I just was interviewed by the Sunday mail

something Im finding kind of irronic about the situation.. now that my situation with our mental health services has been made public.. someone from that org approached me at the public health crisis meeting saying they will be in touch with me and get me support throu them.
This is the mental health support org which has rejected me THREE times even after suicide!!! so I said to her I wont be holding my breath for it as I expect they will reject giving me any supportive counselling again...

Way to go Tania! I can't believe you have been rejected and I pray that this time you will receive the support you need. By the way I cannot ever get the last part of ME out my mouth either. You aren't alone there. Well done on your efforts.

Sleepy

thanks Sleepy

I quite sick today from going to that meeting last night. Couldnt get out of of bed this morning as I was nearly vomiting and had a headache.

I so wish we were all capable of doing more without getting ill. Its so so frustrating, Im wanting so much to help change things that are wrong.. but so pay the price whenever I really do something.

Cluster F**K Syndrome has the appropriate acronym, is easy to remember and pronounce, and certain to get their attention.

Agencies are terrified of bad press. Far more important to them than good outcomes in my experience.

Unfortunately I can't suggest that mental health invervention will do more good than harm here. The psychologists are still trying to insist that we are sick because we are harbouring some emotional disturbance from our childhoods, even when none occurred, while too many psychiatrists like to do the usual doctor thing of ignoring all the symptoms that don't fit their desired dx (e.g. dysautonomia = anxiety and/or depression). By all means try it but do temper your expectations. Clinical psychologists are purportedly useful, might be worth looking for one of them, though I'm not sure how effective any specialist can be while doctors write referrals denying that we have any serious physical illness.

:Sign Good one: Cluster F*** Syndrome - this is the best I've heard yet. So sad that it is totally accurate. I can't say the words for ME either and I'm not even the sick one in our family.

Seriously Tania,
Thank you for your efforts to raise awareness and continue to find help for yourself. It is so doggoned hard to one's own Dr., advocate and nurse. Despite the price you are paying today, I hope some good does come of it for you, not the least the satisfaction that you've made a difference to help not just yourself, but others.

I hear you, Tania! I just got interviewed for the local paper and it was really tiring even though we were able to do it all over e-mail. Hasn't been run yet, so I have no idea how it will come out. Is there a link to your article so we can look at it?

Cluster F*** Syndrome lol well that one got my attention.

moblet .. I have needed mental health intervention for supportive counselling for dealing with the CFS (such as one who has cancer may need some counselling) and for life skills (due to also having Asperger's.. Im trying to deal with life stuff that others may of learnt when they were teens.. im behind at some things.. including my emotional coping skills) and also cause I get mood swings which make me suicidal at times. I also think I have undiagnosed PTSD.
Ive been seeing psychologists for a few years (but only once every 2 mths even when Im in a severe emotional crisis situation).

Laurel. I was annoyed that thou they told me they were putting something into paper with some of my quotes... they didnt. They did run an article on the mental health situation in my local town but left me out of it and the article was only half or a quarter the size they said it would be. They left all the issues out of the article and made it sound like positive change was going to occur.

Of cause what the mental health person had told me was bull... and she never rang me back like she said would to arrange support.

She did ring back the morning after I'd spoken to the newspaper paper and said
"I saw you talking to the reporter and them taking photos, are you sure you want to go throu with that?"
"It isnt too late to stop the report from going ahead" and then went on about how people may be biased towards me and I may get trouble from people in my town if the report went ahead and that it may not be in my best interest to do so...
she added in the end of all this that she hadnt had time to try to seek any support for me but "I will do so". anyway.. as per normal.. silence on their end now. I wonder if she only rang to try to worry me into stopping the report on the situation here.

I have a regular consult with a clinical Psych for supportive help. Its over the phone thru a women's heath centre. When my father died I was away in another town and they made an appointment for me to talk with her. I had been sent to eergency and hospital when I did not want to go but could not fight the staff who saw me collapse. They wanted a mental health assessment. I was not with it enough to say contact the health centre, so managed to get someone to take me out of hospital so I could go home for the call. Its very surreal now. She knows me and CFS and the role my father had. She has never seen the collapses I experience. I had another clin psych come to the houe for grief counselling and he witnessed me doing a standing test. So that was good coz I was not able to go to the GP. Unfortunately he did not write it up corrrectly.

What I am saying is that if you can find a good clinical psych they can be good if they are caring and compassionate and willing to learn. I think I have been luckiy to find 2 good people who we willing to learn.