Families of Mentally Ill Need More Support

by Michelle Clarke - Social Inclusion and Justice Tue May 01, 2007 20:59

Frebyrd - Health Research Board

I read with great interest your posting about support for family members of those with mental illness.

I absolutely agree with your research albeit only a study of 35 people. Studies seem to be the prerogative of Government Social policy but an effective approach appears to be but a dream for those with mental illness and per consequence their families. I wonder did you encounter much denial among the 35 people interviewed. This is one of the most hidden excuses and its impact reverberates through all membranes of Irish society.....yes, stigma, fear, and ignorance.

On the positive side, there are groups like Aware (Geraldine Claire and others), Grow, Mensana, Mental Health Ireland, Headstrong focus young people in UCD (Mr. Bates, Clinical Psychologist).

Sources to gain information, and understanding are there to be tapped but the issue is for people to gain awareness, leading to compassion, understanding and empowerment.

Trinity have an excellent website and support system for their students and I know from my personal experience as a mature student, I feel forever grateful and empowered to them for the five years they supported me.

The Community......I live in Dublin 4. I witness the meagre services at Baggot Street Hospital. I have written at every level to the HSE, Ministers, Mental Health Association, D4 (and as I walk by, I wonder will I always be but a floating email that merits no connection.

Today, I heard a lovely word from a kind woman who lives in Italy and Wellington Road......she gave me hug and said simply, it is good to see you more 'Esteemed'. Now that word says a multitude - it removes the brittle bones from improper nourishment, the self harm focus, the vacant stare and inability to be attentive, the fear, ..... all of these factors that contribute to a person with mental illness, most likely to people with drug and alcohol addictions - yes, the people who cannot conform and worse who are put down, denied, excluded..........This kind of pain is real pain the pain that is not about the money you have, where you live, it is more profound, it is about levels of sensitivity and a hard society that makes us believe 'We do not count'.

Thank you to those kind people in Dublin 4 that put out their hand graciously.......with a little of the problem shared is a problem halved. Michelle

'Thread of Life' Chief Seattle of the Suwamich nation to the President of the United States in 1855

'The Earth does not belong to Man, but He to the Earth.
Man has not woven the web of life, he is only a Thread in it.
The air is something precious because all things share the same breath: animals, trees and man.
If all the animals disappeared, man would die of a great loneliness of spirit.'

Spirituality.....its strength....and on the day the day Tara gains a repreieve....the historic has rescued us from ........

by Kevin T. Walsh - Social Justice and Ethics Wed May 02, 2007 01:22

I show concern when people with multi-displinaries illness are left in a community without services, advice, feedback. The services are unacceptable in Baggot Street, Dublin 4 yet nobody can put up their hand sand simply say, we got it wrong. This includes the social worker, the person, the consultant who overseas Michelle's case.......instead, one person takes a view but does not share it with patient, nobody supervises, nobody directs that a jnr doctor ought not to change a presciption he prescribed changed on the late Friday evening. The patient needs to know she would have to make her way to Accident and Emergency straight away......She rightly wrote that the medical system is a mess at Community level.........There is a laziness. There comes a time whey you become adventurous and you start look at all the research in our university archives and come up with one good model.

I got into this through the Trinity Horizon made up by a Aware, FAS and NDA. This complicated research report that now has emerged as the Life Work balance took a different direction in the last few years. However, the topics, the span, the drama, self esteem, approach is most positive and each of the 1st 15 in 1997 at least got a start in something and held a high appraisal of themeselves, they had formed an itendity good for lowly esteemed people within Trinity and we were introcued to care for the self i.e. through health, English and Writing, Drama (which was most successful, exercise) - and Art.

It is by belief that a hospital like Baggot Street, if it could attract the mindself of Philantropists like A. Cortes Atlantic Philosophies or others.
A budget, an architectual plan, Intelligence with clear view to those with needs that can become troublesome. Mix those with addictions to drugs with those on psychiatric drugs and go for a film like Trainspoting......Here is where the education comes in. Here is word self respect comes in. Here is where people can watch each other, in a kind way. If a face becomes an assen white well then a V12 injection or fresh foods and proper foods. That the people with drug addictions ought to be free to use the local chemists without the protests of Castleknock who said no to 'them......Weak up to acceptance, Difference and Change. Provide a Library and coffee shop......top speck, to allow exploration of illnesses. Encourage people to come in the evenings.

Tap theToe in the Water. We have a leading Neurophhsychient services in Trinity. They are making vast headway with regard to dementia and alseimhers. This category too (given the stage) it is act could mingle and exchange little tips. Lets move and make clear statements that neurological problems or psychiatric products are about mind and brain. Research is minimal but it would be a lot further if those academics who do all the research would just talk to some will patients who have in fact done a lot of research on their whole condition.....

Again, I share this view because the Trinity Horizon programme was sufficient to take broken people and to reshape them into an identity that in turn allowed them use skills and be more in control of situations.

Jack Russell
Quotation Angela Garnett (1918) British Artist
'I have learnt precious lessons from all my children'

and we ought to be encouraging the vulnerable, the homeless, the mentally ill and others that diversity does not mean exlusion.....Its about Tollerance, Patience, Understanding.

by Jack Russell - Social Inclusion and Justice Fri May 11, 2007 21:00

Tonight, I finally looked on the above site.

Excellent, I would suggest.

I hear little on the street, or in the political pamphlets about a social/medical commitment to mental health, drug addiction etc.

The ticketytock site is worth a few minutes......the images are poignant and express the notion that surrounds self harm - delayed time sensation.

Let us hear the politicians commit to a shift in the way people with mental health or addiction problems are written off by society.

Mental illnexx needs identification at the early stages in a child's life....this means that education needs to endorse a view and include the one in five children (approx) who end up drifting out of school.

Jack Russell. This site is worth viewing and passing on to politicians.....

Quotation The Great Dictator
'Passion will not be commanded. It commands us'

Jeanette Winterson 1959 British writer

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Sat Jun 23, 2007 00:37

This is an area which needs proper community service. It needs Public health nurses; capable of advising structuring and innovation of courses that my incentive some of these people. Living in Baggot Street, the Baggot Street hospital, quite neglected could be a pilot community hospita with corrective routes via a library and facilities. This could blend different groups together and when a time when support is neceeded, link people up with services in Fas..

The time as come to look to the vulnerable and combine those who take drugs and put in Place a research project carried out by Horizon, Women Studies, Trinitity, and the EU. A central location exists and the research is there to make it work.....

Michellel Clarke

by Michele Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:59

Michelle, Whats the story? I applied anf ifilled up the Social Welfare form to get the €40 allowance towards glasses (which cost €200 by the way) That was 3 months ago, and Social welfare are not giving me the money. What is my next step How can I get this allowance?
You might be kind enough to help me
Thank you