Lived Experience Forum

[Bobby2015]

Thank you everyone for your wonderful ideas, l had my psychologist call me back today and has contacted the phams program and will have the case manager sit in the assesment next week, all l can say is yay.

[Appleblossom]

Glad to hear that something is happening.  Still it is worth loooking out for whatever you are entitled to.  Slowly the stigma re BPD may change.

Good Luck @Bobby2015

[Bobby2015]

Appleblossom l do hope the stigma of BPD will change as well. I wish there were more psychologists who have the training that mine has it has been such a great thing. It is a very long road to recovery but the toll on the health professionals is there so having a health professional and family and friends is a start wich not everyone is blessed to have.

[Peter_Pan78]

Hello all 😊 What is phams? The name soounds familiar.

[Mazarita]

Hi @Peter_Pan78,

Personal Helpers and Mentors Scheme (PHaMs). I highly recommend it from having had a support worker for about the past four months. It's run by various community organisations around Australia. Here's some more information:

https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/mental-health/programs-services/personal-helpers-and-men...

[Peter_Pan78]

thanks @Mazarita I think I was under phams in 2008 when I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It seems though people only in crisis seem to get this type of assistance. I feel phams programs could be more effective in minimising mental illness rather than just managing it when a person gets to breaking point. What do you think? Correct me if I'm wrong in what I say 😉

[Mazarita]

@Peter_Pan78,

The agency I am receiving help from seemed to place more emphasis on how long the MI had been in existence. In my case I've been receiving psychiatric treatment for 25 years. The only real crisis I was in when they approved me for the scheme was a very strong tendency to stay inside my flat and not engage with the outside world. Since being approved for the scheme, I've had weekly visits with a support worker, often involving doing activities outside the flat together. The aim here is to build up social engagement with support until I reach the point where I am able to do these things in an ongoing way without the support. It's perhaps approached somewhat differently by each agency that operates the scheme. Whether we are approved or not may also depend on locality and how much demand on resources there is at the time. I even kept saying in the assessment interview that I knew there were people in a much worse position than me and that I understood if they turned me down. Luckily, they approved me anyway. Hope this brief account of my experience might be of some use to you in your circumstances.

[Peter_Pan78]

Thanks @Mazarita. Good to hear that phams seems to work for u. 😊

[GothMum]

As NDIS is rolled out across Australia, the support you experience @Mazarita with outings and social interactions should see many more people who have self isolated starting to enjoy supported outings of all kinds of types - I have a worker who drives me to dance clubs on alternate Saturday evenings, with another worker caring for my high needs kids - who I previously had never been able to leave with ordinary "baby sitters" to have any time out. The endorphins from an evening of dancing mean i can cope with the difficulties I have and I have something constantly to look forward to.

i encourage everyone who qualifies for ndis to push for this kind of flexible support. Being able to go out and just cut loose, knowing that I have a trained support person if I have a sudden meltdown, and not having to worry about how I can go out/get home has been the single biggest therapy in many many years! And it's a good idea to get a companion card, so that your worker can access the things to support your enjoyment at little or no cost?

[Mazarita]

Hi @GothMum,

It's great to hear about your support workers and the assistance they provide to you and your children. I used to love dancing but have lost engagement with it as I've got a bit older (I'm 53). The most fun activity I just started with my support worker last week is a group to learn/play ukelele. I wonder are you already receiving the support you mention through the NDIS? Wonderful to think that many more people may receive the benefit of the kind of support that you and I are currently receiving. I am planning to attend an information session about the NDIS in March.