"IT wasn’t supposed to be like this. Nobody said it would be like this. ..."
Taryn speaks to The Courier Mail about her experience with Postnatal Depression and how Belmont Private Hospital's BCPND Unit 'helped save her life.' Read her story HERE
"The idea of going into hospital to help manage a mental illness can be anxiety provoking, particularly the first time.
My first admission to Belmont Private Hospital was in 2006. Since then I have had multiple admissions. The excellent standard of care I have received at each admission has been key to my full recovery from each episode of illness, some of which have been severe. I have learnt over the years that high quality mental health care is a privilege, and a resource that shouldn’t be wasted if it is available to you.
I don’t view coming into hospital as a failure on my part, or as a sign that I will never get better. Repeated experience has shown me that a hospital admission when I am unwell, is just another tool to help get me better, and return me to functioning highly in the shortest possible time."
- Anita Link, The Gap
Anita is the author of the blog Thought Food. Many of her posts are about living a good life with a mental illness. You can find them at anitalinkthoughtfood.com
"After weeks of going down the rabbit hole that is psychosis and bipolar, my mental illness has reared it's ugly head worst than ever before. I was admitted to Belmont one afternoon by my husband. Having never been to Belmont or any mental health facility before, I was pleasantly surprised with a light, lovely and serene environment, much different from what movies and history teach us. My panic died down after meeting with the staff and my team who were to help take care of me. I'm sure the staff could see my nerves and frightened face, so helped me relax, had a laugh and got me settled in my room. I was placed in the maternity section of the hospital. As my children were too old to stay, and I needed the time away from them to get myself better, I was placed in a large room and away from little babies, to give me the rest and quiet I needed.
I was only there the first time for a week, but what Belmont gave me was the support, the rest and the tranquillity to give myself and my body time to settle into my new medication in a safe environment, as well as time away to focus on my own self care.
I found solitude in the art program available most days and walking around the gardens for sun and exercise. Occasionally I would join the personal trainer who would take us out on some nature walks surrounding the facility. I found this great for both increasing the serotonin in my body but more importantly for the social contact with other staff and patients, so I did not feel isolated.
I found my time positive at Belmont, and it was nice to know that if I was to go down hill again, that I would have a sanctuary to go where improving my mental health was important to the hospital and it's staff, but most importantly, to me."
- Jess Shaw, Founder of Loving Loudly
Jess is the founder of Loving Loudly, unique gifts for navigating mental illness. You can see her unique collection by visiting her website
I suffered with postnatal depression, and was saved by the wonderful staff at Brisbane Centre for Postnatal Disorders who not only helped to put me back together, but also taught me some amazing skills that I wish I'd been taught many years earlier.
- Claire, Brisbane Centre for Postnatal Disorders patient
