Lived Experiences

I have suffered from mental health issues since I was 16. Due to having diagnosed Asperger’s (mild form of autism at 10). At school I was getting bullied and things were starting to get to me. And it was around the pressures of life were getting to me and due to me taking a lot of time off school due to mental health and the medication not working for me (that the psychiatrist I was seeing at the time put me on) I decided it was for the best that I leave school. When I came off the medication it took me about 6 months to feel my normal self again. But sometime later I  was under another psychiatrist who then put me on more medication due to the fact I was unable to sleep and function.

In my mid twenties I felt like I was under control I had a fantastic job I enjoyed I just purchased my first home and bought a new car. In this time I transferred to another store in the company I worked for and a few months into being here I was a victim of an unprovoked assault. There were people everywhere and saw what occurred. I had no support at work and mentally I was a wreck. No one asked me ever if I was okay to be honest I wasn’t and I was looking over my back the whole time. 5 months into this occurring I realised I wasn’t okay and finally a work colleague  asked me if I was okay and I said no I wasn’t. She took the time to chat to me and if it wasn’t for her I would still be in the lunch room crying.  I told her how I honestly felt and decided that night to go straight to hospital.

Around this time I was under another psychiatrist who put me on a lot of medication and lets be honest I wasn’t functioning at all and I was at my worst level in years. I decided around this time to resign. I honestly believed if I returned there to work my mental health would suffer to the point that I would end my life. I didn’t work for 18 months as I felt mentally ruined I did study for a little while and decided in the end this wasn’t the path for me, and once again I was diagnosed with a chronic pain condition called fibromyalgia.

During my time off I decided to do things that I wanted to do and that was get my mental health a lot better and here I found a job I enjoy doing.

My advice is:

• Medication isn’t everything yes you need to take it (if your prescribed it) but it wont cure mental health or depression and you need the right one for you
• Keep your fitness levels up and join a gym if you can even have a personal trainer. Some days you may not feel like going to the gym but you will thank yourself for it one day
• Eat properly don’t live on takeaway and fried food
• Have a close support network around you (eg family friends allied health professionals , counsellors, psychologists etc)
• Have a work/ life balance- as mentioned join a gym, have some interests outside of work
• Avoid unhealthy relationships who wants that friend or partner being negative or constantly under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
• And lastly if you need help now GET IT there have been too many people here to loose their lives due to mental health and or not seeking help. WE NEED TO STOP IT NOW