Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Lived and Carer Experiences
In Murrumbidgee Local Health District, we recognise and value the lived expertise that comes from experiencing mental health issues or substance use.
We know that providing good care, means valuing, respecting and learning from the lived and living experience and expert knowledge of the people who access care with us.
We invite you to share your ideas, feedback and experiences with us, by sharing your story or being part of our Lived Experience Network.
Be part of our Lived Experience Network
You can help make your local Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol services the best they can be, by being part of our Lived Experience Network.
Anyone can get involved, whether you have your own lived experience or support a loved one.
You choose what you take part in and how much you share with us - in a way that works for you.
When you are part of our Lived Experience Network, we will contact you by email with opportunities to shape our mental health, drug and alcohol services by sharing your feedback, experiences and ideas.
It’s up to you how and when you take part. You can stop being part of the Network at any time.
To join, please tell us a little bit about you and your interests in the registration form . If you have questions about the Lived Experience Network or whether taking part is right for you, please contact us on mlhd-mhda-experiences@health.nsw.gov.au
Share your story
By sharing your experience of accessing Mental Health and/or Drug and Alcohol services in Murrumbidgee Local Health District, you will help us to better understand the needs and views of people who use our services.
Your story will help show us how we can improve our services for others, or what we are doing well.
- Your story will be shared with staff working in our Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol teams. This might be by reading your story at our team meetings, or by sharing the story in written form in staff emails.
- If you feel comfortable, we may also share your story, or parts of your story, with the wider community by including it in information materials, newsletters or social media post
- You can tell us how you would like us to use your story in the Consent section of the Share Your Story Form.
- This is not a complaints process. If you have a complaint about our services, please read about your options on the Feedback section of Contact Murrumbidgee LHD page.
- Your story will never identify you when we share it with others. We will only use your first name (or a name that you choose) and will not include any information about where you live or the location of the service you used.
You can write about your experience of Mental Health and/or Drug and Alcohol services using the prompts in the story form below.
You don’t have to answer every part of this form, and do not have to say more than you feel ok to.
We are asking you to share your story of getting support for mental health, drug or alcohol issues. You do not need to tell us about past trauma or things that you find upsetting to think about. Talking or writing about these kinds of experiences is most safely done with a health professional or other support person.
If you would like help with writing your story, you can contact us on mlhd-mhda-experiences@health.nsw.gov.au and we will arrange a time to talk to you.
Sometimes, thinking about difficult past experiences can be upsetting. Before writing your story, please think about whether this will be helpful for you at this time.
You may like to have a friend, loved one or other support person help you with writing your story.
If you think writing your story might bring up some difficult feelings or memories for you, we suggest you plan some self-care activities for after you write your story. This might be:
- Doing something you enjoy
- Exercising or walking
- Being in nature
- Grounding or mindfulness activities, like breathing exercises
- Talking to a friend or loved one
If you feel upset, you should stop writing your story and access your support networks or practice your self-care or coping stratergies.