Controlled technique

Fair question and discussion.

I have been concerned at "assertive treatment" against a loved one.

I am not sure some services have sufficient insight into the HARMS done, in the name of treatment. Some dont seem to have a very good tool kit or suite of rapport building skills. They pathologise the client instead of refelcting on their practice. Hmmm.

Sorry you have experienced it as well.

Peer support varies in all the different organisations that are trying to implement it.

There are many peer workers who feel they struggle with the complexity, of standing up for those with Lived Experience, and trying to change a system from within.

I am fortunate to know a few.

I am retired, so do not feel I have to compromise my truths and experiences for money in paid work ....

take care

Apple

Compromise is the key I think.

A nurse was very outspoken to my carer and she ended up being moved to a different section so I never saw her again, but she stressed it was not the Mental Health Act (2007). I think she had principles and was punished for having them. If I were a graduated peer support worker I would never work in this area as I consider it coercion, abuse and systemic power abuses.

With the loved one where you observed assertive treatment, did they say they were doing that to them?

In my case they did not even let me know until I got my records much later and the situation all made sense. It was all rather haphazard, preemptive and neurotic as I was taking my meds and attending appointments.

My caring roles have been many and complex. @Sequester I do believe it is good to get files under FOI. My files include 'ward of the state' files from 6 years of age, as parents were in psych ward. Sadly there have been premature deaths in my family. I am just a survivor, I have had to work with the system, best I could, but also did my fair share of study.

I try not to divide people up into carers and consumers, cos it reminds me of capitalism and the rich and poor divides. We all consume and care a bit .... though I have also met so called carers who patholoigise 'the other' and do not examine the nature of their caring. Getting into power dynamics, rather than truly caring roles. IMHO. Human Beans are complicated critters.

When is comppromise key ... and a firm line is key ??? I know people who are keen on what they now call 'abolition' as they felt compromised by hierarchies in their paid work on various boards within the system. Look around online: there are many Australians who have been involved in peer work.

At the moment my family is suffering deeply from trauma loops caused by excessive chemical and physical restraint, aka 'assertive treatment'. However some young registrars and older consultant psychiatrists seem to not comprehend the consequences of their actions.

They think they mean well ??

Not sure what your "carer" is like, or what your full circumstances are. We all have to juggle our life history, families and personal experiences.

I used to be more optimistic, that knowledge would improve the outcomes and lives of people.

Wishing you the best in your journey.

Thank you very much for sharing your story @Appleblossom I feel I am honoured to have your understanding and perspective.

You put it all in really realistic terms. No there cannot be a compromise because there is not an equal footing. I am debating whether to invest in volunteering as a lived experience person when I need to support myself financially whilst living with medications that make it impossible to work.

Yes you are right, even some of the new psychiatrist "registrars" are the worst. One chemically castrated me. Depicted me as wearing inappropriate clothes, "messy hair" and "pink glasses". It is comical. I obtained everything via FOI. I agree with you. Knowledge is power.

As for the ethical practitioners, they usually get booted out because they don't fit into the toxic lifestyle. My carer was amazed just today to hear there are assertive treatment teams with their own acronym. Imagine being a peer worker trying to navigate your weight of pain and memory with the actions aimed at restricting others. I find it a concept I cannot even get my head around.

I hope you feel optimism again because there are ways to exit but of course never truly escape. I am sorry you have had people with shortened lives. I saw it too, and one s in hospital by the very registrar who said I had "messy hair" gave the person leave and sadly here we are.

I am doing some eLearning at the moment on stigma and discrimination because at least I can choose to inform myself so I am not part of that mess.

Of course, I won't be applying for the local health district FACT team. I think that is what the acronymn stands for.

No Appleblossom I don't think they mean well. I hope that didn't come across in my piece. It was anything but.

hi @Sequester what is controlled technique? do u mean the team were controlling?

i'ev been case managed twice, one was beautiful and helpful and one was very poor.

I didn't find peer work very helpful in either settings as a consumer, but I did find peer work helpful in PARC and in a private psych ward.

Hi @EternalFlower controlled technique is, as I understand it, the other way of saying Assertive Community Technique. As I was being prodded like cattle with two clinical nurses in front, the one at the back who was talking to my carer said this is what you call "controlled technique". I stopped to do my shoelaces up as I was puffed. It is used in case management.

That is very interesting to hear your experience about when you are most ready to have peer support help. There are times when things are too far gone: sectioned being one of them. I have heard of PARC but don't know much else. Could you please tell me a little bit about it and how you found it personally helpful? You are very fortunate to be in a private ward. I long to have my next stay in one if I need to be in hospital but I simply cannot afford it.

hi @Sequester are u case managed at the moment? Sorry if not relevant. If so, you can go to PARCs most likely, althoguh I can't be sure, its a step down service for ppl who don't need to be in hospital, but still need help, so a lower level of care, which is more psychosocial help, so by staying in the parc you get to practise independence or socialising with the other ppl there and the support staff.

People stay 1-4 weeks there (max 28 days) and there are special parcs for women and for young people in some, but not all hospitals.

Some parcs are quite twice, some are dindgy. They have groups and you get to chat to support staff.

They have clinical staff but its not a clinical space - you take care of your own medication, have to stay sober, and are left alone at night and able to lock your own private space.

Private health is very expensive, my Mum pays for mine, and i'm not super young, becaues I coudln't afford it at all.

No I have no contact thankfully because the PARC (thanks for explaining what it is) is notorious for people I have heard have been denied access to it (who deserve to go) and a social worker was refused access because of privacy concerns for the patients. That is all well and good, but that very same organisation breached my privacy a dozen times as found out in two internal reviews.

I am actually hoping to be involved in a work placement to support people under the umbrella of trained professionals and not for profit organisations who are outside of the public health arena.

I cannot afford private and there are gaps in my community which is in regional NSW.

Thanks for sharing the positives as well as the things which are not so good. I find it important for myself and my self care to remember the community I belong in and that there are good amongst the not very good at all.