US 'N' U

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is one of Australia's most important social reforms. For many people living with disabilities, it has provided access to supports that were previously unavailable, allowing people to live more independently, participate in their communities, and improve their quality of life. However, the NDIS is facing growing concerns about sustainability. Much of the public discussion has focused on rising costs, with governments looking for

It shouldn't make a significant difference whether a psychiatric ward is public or private. While resources may vary, both systems should be guided by the same fundamental principles: safety, dignity, recovery, collaboration, and hope. When I moved from Nepean Psychiatric Hospital to the Hills Clinic following my manic and psychotic episode in 2023, the difference was striking. My experience in the public system was one of isolation. Although allied health staff visited the w

One of the most difficult aspects of my manic and psychotic episode was not the mania itself. It was the experience of involuntary treatment. For those who have never experienced it, involuntary treatment means being admitted to a mental health hospital against your wishes. Once admitted, many decisions about your life are no longer yours to make. The treating team determines your treatment, your medication, and ultimately when you are considered well enough to leave. The int

When I wrote The Dialectics of Mania, I did not set out to write a textbook on bipolar disorder, psychosis, or the mental health system. I simply wanted to tell my story. The book is a personal account of my journey through a manic and psychotic episode in 2023, my subsequent hospitalisation, and the experiences that followed. I documented events as they happened, often in extensive detail, capturing the confusion, excitement, fear, and uncertainty that accompanied one of the

Over the past several decades, the lived experience movement has helped bring consumer voices into mainstream mental health services. This has been one of the most significant developments in modern mental health care. Yet despite the progress that has been made, I believe we are only at the beginning of realising the true potential of consumer voices. Clinical expertise is important. Psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals all pl

Lived experience stories have formed the bedrock of the lived experience movement, a global social movement that is helping shape the future of mental health. But why are stories so important? I believe stories are important because they help us make sense of our experiences and our reality. Stories allow us to organise events, emotions, and memories into a coherent narrative. They help us understand where we have come from, what has happened to us, and where we might be head

It is a question I often ask myself. Would I have written the books I have written without experiencing my manic and psychotic episode in 2023? My answer is both yes and no. Yes, I believe I would have written books. But no, I do not believe they would have been the same books. The desire to write existed long before my episode. For more than twenty years, I dreamed of becoming an author. Throughout my adult life, I collected ideas, filled notebooks, reflected on life, and im