether you are at risk, and will follow specific protocol based on what you disclose.

With psychiatric triage, they are linked to your local hospital. I was a lot more comfortable with psychiatric triage because they have all my details and I don't have to repeat myself. On my documents, I also have an advance statement which states what works and what doesn't work for me. Also, every time I call, my case manager gets notified and can follow-up.

[Captain24]

Goodnight @tyme. Hope you get what you need done tomorrow. 

[Andarna]

@Captain24  I don't really have any supports besides an outpatient therapy post a long hospital stay, and I don't want to go back. I was worse when I came out because they gave me no supports and I was buried in paperwork when I was still low just "out of crisis". Trying to get DSP/NDIS as well the fact I had to find it all myself a new psychologist and all the allied health support in burnout. 

Its a case of Chicken or Egg.

I need DSP to get NDIS but need NDIS to get a case worker/social worker, need a case worker/social worker to help navigate the system do forms while not going backwards in mental health and going to hospital. If I'm in hospital I'm "unstable" and can't apply for DSP/NDIS. That is just the start of the thousands of barriers and conflicting issues. Sane was the only place so far for counselling that accepted my complex issues, as I've been turned away at other places.

So I completely understand the feeling of wanting to downplay how bad it is, out of fear.

[Andarna]

I've been in thankful to be in the private system (struggling to keep the cover with family support), and was triaged in the public system but my local psychiatric hospital in the public system is the specific hospital I've been trying to avoid but as unfortunately that's my catchment area. Does all you say go on record, is any action forced?