Disability, health and wellbeing
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Disability
Disabled participants spoke about dynamics in society that had an impact on their sense of belonging - including mental and emotional isolation, exclusion and judgements. Some of the barriers they identified included tokenism in disability representation, the public being ill-informed, discrimination and the challenges of finding employment.
Disabled people are largely ignored by society and the government. We live below the poverty line on welfare benefits that don't remotely cover our costs. No treatments are funded. No-one even seems to care - not GPs, hospitals, schools (my child has same disease), universities or employers. We are the forgotten and ignored missing millions that are too sick to fight for ourselves and our rights.
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Disabled people are largely ignored by society and the government. We live below the poverty line on welfare benefits that don't remotely cover our costs. No treatments are funded. No-one even seems to care - not GPs, hospitals, schools (my child has same disease), universities or employers. We are the forgotten and ignored missing millions that are too sick to fight for ourselves and our rights.
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With work, the people I support [disability] - I had a situation not too long ago, went out to a cafe - the manager approached me and said we don't want this group here. These things that I am blown away by.
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Sports classes, there is the stereotype of picking teams and often because of my disability often last to be picked.
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My best friend is in a wheelchair because he has cerebral palsy and he has a speech impediment and barely anyone makes an effort to talk to him. As far as I can tell I was the only one who tried to make friends with him, who wasn’t from the [special needs] unit.
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Some horror stories about highly qualified people being treated appallingly because of others perceptions about their ability. [disability related]
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Not having a case worker or any support. The pressure of having a long line behind me, staff reading out the form out loud. I cried.
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I get judged, people make assumptions about me. There is so much ableism.
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Mental health
Mental health impacts all of society. Our suicide rate is high. In particular, family life pressures, family history of poor mental health, and financial resources surfaced as contributing factors. Participants talked about how difficult it is to access support for mental health needs, despite growing awareness. They shared how they felt this lack of support could result in more isolation and suicide.
Too heavy case load, not enough FTEs in there, case load went up from 22 to 54. We were dealing with self-harming, depression and anxiety. I found myself not giving that 100%, so I talked to the doctor. My own GP told me I should get another job around year 8, I started getting burnt up then. I got to the stage that I wanted to sit down and cry. I told the doctor up here I can’t take it.
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Too heavy case load, not enough FTEs in there, case load went up from 22 to 54. We were dealing with self-harming, depression and anxiety. I found myself not giving that 100%, so I talked to the doctor. My own GP told me I should get another job around year 8, I started getting burnt up then. I got to the stage that I wanted to sit down and cry. I told the doctor up here I can’t take it.
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Experiencing trauma, having traumatic experiences through being a minority. Also I grew up with trauma, and being a minority and disadvantaged in terms of not having mentally healthy parents. I was not feeling worthy enough to contribute to the community.
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Suicide is a problem here - it’s quite under-reported. It’s under the radar in construction industry. Reasons seem to be a combination of financial pressures and relentless declines and hard work, and there’s a sense of getting overwhelmed.
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It’s a lot harder to get by. More survival pressure than expected. We are seeing a lot of mental health issues in young and then families. Single people as well. Family splits, family violence.
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The internal world people have affects your sense of feeling like you belong in that place. Whether you deserve to be there; or to be alive even. There’s so much shame we’ve come from in our cultures. A lot of people here who struggle with mental health, who struggle with belonging.
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Alcohol and drug use
Many in our communities have experienced harm from alcohol and drugs. Participants spoke of how they battled with alcohol and drug addiction and the lack of resources to support them - and the impact on children and families. They shared about the increased methamphetamine use in small and tourist towns. Those who chose not to drink or use drugs socially spoke of being alienated.
Loneliness was a big theme in my life. I was a big drinker, stopped about 6 months ago. I was a functioning heavy drinker, it was part of my family behaviour. My wife was a nurse, I would be caring for the kids and would drink a whole bottle of wine. I was ok to be a dad, still functioning, but that feeling of loneliness and disconnection was there.
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Loneliness was a big theme in my life. I was a big drinker, stopped about 6 months ago. I was a functioning heavy drinker, it was part of my family behaviour. My wife was a nurse, I would be caring for the kids and would drink a whole bottle of wine. I was ok to be a dad, still functioning, but that feeling of loneliness and disconnection was there.
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I don't drink, and that made socialising as a young person difficult because it's obvious you are not like the people you are trying to socialise with.
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We had a typical 90s family, excess, excess, excess. There was probably no hope, it would be a surprise if I didn’t turn out as a raging alcoholic. We were never taught to drink moderately, because our Christmas party was 15 kegs, over 3 days. Drugs were introduced as I got older, just pot. I would pride myself that I could drink for 2 days straight without sleep. At 18, I started working which gave me more money to drink.
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Knowing that in low decile areas we have a bottle store and pokie machines on every corner. In Christchurch we have a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. Right next door is an alcohol store. How are we supposed to change as a people without the right tools in place.
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Biggest issue is the rise in methamphetamine use, especially among women who’ve had a couple kids and get into P by gangs and get into prostitution to support their habits.
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