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.