I continue to complete article about awareness in the society where many people are suffering mental health and addiction.
Today I was at work, and there was an incident outside the foyer. One man (name withheld) come to the Lunch Meal group regularly every Monday. Out of the blue, he had a violent shaking and suffered another epilepsy seizure before his arrival for his lunch meal. Unfortunately, the glass door windows smashed down, and he got cut on his forehead while continue to have seizure onto the grass area. The director and the staff rang the police and the ambulance service to assist him. We were lucky to have the skills covered in First Aid area, emergency plan and Health & Safety plan (I am the only one – a deaf Health & Safety Representative for one organisation, not here). He is in the safe hand with the ambulance staff and the Waikato Hospital Emergency staff for now. The police reported about this incident on their files because they know him well.
This man is on drug withdrawal for a quite awhile, but he has disabilities – epilepsy and low literacy. He was not a violent type today, BUT he was in the past. Of course, he was one of the low income and homelessness people in the society.
I learnt to understand him about his lousy life in the gang, the struggle of getting back to ‘normal life’ when he got out of the prison, no family, no job or home to sleep. I met him when I start working here last year. Each time I see him, and he approached me one step at a time by getting to know each other.
WHY? He learnt that I am a deaf person working here and supporting many people with disabilities, raising more awareness about our disabilities in the society. He wants to know more about people with disabilities even himself. None of the organisations will take him in due to his behaviour problem even knowing him in the past. To me, the history that his previous life finished and it is time to start over again by learning to trust him and encouraging him to do any activity one at a time.
I have got another request from one Deaf family who are seeking for more help on mental illness recently.
Take a look at former gang – senior Mongrel Mob member in Porirua, a parent and a grandfather and anti Meth campaigner. NZ “P Pull” in Porirua
The data of how many people in New Zealand is not clear. There are the figures from Addiction in NZ. Addiction in NZ
44% will try illicit drugs at some points in their lives
93% will try alcohol at some points in their lives
12% will have a substance use disorder in their lifetime
In 2016, there were 46.730 people accessing treatment through Accessing Help.
The top common mental illness/health in the society.
- Heredity
- Biology
- Psychological Trauma
- Environmental Stressors
I know that many people will ask if there is a cure or preventable on mental illness/health. There is no answer for this.
Mental illness/health are common in our lives and the mental illness is more common than diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The top leading causes of disability are major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. What about eating disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHA)? Yes, these types are including.
You can get any treatment if you can manage such as medication, psychotherapy, group therapy, Day treatment or partial Hospital treatment in the society. There is a couple of treatments such as a Cognitive Behaviours and behaviour modification.
Do we have any funding available for these kind of treatments and the resources? The answer is NO because there is not enough funding to cover.
What about people with disabilties even Deaf people who have mental illness/health?
Help Jean raise money for creating Deaf History in New Zealand and International project and the reseach. My facebook or to Givealittle.co.nz givealittle.co.nz
Thanks
Life in Eureka 