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If you can't make my talk at #drshealthperth19 then I'll drip you feed you a version
But first, I'll put this up, and remind you that some things can be a challenge. Given the theme of the conference I think you'll get what they are.
Way back when, almost 20 years ago now, in the year of partying purple pop pixies, I was clinically depressed. I couldn't see it at the time.
You can hear more about that time of my life here
https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/andrewtagg-the-road-not-taken-at-dftb17/
You can hear more about that time of my life here
https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/andrewtagg-the-road-not-taken-at-dftb17/
But this is not a story of the past but of the present.
I tried, very hard, to sweep my past under the carpet
I tried, very hard, to sweep my past under the carpet
But one day I was talking to a colleague. They were in tears brought down by an exam with a 50% pass rate
Beaten down by a punishing on-call roster and broken by bullying bosses.
At that moment, I saw myself, on the chair 20 years, I was there again.
What did I wish someone had said to me?
At that moment, I saw myself, on the chair 20 years, I was there again.
What did I wish someone had said to me?
"You are not alone. I have felt like that too"
There is such a stigma talking about mental distress that we don't do it.
Things had to change
There is such a stigma talking about mental distress that we don't do it.
Things had to change
So I found a boutique conference at which to share my story.
(Though we did have to create it first)
(Though we did have to create it first)
I've been asked if I ever worried about the consequences of speaking up but tbh I was more concerned about remaining silent, complicit, perpetuating the status quo
At the party the next evening you came over to me...
you were young,
you were old,
you were just starting your careers,
and you were coming to the end of them
You all said the same thing...
"Thank you for sharing our story. I am the one in 40, I was the one in 50."
you were young,
you were old,
you were just starting your careers,
and you were coming to the end of them
You all said the same thing...
"Thank you for sharing our story. I am the one in 40, I was the one in 50."
Despite us all being able to quote the statistics you need us. You need us to talk to your CEOs, your CMOs, your CFOs.
You need us to talk to AHPRA, to the AMA, to the MBA
You need us to talk to AHPRA, to the AMA, to the MBA
You don't need early morning yoga or free gym membership.
You need compassionate care, access to fair rosters and an end to the bullying that is endemic in healthcare
You need compassionate care, access to fair rosters and an end to the bullying that is endemic in healthcare
You need people like @gdtoogood @mindbodymiko @DrSteveRobson, like me, to share our stories but be mindful that depression is not a one and done illness
We are imperfect works in progress. You need to let us sit in silence sometimes, you need to let us say "No, sorry, I can't"
But more than anything else we need you to make things better so that, perhaps, one day we will not need to share our stories anymore.
/end
But more than anything else we need you to make things better so that, perhaps, one day we will not need to share our stories anymore.
/end
