PERsonal stories
Enrique (Topo) Rodriguez (NEW Article)
Former Wallaby front rower Enrique (Topo) Rodriguez was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 1996. (2nd diagnosis in 2004, BDI Prof. Gordon Parker)
As a member of the all conquering team that won the Grand Slam in 1984 and Bledisloe Cup in 1986, in NZ under coach Alan Jones, Topo's life became increasingly erratic and by his own estimation he remained undiagnosed for 8 years (1988-1996)
Since diagnosis and recovery he has set up the Topo Foundation for Education (TF4E) in October 2007, and will be presenting a paper at the 2008 The Mental Health Services Conference in Auckland, New Zealand in September 3rd - 5th 2008.
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Glimpses
A compilation of uncensored real life experiences with Mental Illness
This series of works about mental illnesses are an illuminating insight into the life of those with a mental illness. The personal experiences depicted within are an excellent example of the reasons why we should publish them. Stories of hallucinations, standing on top of cars wondering what it is all about, are the deep seated feelings that have to be expressed publicly by those with a mental illness because if they are not people don't know what it is like.
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Reward Deficiency Syndrome
By Dr Nick Hodgson
www.healthetalk.com.au
www.torquerelease.com.au
TOWARD A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF ADDICTION:
Could Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) be the common psychological thread that links a myriad of compulsive and addictive behaviours?
» READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
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Mental Health Talk Is Cheap
By Craig Hamilton
The Newcastle Herald 31/01/2006
The spate of "bad news" mental illness stories in recent weeks should be ringing alarm bells.
To me, the stories paint a picture of a Health Department desperately struggling to keep up with the demands of community needs in the area of acute and support mental health services.
As someone who has experienced the depths of clinical depression, mania and psychosis personally, I can empathize with anyone in a similar situation.
There are far too many people falling through the cracks in the system and ending up in a far worse situation that may have been averted with better resourced
mental health care.
There is no doubt in my mind that in the area of mental health care we have a system in crisis and it needs an urgent and on-going injection of funding and resources.
» READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE