At a glance
People with a lived experience of a mental health condition, and their families and carers, are the experts in their own lives. They have a unique insight into the supports they require and how services can best support them.
When supporting someone living with a mental health condition, it is important you see each person as:
- a person first
- experts in their own life
- having an experience of their illness and its effect on their life that is unique to them.
Not everyone who is diagnosed with a mental illness understands their experience as an illness or considers it a problem.
- A person with lived experience of a mental health condition
Resources
Living With A Mental Disorder
This video shows how mental illness can be experienced in a variety of different ways for different people.
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 3:16 minutes
Produced by: BuzzFeed Video
I’m Bipolar, But I’m Not…
In this video people talk about their lives and their experiences.
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 3:14 minutes
Produced by: As/Is
Madness: a meaningful journey
This video documents what it is like to hear voices and is directed by people who have lived experience of hearing voices.
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 5:19 minutes
Produced by: Voices Vic Unplugged
Meet Stephanie…
In this video Stephanie shares her experience of living with a borderline personality disorder.
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 3:39 minutes
Produced by: SANE Australia
The voices in my head
Eleanor Longden tells of her years-long journey back to mental health and makes the case that it was through learning to listen to her voices that she was able to survive.
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 14:52
Produced by: TED
How mental illness made me a better person
In this TEDx talk, Joe shares "How mental illness made me a better person and enriched my life."
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 16:39 minutes
Produced by: TEDx Talks
