In previous posts I have spoken about the mental health crisis in the UK. I have also spoken briefly about some of the people I met when I was admitted to hospital. Many of these people didn’t have a voice, many of these people didn’t have anyone in their corner. More often than not when these people were discharged they wouldn’t be going home to anyone. Sooner or later they would wind back up exactly where they started, I mean I so very nearly did with so many people fighting my corner.
This is something that I think about so often – it is something that has played on my mind ever since being in hospital. I am lucky – I’m educated, I had a professional job, I am surrounded by love and compassion and most importantly I have a voice. I knew that I had to use it. I had to speak up for the people who cannot speak up for themselves.
To quote Albert Einstein “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result”
This quote couldn’t be more apt. These people, some of them friends, are admitted to hospital time and time again receiving the same quality of care, receiving the same follow up treatment when they are discharged. When they inevitably walk back through the door of a psychiatric ward staff act shocked! But why? Why are you shocked that they are back? Why would anything have changed for that person?
There needs to be change – these people deserve to get better and eventually live a life not confined to a hospital. Change has to start somewhere. So why not with my voice? I have never been so passionate about such an important cause and I will continue to raise awareness and speak for those who don’t yet have a voice.
“What about now?” is my starting point. I want to set this up to be a charity that supports patients and their families navigate mental health services upon being discharged from hospital. I have so many ideas that I would love to put into place to support these people.
Support groups with like minded people – people who have lived experience for patients and their families, a helpline to answer any questions that patients or their families may have once they have been discharged from hospital, group activities to help people reintegrate back into society. But I am just one person and would not be able to do this without the support of others.
https://gofund.me/efca0c9f – I have set up a Go Fund me page with the hopes of raising some money through this that will enable me to make this a reality. I am also looking into different fundraising ideas, any suggestions would be massively appreciated.
I genuinely believe had my aftercare been better I would have been on track to recovery quicker than I have been and perhaps I wouldn’t have even had to resign from my job. And I know that I have friends being bounced in and out of the system because the system is so broken.
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