Julianne , thank you for your heartfelt and truly agonising story.

YES, who will stand up and say "NO MORE".

Mental Health problems have been in the forefront of news lately, with sporting people and polititcians alike
However this is a story which we would not see in the popular media.
Yet this story is happening everyday in some town or city around Australia.

Government has to take this issue serious with serious funding.

Our prisons are fast becoming mental health institutions as has happened already in the US.

Our police are being caught up with dealing with mental health issues.

The problem of bi-morbidity has to be addressed.

State governments responsible for health need to remember 'elections are coming'.

Mental Health services need review, overhauling and more funding, otherwise we will hear more and more stories like this case.

Dear Julianne

You are a most amazing person. I agree politicians are letting the mentally ill down. We have a 28 year old son with paranoid schizophrenia who is going through a major disintegration of the mind and we just cannot get help for him. We have written to all A.C.T. policians and federal telling them of our worries.
We have said that we are afraid of him and for him - he has assaulted his pregnant sister 2 days ago - he has threatened all of us and he needs full time monitored care - in his state of mind he may either kill himself or a member(s) of his family. We have seen his disintegration for 6 months now when he was obessively on a health kick and went off his medication. His sister has had to take out a Personal Protection Order and he is now being charged for assault - he will have a criminal record when all he needs is 24 hours care until he is stabilised on his medication. When on his medication he is a very lovely man - great fun with a wonderful wit. He was an A grade student at the Canberra Boys Grammar School with wonderful prospects - languages, science, mathematics, gymnastics (chosen for the Institute of Sport) music - he had it all. Now he is spirilling downwards and there is nothing we as his family can do, except try and protect ourselves. It is a desparate situation. Desinstituational has gone too far. We are very afraid he will end up in the criminal system and we believe if action is taken now this can be avoided.
I will keep lobbying the powers that be. But it may be all too late for our son.

It will take leadership and political will to improve mental health services. Both in short supply.

Apart from those tragically short changed by the MH system no one much cares about the plight of others so it is not a vote winner except at the very fringes of the electorate.

It will take a gutsy government to allocate adequate resources - following de-institutionalisation the G'ment saved squillions by closing grossly innefficient mental health ware houses but failed to re invest the money into community resources which is largely responsiblt for the mess we are in today - it has been argued that with mainstreaming funds have been injected into the general health scheme as well to address the imbalance but we know this is a crock.

The mentally ill get a very raw deal through mainstream, self serving health systems.

Because of the civil rights abuses perpertrated in institutions in the past the back lash has seen the concept of in-patient care, voluntary or involuntary, for mentally the mentally ill given a bad name - but leaving a middle aged parents alone to contend with, say, the challenges associated with a young adult child with shizophrenia makes about as much sense as leaving a burns victim at home. But it is done - all the time.

It would be a blessing if the community were as concerned with the plight of the mentally ill as they seem to be with the imaginary fear associated with bloody terrorists and all the other clap trap that seems to dominate the popular press these days - and these pages.

It is often said it takes a tragedy to get the attention of policy makers and the public - but the history of mental illness littered with tragedies occuring daily - but no one seems to care.

There remains the misconception that mental illlness is just a weakness of character - the cult of the individual and the survival of the fittest philosophy has distorted not only our perception of each other but the degree to which we care about each other.

mental health is not the only area of social welfare and health care to be sidelined since the 1980s saw a change in economic policy.

a consistent trend to shift responsibility for doing things away from those who have the means, the power, has been going on for some time now. 'outsourcing' separates the 'delivery' services from the 'allocation' of resources to provide them. 'user pays' makes the person in need responsible for resourcing their own assistance, often irrespective of their capacity to pay or their capacity to _seek_ help.

then the people who cannot afford, or cannot manage, their own help get blamed for failing to be able to afford or manage that help. after all, resources *have* been allocated, and services *are* available.

the degree of general ignorance regarding mental health and disabilities is astounding. our media have done little to change that - indeed the promulgation of prejudices and plainly incorrect information by our media is shameful. which is not to absolve politicians of responsibility in any way.

i would say that it is high time *people*, not economics, were the centre of politics again. money is a tool we invented to serve our purposes, not the other way around.

Since there are already a shortage of psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses in many countries, including Australia, I don't see where the staff of these centres would come from even if the goverment had the money. Since these are evidentally also not particularily appealing careers for people, I presume it is unlikely this problem will or could be solved in the short or medium term with just money.

An alternative might be to better fund preventative measures, like trying to reduce substance abuse for drugs where we know there is a link to mental illness, both legal, like alcohol, and illegal, like ecstasy, so less people end up needing these services. In this case, there might be less demand on these services, and hence people needing them might get better care.

Mr Howard spends 11 billion dollars on blowing up innocent Iraqis in this pathetic little American Invasion and he can't afford to look after his own people. What a joke. With the money he spends on arms he could put a couple of new psych nurses in every hospital in the country. What a little scoundrel he is.

Julieanne and others, ever wondered why theres an epidemic of mental illness that's effecting more and more younger people. Those in power push the blame in whatever direction they can, but even they are being effected by this multiplying debilitating condition that is playing havoc with a growing number of peoples lives.

I believe that our brains run on electro-chemical reactions, any imbalance in chemical makeup of the brain, causes symptoms that lead to confusion in what our brains are saying to us. Not very scientific, but I'm not a scientist.

I can see a very strong correlation between the growing ingestion of synthesised chemicals in our diets, obtained from processed and chemically contaminated foods and the incidence of mental illness. What long term tests have been made on these additives, none to my knowledge.

So no matter how much money you put into this problem, if you don't take care of the causes, no amount of money, drugs or counseling will help.

I'm saying this because a friend of mine had a daughter than constantly harmed herself and on suppressive drugs. My suggestion was to try to see what triggered these episodes. They soon discovered that tobacco, (lots of depressed people smoke) and certain foods appeared to be the triggers.

With a great deal of protests and trouble, they were able to change their daughters diet to the point where she doesn't need drugs and her episodes have stopped.

The professionals were totally against this approach and warned of dire consequences for the poor girl. All that happened was she got better and stopped taking her drugs herself. Sadly the psychiatrists are in total; denial and keep saying that it is just a short remission. Don't think 3 years is short remission, nor seeing someone go from deeply set eyes and ravaged by constant;y fighting herself inside, to one that is happy and working. She has had two relapses to my knowledge, each time it was because she went of her diet. Its worth a thought, after all, the knowledgeable ones don't have a clue do they.

Alchy

I realise that you think everything can be cured by eating Tasmanian Organic Carrots but this problem goes far deeper than that.

The person with a mental illness and their carers need support, if this is not institutionalised care it should be supervised housing or at least regular visits from trained experts.

Brain diseases not only put the life of the patient as risk, they put the life of carers, loved ones and perfect strangers at risk.

Too often the Police are the mental health experts. They counsel suicidal people, they take brain ill people to hospital and far too often they inform people of the death of a child. For 2001, (the latest year available) 2454 suicides were registered.

Something must be done, I have no suggestions as the problems are huge. But it should be a national health priority.

Dear Julieanne

Thank your for sharing your family's tragic story. My thoughts and sympathies are with you and yours.

I have been a mental health/psychiatric nurse since 1978. I have been fortunate to work within some excellent mental health teams. Even so, in other teams, I have observed similar tragedies - which could definitely have been prevented.

In my own family, a member suicided. A suicide that was preventable had the person been hospitalised appropriately. This did not happen, despite my professional input. I was not listened to by my own professional colleagues.

From my experience, the almost total abolishment of mental health institutions was a disgrace. I was there when it began in NSW. I and my colleagues fought extremely hard to prevent it - to no avail.

Added to this, community mental health services were not adequately set in train before de-institutionalisation began. The funding was not there and the staffing was not there. That was in 1984 in NSW. At the same time, hospital-based nursing programs moved to universities. In toto, this was a disastrous move. We "true" specialist psychiatric nurses are a dying and retiring race. The average age of a psych nurse is about 50 years of age, with no-one coming through to take our place.

I have taught in university nursing programs (to senior lecturer level in Vic) in mental health undergraduate nursing. There is no way in the world that universities can give student nurses adequate education in mental health nursing. "Hands on" contact with mental illness patients/clients is the only way that nurses can learn those special skills that are required of nurses who are privileged to devote their lives and their careers to "very special" people who have mental health problems.

I wish you well
Kind regards
Kay

Not quite Steve, you forgot the organic silver beet. I mentioned diet because of what I know. I certainly wouldn't say that all mental illness is diet related.

With a quick google, it does appear that there is a growing weight of evidence pointing in the dietary direction. Surely its not beyond logic to question the growing consumption of herbicides, hormones, Estrogens, preservatives, colourings, additives and anti biotics, that are prevalent in the food supplies of today.

This is a growing problem, the present approach isn't working, if it were we would be having less and less people suffering from these problems, not more. Nothing is a cure all, but if you can find the cause by the process of elimination and it relates to what we put into our bodies, how can that be a bad thing. Why are people so afraid of a good dietary approach to life, are we that addicted to pain and suffering.

We aren't designed to run on synthetic fuel, we are designed to run on natural chemical free fuel. Until we evolve to having organs that can process chemical rubbish, we will continue to have growing mental illness.

Its really simple logic and reason, look what happens to other animals when they are fed the wrong foods. Why are we any different, with all our brain power and reasoning abilities, we tend to dismiss what is right in front of our faces.

Chemical balance in the brain, proper function. Add other chemicals, chemical imbalance, brain malfunctions. What do you think Kay, youv'e got the experience and I don't no much at all. Just trying to add a different dimension to investigate.

To the person who wrote about their brother being told to find alternative accomadation i am with you. Many not all of these people have drug related problems.I have personally experienced similar but far more scarey experiences. One time the mental health staff actually sat outside my home in their car without informing me they have driven a mental person to answer an add for accomadation.I spent Christamass day terrified just weeks after the death of my mother trying to get help to get this aggresive person removed. The police said as i had invited the person into my home and anyway it was christmass day where was my heart.I had arranged to drive to the country to be with friends but of course could not go. Your brother should have been helped just like me.These people who have kids who take drugs then expect the tax payer to foot the bill are selfish, . The odd far dinki di case we all feel for. I think they should be made to produce a card when applying for accomadation We need to be protected too.I have had three expereinces now and one occashion i was washing up when this nut case put a knife to my thoat from behind.Police said > no proof and even if he did they would have to charge him but he was entiled to come back to MY HOME. Hay! where is the justice in that.

This is a terrible story that is being repeated in every state and my heart goes out to the families who have to cope with a family member suffering from mental health afflictions or killed by a mental health sufferer, without the support they so desperately need.
There's no doubt that voters need to stop thinking their duty finishes with a tick in a square at the ballot box and realise their duty only begins there. At that point, they become employers and every one of them need to keep on the backs of their elected members to ensure the job is done properly. Sadly, the Australian voter is generally lethargic, lacksadaisical and uninterested and until they are hurt adopt the terrible attitude of "she'll be right mate". "She'll be right mate" is killing our country!
The other thing that needs to be recognised are the new findings that 'harmless' marijuana has been strongly linked to schizophrenia and other mental health problems. How many people from all walks of life, rich and poor, used marijuana in the 60's and still do because it was considered no more harmful than ordinary cigarettes and could actually do good? Does the increase in mental health sufferers correlate in any way to marijuana usuage, I wonder? We need to think about that and make sure we teach our kids that marijuana could lead them to a disastrous life as a mental health patient.
Come on voters. Get on to your elected member of Parliament, in writing (not on the phone which is forgotten the moment the receiver is put down) and tell them what to do! It's really not fair to 'employ' someone, leave them unsupervised for three years and then sack them for not doing the right thing.

Certainly evidence is out there that dietary changes/exercise can assist brain functioning. This often requires major changes involving the person believing that such changes will benefit them; having the motivation to change, and sticking to it long enough to judge outcomes. It also requires self-efficacy. Unfortunately those who suffer from abnormal brain chemical functioning frequently exhibit low motivation and low self efficacy/self esteem. Of course if the MHS operated efficiently then there would be support for people who do respond to lifestyle changes to attempt to undertake them. Presently the daunting task of attempting change will fall back to relatives/carers or themselves.

As I have said in response to another article, it will always come back to the MHS exercising the cheap option, i.e. drugs and minimal supervision. As many others are aware drugs only work to a point, then more are needed. We can know the side effects of one drug (maybe), we have some knowledge about the interaction of 2 drugs (my research would indicate only a small knowledge). After that we are guessing. Yet frequently people with major disturbances are on 3 + drugs,without supervision, adding street drugs/alcohol to the mix. What a lethal cocktail.

Oh MHS records will show person No 87900 received help - medication and a brief chat. This is just a band-aid for an open wound. Who is there to make sure the bleeding actually subsides - noone. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. What happens to the seriously mentally ill when parents/carers can no longer be there. Add that to the fallout yet to come from long term effects of pharmacology, toxins, chemicals in diet, and long term drug use and I shudder to think of how many more people will be recounting similiar tragedies to Julieanne. Severally our opinions fall on deaf ears - it requires a collective nationwide lobby.

Julieanne when you are stronger I feel you may just be the person to lead such a lobby.

Val,

Re "new findings that 'harmless' marijuana has been strongly linked to schizophrenia and other mental health problems". You might be interested in ongoing studies and findings being carried out in this area at the University of Wollongong.

Alchy

I am sure that your views on diet are correct but as pointed out by others the problem is too far past that point. We need resources to allow the stabilisation of people with mental illness.

If we as a society can find a way to give these vulnerable people a safe and caring place to get well again, then we can look at diets etc.

The more I look at this issue the more angry I get, people are needlessly dieing.

I am only here for a short time but I am willing to help push this issue. Julieanne if I can help let me know bimini2@bigpond.net.au

Silverbeet yum, my dog loves the stalks, but she likes brussel sprouts as well, at least she is healthy.

Coraliz - what are they? Link?

Lobbying lobbying lobbying - that's what it's all about - we are lobbying the politicians who are the only ones who can do anything about the appalling state of mental health in Australia.

We are emailing all the A.C.T. and Fed Govt polies and I suggest anyone who can lobby their State govts do so. They do listen. We have talked to a number of polies who are very very concerned about the extreme costs of mental illness, the cost of running the judicial system, the cost of prisons (where about 75% of prisoners suffer mental illness), the cost to families both financial, mental and emotional etc etc. Talk money and the polies will listen.

I understand, from the lobbying that is happening, that mental health is on the next (Council of Australian Governments)COAG agenda. Lobby the PM, and Health and Police Ministers (State & Federal).

I work in Federal Government and have seen the power of lobbying.

About assistance by improved diet - it is a load of rubbish re serious mental illness such as paranoid schizophrenia. Our son was on a tremendously healthy diet - high in anti-oxidents - we spent a fortune on his food - bio-dynamic and organic (we are bio-dynamic farmers). He continued on this diet after he dropped his medication and still went spirilling down. It is brain chemistry (it is now proven that a person with schizophrenia has frontal lobe and some temporal lobe differences to a person not suffering this terrible disease) and there are chemicals misfunctions.

Christopher Pyne made the same silly suggestion - diet and exercise. Our son rides his bike for hours each day and so exercise hasn't helped him either!!

Please see the 'Not for Service' report on the Internet and you will read of many other appalling situations.

Many thanks to you all for involving yourself in this issue.

Anomie,

The following link has a number of articles if you are interested
http://www.uow.edu.au/health/psyc/staff/n_solowij.html

Ashford,
It is true that current evidence suggests that there are at least three specific neurochemical abnormalities that are shown to act concurrently in the brain of those suffering from schizophrenia. Only advances in technology might completely clarify the complexity of the relationship between these chemicals and how they alter brain functioning. There is also evidence in some individuals of structural damage, which seems to accompany schizophrenia, e.g. the size of the ventricles may differ but this is not in all people with the disorder. I agree diet and exercise are probably not going to reverse this damage. I don’t think anyone, including me, is advocating that diet and exercise will return the chemicals to normal and cure mental illness. However, both do assist in many other important ways with brain functioning and in many mental illnesses have positive effects. Especially in regard to warding off depression. Individuals with schizophrenia frequently experience generalised anxiety disorder and depression. I disagree with you that it can be dismissed as rubbish for all mental illnessess – there is too much evidence to the contrary. It may be a combination of drugs, lifestyle and symptom management that work for some people. Whatever works cannot be dismissed. It can only be dismissed for the particular person or persons for whom it does not have any benefit.

Unfortunately in the case of your son it apparently had no positive effects other then the obvious health benefits. However, in some people that may not be the case. Stress is a well-known trigger for a relapse in those with schizophrenia; diet and exercise reduces stress in many individuals. For that reason alone it has merit.

I trust that new advancements and lobbying will benefit your son in the future
Best wishes to you

ash

My thoughts are with you and your family.

I can see why you are saying that foods, diet and exercise did not help your son. But, as Coraliz says, they are a very good adjunct to other mental illnesses - especially clinical depression and anxiety states.

Having nursed hundreds and hundreds of people with paranoid schizophrenia, I know exactly what you are saying. If people do not understand the entrenched delusional beliefs (often food poisoning) that large numbers of people with paranoid schipzophrenia have, there is no way that they can understand what your son and your family has suffered.

A young man whom I recently nursed (with paranoid schizophrenia) walked from an area outside of Sydney to Melbourne. He would not eat for fear of poisoning. Obviously, he was a psychiatric and physical mess as a result. We had to put him on a CTO because he did not believe that he was ill.

People who have not lived with or nursed people with paranoid schizophrenia, from my experience, do not have a clue what they are talking about - even though their intentions may be of good will.

Cheers
Kay

What I wrote regarding diet if you read it, was not related to paranoid schizophrenia but the massive rise in depression. Diet certainly won't cure everything, but in many cases it has a beneficial effect. Ashfords reaction is typical, and I am sure is based on his frustration owing to his situation. But the total dismissal of what actually makes our bodies function properly, is rather narrow and fearful.

It also has to do with what you class as a good diet, I for one believe that if you include dairies in your diet, then you don't have a good diet. I know everyone will disagree, but considering our intake of diaries has grown dramatically over the last 50 years, yet mental and physical health is deteriorating, shows that the propaganda regarding these poisonous substances is wrong.

Down here, mental health is completely out of control. Regrettably, the present approaches aren't working and as governments are running away from health support, all the lobbying in the world doesn't appear to be having any effect whatsoever. Considering the growing shift in political priorities away from the people and towards themselves and their vested interests, until people stop voting for these despotic party systems, we have no hope of improving the lot of these poor suffering people, or ourselves.

How do we cater for these people and stabilise them, when the numbers keep growing, do we just keep building more and more facilities and use more and more dugs, with the same present outcomes. Seems like bashing your head into a brick wall, trying to knock it over. Not a good outcome for anyone

The alchemist

I agree with your argument that there is a connection between diet and mental health and have posted to that effect several times on different threads e.g. http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4056. My feeling however is that there is strong resistance to this line of thought. I won't be deterred from advancing the argument though because I know I really am onto something here.

I have brought myself back from the brink of mental illness as a result of this knowledge and have used it to keep it at bay ever since. It's more than just a healthy diet - it's a diet that corrects faulty blood sugar levels and subsequent glucose levels in the brain. If anyone has both mental health problems and diabetes in their family histories, I really would recommend checking out the connection between Hypoglycemia and mental health.

Julieanne

My heart goes out to you and your family. I am not suggesting that these ideas would have applied to your brother's situation. I realize that many people have serious mental health conditions that require much more than dietary measures and that your brother was very likely one of these. I do hope you find some answers and receive good support in your fight. All the best.

Alchemist/Bronwyn,
Yes even some medical professionals are now linking diet with mental illness, Bronwyn's hypoglemic site previously posted is great, well worth checking out, and in some cases probably can cure, or at least help those with depression.

Steve,
That said, diet is usefull but for the more severe depression, it is a great help, but not a cure sadly, especially long term chronic major depression with associated chronic illness, however I have found both Bronwyn's and Alchemists theories helpfull.

For those of us who suffer long term depression, with a range of associated mental illnesses, it would seem the only answer is permanent drug therapy, and of course the hypoglemic diet. I remember when I was young, a common expression was "If you don't have your health, you have nothing" this is a trueism. Perhaps I am on my own here, however I fail to see the "health benefits" of the Federal Government cutting nearly $1 billion in health funding to the State Health Departments in 2004, enableing them to emass a $11.5 billion surplus. I should make it clear, very clear that I am not advocation all the surplus be spent on mental health, I just find it strange the $1.5 billion can be quietly allocated to the ADF, who may also be in need of funding, however the general health of the Australian people is ignored.

Are weapons of destruction more important than the health of Australia's citizens, we need more University training places for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, which is a Federal Government responsibility, which is now having to be shared by State Governments who have already had their Health funding cut? Could someone please explain the common sense in this situation, as I do not understand, people before huge surpluses I say...

Julieanne, I share your pain.
To those of the diet/exercise brigade, you are well meaning, but ignorant. Mental illness is not a modern happening, it existed long before mc donalds and food engineering for profit. It also existed before the upper and downer substances used by recent, ill informed generations.
The social pressures and sresses exerted on humans today have contributed to other mental disorders, such as an increase in depression and the inability to cope with daily rat like behaviour, expected of them, resulting in very good consumers and non thinkers.

Mental illness is not a vote getter, people power is needed for change. I would like a lobbying group formed by interested people from all over Australia. I would like suggestions please. jaye10@pacific.net.au

Sarah 10, “To those of the diet/exercise brigade, you are well meaning, but ignorant. Mental illness is not a modern happening, it existed long before mc donalds and food engineering for profit. It also existed before the upper and downer substances used by recent, ill informed generations.”

You certainly aren't well meaning, but are ignorant. If You had read the content of the posts, you'd realise that we who are advocating dietary changes, are mostly relating to the massive increase in depression, not schizophrenia or other metal illnesses that have physiological and biological beginnings.

Sure mental illness has been around before the junk food generation, but most of us are intelligent enough to accept that in the past the population had no idea about food combinations, hygiene, detrimental effects of some foods on various peoples, (allergies) and food preparation. Everyone knows that cooking in aluminum is a recipe for a health disaster, as are diets that lead towards unbalanced intake of vitamins and minerals. These in the past have contributed to metal illness as has the use of lead in utensils.

Neglecting the basis of life, proper nutrition and dietary intake, leads to chemical imbalance in the brain, which results in confusion and mixed brain signals. Thats what you are probably suffering from yourself, chemical imbalance and mixed signals to your brain.

We all know that diet won't cure everything, but because some of us have evolved to the point that we recognise the effects that a bad nutritional approach to life can have, doesn't mean we are ignorant, just the opposite.

It's those that reject, won't entertain, are fearful or have a vested interest, (certain doctors and multinational pharmaceutical companies), that reject the natural approach to helping us to good health are the problem, not those with commonsense and knowledge.

I doubt anyone would be interested in a lobby group that is so biased and closed minded, as how you express.

Sarah

No, I am not ignorant, I have researched this subject widely.

Yes, mental illness has always been around and those suffering from it in the past would have been just as likely to have had blood-sugar problems as those suffering from it today. It is the resulting chemical imbalance in the brain that sets up the conditions for mental health problems.

Stress and trauma contribute but are not the only factors. Some people face enormous pressures in their lives and yet keep their mental health, while others develop problems even though their lives are not all that stressful.

Hi Sarah10

Can you give posters to this site some ideas about the lobby group you propose, vis a vis:

* The target group
* Philosophical framework
* Terms of reference
* Aims/goals and objectives
* Strategies
* Predicted outcomes ?

If you can answer these questions I may be interested.

Cheers and good luck in your quest
Kay

With the Howard Government heading for a $17 Billion budget surplus, why won't they do something for those of us suffering mental health. Personally I have Chronic Depression, Generalised Anxiety, Obsessive compulsive Disorder, Agrophobia [fear of open spaces] to name a few, have seen a Psyc once in the last 6 months, as no appointments available.

When will this Government train more doctor's what does it take. We have a world wide doctor shortage, world wide nursing shortage, and a Government with $17 Billion in the bank, I am at a loss as to how to compherend this...

Yes Winston, it is a communist plot...

I have experienced mental illness in my family of birth, married a man with mental illness and then my daughter developed it also. The devastation it causes is unbelievable.

For me the first problem was that the illnesses were unrecognised. Despite generations of mental illness in my family anyone with a mental illness no matter how extreme were treated as though they should straighten themselves out-as if they could. This is despite extreme delusions, hallucination, panic attacks, violence, eating disorders, inability to hold jobs or study, suicide, etc. I did not know what I was dealing with until after I left my husband in fear of my life because of his violence and insistence I was possessed by evil spirits. Then I started looking at mental illness-I should have looked much earlier. Since then the truth has left me wondering how could my family and myself been so incredibly ignorant?

When I started saying this was mental illness the amount of flak that I wore from everyone around me, my birth family, my husband and his family and from friends was unbelievable-saying someone is mentally ill is a very brave thing to do. When Jeff Kennett suggested Mark Latham might have Bipolar Disorder everyone was outraged. Why? If he said Mark Latham had heart problems someone might have commented that he wasn't a doctor so shouldn't speak but not the outrage. Differential diagnosis for Bipolar Disorder is Pancreatic Cancer. Is Pancreatitis so different? Is it so impossible?

If mental illness is such a dirty word it provokes this kind of reaction-then many wont even get to the point where they can even ask for help. It is not just the patient who gets destroyed, the family does as well.

I just wanted to express my support for this article. My mother has acute schizophrenia and over the years we too have found experiences with Crisis Assessment Teams a thorough waste of time. The way things stand now, my family has been left to pinball from crisis to crisis. A failure to recognise that she is ill is a symptom of her illness, yet the State treats the fact that she suffers from extreme delusions, lives in constant fear and persecution as a 'choice'. We have tried again and again to get intervention, but the only time we received help was once she crossed the threshold to become a 'danger', in which case she is sent to hospital for a few days, put on medication that she quits taking as soon as she gets home, with her symptoms worse and her paranoia reinforced. Meanwhile my teenage brothers who live with her (thank goodness I am old enough to live on my own) suffer the consequences of the State's neglect. The health professionals that deal with her also keep me completely in the dark, even though I am the only other adult who deals with her on a regular basis. There are hundreds of tragedies like yours waiting to happen. I worry about my family all the time. As far as I am concerned mental health services are just a 'do something' smokescreen and there is no real help available.

Why do all of you ignore the funding issue, if the Howard Government does not train enough doctors in a world wide doctor shortage, one must look past the act itself and ask why with an enormous amount of money in the bank, does it refuse to train doctors? From whom a percentage would go on to become mental health professionals.

Personally only one reason comes to mind, the AMA, yes the doctor's union. When a shortage of doctor's exist, doctors can continue to increase their charges, thus making them more wealthy than they already are. We have seen UNskilled workers boufgt in to work an abbotoir in SA, with the direct consequence being to lower meatworkers wages, this seems very much the same policy in reverse.

If not, can anyone tell me why in North Queensland we had 1182 applications for 83 places at James Cook University, which means 1099 potential doctor's have been wasted, an event which is no doubt dupicated again and again around this nation. Is it or is it not the responsibility of a national government to provide health care for its citizens, if it is, a the government has a predicted budget bsurplus of $17 billion, and can spend $600 million in Townsville for new guns for the ADF, why on Earth can't they spend $600 million in every State of the Nation on training doctors and allocating funds for hospitals? Improving services for the mentally ill.

Here in Western Australia we have had the case of Andrew Mallard who was jailed for 12 years and who was said to be suffering from mental illness at the time of arrest. Yet the mental health authority has said nothing about this matter

Ashford, you wrote of the prevalence of mental illness in prisoners. Essentially, prisoners have ingrained habit patterns which are harmful to themselves and to society. To improve their lives, and their mental health, they need to change their self-destructive habit patterns. Not easy!

One technique which has proved very successful since it was introduced into Indian prisons in 1976 is Vipassana meditation. Vipassana is the only way I know to break down deep-seated habit patterns. It involves observation at deep levels of the workings of one's own mind and body, understanding the changing nature of existence at the experiential level. This experience weakens the process of reaction, craving and aversion, attachment, which forms our habits, and helps dissolve old habits.

Courses for up to 10,000 prisoners have been held in India, and successful prison courses have been held in many other countries, including the US and UK. In Australia, NSW agreed to the use of the technique in prisons about a decade ago, but it has not been implemented. At about the same time, I was involved in a presentation to Corrective Services officers in Queensland. They were deeply impressed, but nothing happened.

There are two excellent videos around - the award winning "Doing Time, Doing Vipassana" about the Indian experience and "Changing from inside," from a Seattle prison.

For further info on Vipassana, www.dhamma.org. I'm not sure if that discusses its use in prisons, I'll look for a link.

My own experience of prison is only one night on remand, but I do have extensive experience of depression. Alchemist, I'm sure that diet wasn't a significant factor in my case, and my first suicidal episode preceded drug use. I understand many of the causes, the intellectual understanding didn't help but Vipassana has. While diet may be an influence, it is dealing with the deep-seated mental causes which is most important.

As a vipassana meditator I can only agree that it is a wonderful technique faustino but this thread is about mental illness and it is policy of the Vipassana Foundation not to put people with mental illness on their courses and they have their reasons for it. It is no solution for the mentally ill if they are not allowed to practice it.

Aziliz, there are certainly people with mental illness who would not cope with a Vipassana course. However, many of those sitting the prison courses would have mental illnesses. As an experienced student, I have sat courses when known to be mentally ill, and some years ago managed courses on which mentally ill people sat and benefitted.

I think that restrictions were imposed after a seriously mentally ill student in England concealed their illness prior to the course, and sued the organisers afterwards. The outcome was a costly settlement, not a good use of donated funds, and further checks and restrictions on prospective students were introduced.

As for prisoners, there have been outstanding results in India, and early outcomes at Seattle found a significant reduction in recividism among those who sat a course compared to those who didn't. (I've sought updated info.)

yes, Faustino but the point is this restriction is imposed now and the mentally ill are not accepted onto courses because of it. And this thread is about mental illness and only mentions prisons as many mentally ill wind up there.

I simply pointed out the fact because I thought it may be unfair to present Vipassana as a solution on a post about mental illness when if anyone tries to then contact the Vipassana Foundation to find out about a course for their mentally ill relative/friend or if they are themselves mentally ill they will be knocked back.

On the other hand it may be useful for carers.

Faustino - "I'm sure that diet wasn't a significant factor in my case."

How do you know for sure? Have you ever been tested to prove that your pancreatic function and blood sugar levels are normal? Is there a history of diabetes in your family? If so, then there's a high chance your pancreas is not functioning properly.

There is a proven link between experiencing depression and mental illness and having wildly fluctuating and low blood sugar or glucose levels. To function correctly the brain needs water, oxygen and glucose, and problems develop if the existence of any one of these elements is impaired. Glucose impairment can be corrected through diet and nutritional supplementation.

It has been estimated that 2/3 of prisoners are hypoglycemic.

For all of us suffering a mental illness, don't worry be happy, discover the Howard government's solution, Beyond Blue, an orginisation with Jeff Kennett at the helm with a well paid job [not jobs for the boys].

Ah yes everything is alright after all thank goodness for that, for a while there I thought we had been deserted.

Julieanne,
Big hugs for you and your family and I sincerely hope you find the grief support you need.
As a sufferer of multiple mental illnesses for more than 40 years, I hear your pain. My illnesses were caused by brain damage at 5 years old, but this went undiagnosed and undiscovered until an MRI at the age of 45. I have been in and out of psychiatric care since I was 12 years old and it has bought me no joy, just a lot of pain and a lot of sympathy for the nurses who burn out at such incredible speed. I have never posed a threat to the community, but my ex-partner, who suffered bi-polar, did. I watched as the system tore him (and me and his family) apart, spat us out in pieces, then repeated the process again and again. Each time, there was a piece of our humanity that was never recovered.
When I tell people I am mentally ill, they recoil as though I have a contagious disease like leprosy. People have actually terminated all contact with me (my ex-family for some!). Employers will not touch me because I am "mad".
This antiquated and hysterical stigma is still at the root of many of our problems. Mental illness is not seen as being real or justified, like cancer or MS, yet is just as debilitating and deadly. Many of my friends have not survived the journey.
We, as a society, need to return to compassionate human values.

SHONGA (Shaun)

Yeah. As a mental health professional of long standing, about two years ago, I offered my services cost free to Beyond Blue - since I am retired due to injury, and I love program/project and curriculum writing. They did not reply to my offer. I also offered my services cost free to the National Mental Health Council. They did not reply. What does this say to you? Has got me totally bamboozeled. 26 years of mental health nursing and teaching - wasting away.

hellzbells

Reading posts such as yours makes my heart ache. I have always been proud of my work with people who have a mental health problem or a mental illness. They are very special people for me. I have been fortunate to work alongside equally dedicated people. Even so, I know that there are people working in the field who should not be there - sadly, similar to people who should never: work with children, work in welfare, work with the police force, work for DoCS - and similar people oriented professions.

Cheers
Kay

Dear Julieanne
My deepest sympathy. I do not pretend to imagine your pain, however I have family members with mental illness and know the angst that their loving parents and family feel.

I am so sick of the mealy-mouthed weasel words that issue forth from so many quarters. Politicians, bureaucrats, policy makers and policy drivers.

Juliesnne and others I would interested to know if you thought the Report released by the Senate Inquiry will make a blind bit of difference. I for one think it is just another "crock" but then that's just me. A waste of time and taxes.

Please visit my blog http://www.lairymoo.blogspot.com and here you will find several emails between me and Senator Lyn Allison who chaired the Senate Inquiry into mental health. Her responses to my emails are very interesting.

The more I see of politicians the more I think that they are educated and promoted beyond their intellectual capacity.

Are they deliberately thick or are they maliciously clever?

Email and the internet will be the tools to unite an army of supporters. Only when politicians are threatened on their own turf will anything be done. We must enlist in this hidden army and start the mobilisation. We need a complete overhaul of health care training especially nursing. Since nursing has been rendered institutional the "caring" seems to be left out of the curriculum.

My passion is the plight of the mentally ill and the disabled and while ever my nostrils and other orifices point to the ground I will engage in every activity which heightens the reality of the problems facing these vulnerable people who need help and hope.

Our indigenous brothers and sisters are protected under a separate article in our Australian constitution as a special group. So too must those vulnerable members of our community such as the mentally ill and those with dependent disabiltiy.

Does any of you who have knowledge of mental health in adult offenders that are suffering fetal alcohol syndrome? I have found a web site useful in explaining this, and how early detection in children can help them live a near normal life, if picked up soon enough. http://alcoholism.about.com/gi/pages/mmail4.htm
They say that in many cases, the difference between, FAS, and ADHD, cannot be defined, or detected. How many mothers will admit they were partying when they fell pregnant, and afterwards continued, could be the cause of their child’s continued suffering thought his or her life? I understand there is some formula to treat adults with this affliction, but is a difficult process, like shutting the gate, after the horse has bolted.

Hi Julieanne,
Uncle Paul here! Your piece about Failing to Care about the Mentally Ill is very articulate, and it was simply not good enough that any member of our society should die from the public health neglect more associated with impoverished third world countries. I think that attributing mental illness to the food we eat is just another way people like to escape very confronting stuff. As a lifetime sufferer of severe depression with a borderline form of schizophrenia I have tried to make some sense out of my upside down life. I am still proud of getting my drivers licence at fifty years of age. This year I'll be awarded a Bachelor of Arts for three years of study. But my life has truelly been back to front. I honestly don't think mental illness is any more common now than ever. There are new triggers that set off psychotic episodes that's all. Marijuana for example, and I've had first hand experience of that. The whole trouble is that mental illness is not accepted as a true illness. A true illness is understood, although its cure may escape us. True illnesses are mostly visible. Mental illness is a case of 'now you see it, now you don't', like a very scarey phantom thing. Mental illness has been around as long as the human race. It badly needs demistifying and made more ordinary. Families need to be helped to stay calm, methodical and supportive. If it has become common knowledge that schizophrenia sufferers are more subject to psychotic episodes through injestion of marijuana then lets love the sufferers enough to start a public awareness campaign for sufferers. Screw any government who doesn't accept mental health into the mainstream of healthcare. This is the enlightened twenty first century. Ain't It?

Although it would be counter productive to just look at the food we eat as the only answer to mental illness it should not be dismissed altogether, ozibecozi. Society needs to understand that mental illness does have a physiological basis and that a two-pronged approach addressing the physical health issue and the emotional troubles that arise from it is needed.

Mental illness can often be helped through diet. As an example mental illness can be caused by unstable blood sugar that can stem from pancreatic disease--sometimes poor diet can cause pancreatic disease in the first place. The mental problems caused by this disease are very real. There are also cases where allergies can cause mental illness as can vitamin/mineral deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.

Mental illnesses can be caused by damage to other organs. The brain of course is a major one here. Scarring to the brain can cause dysfunction. Scarring can be caused by drug addiction, physical injury to the head, high fevers, poisoning, epilepsy,etc.

To ignore physiological causes is as big a mistake as ignoring support for the emotional/mental fallout of mental illness.