Helpingminds Australia

Had a meeting with the lovely Nicole at Whitfords yesterday walked away from meeting feeling happy. Joy.

I used ARAFMI in 1993 When I discovered it...after a year of HARD YAKA...trying on my own to understand and discover what one of my sons had, and it was his second psychosis and a year later...! Was it "DRUG INDUCED PSYCHOSIS" after having used Pot and Alcohol, may be together... If so, I was told it could be a "one off event"...or BIPOLAR ? and he would be able to work with breaks...or Schizophrenic and he was never going to come good and work ...Only TIME WOULD TELL I was told... yes that was the time when drugs were not as helpful as they are now..Drugs have changed since. and help as well.... ARAFMI gave us books, social workers and seminars by psychiatrists -to understand...I went to them all ! I spread the word to GPs to be trained and aware of.. mental illness and of help available...The patients were released into the Community VERY EARLY and we, the carers had no idea what to do...I learnt at a WAAMH conference that there were mental health nurses in the Community...surprise! But there was none in my suburb....The hospital did not want to keep the patient but did not tell us the diagnoses and we were the carers with no knowledge and NO HELP! ...Thank God for ARAFMI And WAAMH! but we had to find them... i lobbied politicians, went to WAAMH yearly conferences...learn more and got a terrific support and counselling from the Association ARAFMI, an ear, a shoulder to cry on... when my situation was: I was a single parent, MIGRANT WITHOUT ANY FAMILY... The help was invaluable! I especially I remember when the film ' A BEAUTIFUL MIND' came out and distressed I phoned ARAFMI and was given counselling on the phone ! I did not expect 'help on the spot'. I was so grateful! -I must say that when I saw that film for the 2nd time I got up and clapped! - to the astonishment of the audience- I was so grateful that mental illness was talked about...out of the closet ! There was now a TV campaign saying that mental illness is just an illness like any other... Keep it up WAAMH and all the people helping! WELL DONE and THANKS! Claudette