Here are some life experiences where you can see how this person lived their life with a mental illness or struggling with their mental health. This comes from the website Flourish Australia.
Margie - Meaningful employment brought my son back to me
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William’s heart was set on an Airforce career before his lived experience changed both of our lives overnight. Every aspect of my life was suddenly overshadowed with concern for his wellbeing. The sun came out for me when William found the opportunities he needed through a job he loved. It gives me hope for his future that he’s now pursuing TAFE studies to become an electrician.
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The recovery journey was like being on a roller coaster ride together. Health and fitness became my way of venting anxiety. My friends couldn’t relate to what I was going through but my personal trainer was a wonderful listener. I believe every carer must find someone who will listen, without judgement, to what’s going on for you and keep you accountable for taking care of yourself.
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This is what Flourish Australia does for people. With their support, I learned that William has what it takes to cope with his own life challenges. A weight has lifted from my shoulders knowing that meeting his needs is no longer all on me.
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I felt frustrated at first with the recovery process and wanted to move William quickly through what needed to happen. I learned that rushing someone can trigger anxiety. Slowly wins the race when it comes to mental wellbeing.
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19 years as a care worker taught me that while you’re busy with work, there’s no time to dwell on problems. Meaningful work in a supportive workplace took William from dwelling in the doldrums to challenging himself and changed everything for the better in our lives.
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Before Flourish Australia my son couldn’t look me in the eye or hold a conversation. Hearing him say “I love you Mum” is the greatest gift. I have my son back and there’s no stopping him now.
Robyn - The value of supporting carers to self-care
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Being a carer is a complex 24/7 commitment. Caring for my daughter Karleena has been my first experience of mental health issues and in the early days, support was essential. The challenges are always changing so it’s reassuring to have the support of friendly, knowledgeable people from Flourish Australia who also assist with NDIS reviews.
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Karleena was referred to Flourish Australia’s day 2 day living program at Buckingham House ten years ago. Her day-to-day life is enriched by having a place to go where she can interact with peers and get involved in activities that might otherwise be beyond our means. She particularly enjoys gym sessions to get her going in the morning. Art groups give her a creative outlet while hand spinning and weaving are calming for her.
A familiar environment away from home, Buckingham House is very much Karleena’s own space. I rarely go in myself, so while she’s there I can run errands, keep medical appointments and get along to a charity knitting group. I look forward to library visits and take on different genres to keep my brain active.
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It’s imperative I distinguish my caring role from my parental relationship with Karleena and having support helps me to do that. As carer, I play a supporting role in the life of a woman who is her own person with her own goals and dreams. Having gained experience, I no longer access support services for myself but I’m appreciative that Karleena can attend Buckingham House regularly.
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I’m also a nan to my son’s three active children. Maintaining the colourful aspects of my life that bring me joy, fuels my energy and resilience to manage the challenges of every day life.
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Karleena has grown more resilient too by developing new skills, discovering hobbies and making friendships, in a safe and happy environment.
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What more could a carer wish for?
Lyn, Sydney - Thanks to Flourish Australia I feel heard and hopeful for the first time
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For 17 years, my life has revolved around caring for my son Jayden who lives with Haemophilia, autism and anxiety. From the day he was born, I’ve watched him fight for his life. In the process, I lost touch with my own but with the support of Flourish Australia, I’m regaining my confidence and determination to do something for all of the families who are dealing with bleeding disorders.
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Meeting Jayden’s needs made it impossible for me to keep up my career. We were constantly in and out of hospitals for emergency treatments and surgeries and he spent many days in a wheelchair. My friends were unable to relate to what I was going through, so my support network and social life diminished along with my joy.
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When my marriage also fell apart after Jayden was diagnosed with autism at age 7, it seemed I no longer mattered to anyone. Physical exhaustion led to self sabotaging thoughts. I grew withdrawn and experienced intense anxiety, feeling I had to cope on my own and hide my pain behind a smile.
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Seeing my son suffer bullying because of lack of understanding about what he was going through motivated me to raise community awareness about bleeding disorders. I created the Red Trail walk in 2014 as a way of connecting families dealing with these conditions. Jayden and I were interviewed by media and felt excited that people seemed to be getting the message.
Our first walk raised $8,000 which increased to $11,000 the following year. It was encouraging for me to believe that this would go directly to families who needed it for medical equipment or treatment so I was shaken when the foundation we donated it to brushed off my suggestions altogether. Feeling so unappreciated shattered my self-esteem and my mental health suffered.
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I am grateful that I was connected with Flourish Australia when I sought counselling support. Instead of saying "here’s what we’re going to do," Flourish Australia ask me what I want out of life. We discuss the ways in which I want to be supported, so I feel in control of my own destiny.
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I immediately felt comfortable with my Peer Worker Sandrine who listens with genuine empathy. When we meet once a week for outings, I welcome the opportunity to get out of the house and offload my concerns which assists with managing my anxiety.
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Flourish Australia reminds me of the importance of self care so that I have the resources I need to be there for Jayden. At first, I found this challenging. What I love most is being in nature, which seemed out of reach, however I learned to look for positives. Instead of dwelling on being stuck at home, I spent a few dollars on indoor plants from a neighbourhood stall. Surprised at the difference this made to the way I felt, I was inspired to do more and Sandrine suggested learning to propagate plants.
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I’ve since transformed my home into a jungle with plants I’ve grown from cuttings. As it flourishes, so has my self esteem. I’m amazed at how it lifts my spirits to live in a home that feels alive and thriving! Rediscovering a real sense of purpose in something so simple has brought about an important shift in my outlook. Now, I’m dreaming big! My goal is to connect with a business mentor to reboot the Red Trail Walk as an annual fundraiser for supporting and connecting families affected by bleeding disorders.
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Flourish Australia’s person-led approach taught me that with the right support, anyone can bring good out of their lived experience. They provide a variety of activities aligned with my interests, without any pressure to "show-up" and I take each step forward as I feel ready.
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It’s so important for carers to reach out and accept the support that is out there for us. Acknowledge that you’re struggling and know that that’s ok!
