I could go on about this one forever it seems from the last 11 years of my various illness of a mental and emotional nature.

I have had to deal with the 'sterotype' or 'criterium' of what they I would say should be or how I should act and all kinds of stuff in my daily living. I do not work do to my psychosis and remember back in 1994 when I had to go to one of those government psychiatrists for my Social Security Disability here in the USA I do not know much about Australia or anything about how things work there only from what you explained it sound pretty similar.

Seems like for 1 the family. After 11 years of taking medications for my illness my Mom believes it to be true as well as she can believe in her own world of reality or rhealm she lives in. While my Step Dad thinks I am just 'lazy' or should be out there working and gets all bent out of shape because I smoke cigarettes and use the Social Security money to buy them and run out of money in the middle of the month and have to ask my mom for help with groceries and money and stuff. My sister, well she is convinced in her mind I have an 'easy life' and it must 'be nice to sit around and get paid for it' or she claims I am all this medication because 'I am getting high from it' and the classic 'some people have to work to get a paycheck'

I mean if I could work I would--I'm not making even income that is at or even near poverty level. I would much rather work and I did from age 15-21yrs old. Until I put myself in a psychiatric hospital. Went on unpaid Medical Leave then tried to go back to work and within a month was back in the Psychiatric Hospital.

2 they hear me talk a little bit sometimes and at times I can talk for a short period of time as an average person who is not disabled and suffering from psychosis. Which leads me to think of the Matchbox Twenty song 'Unwell' where the lyrics say 'I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell, I know right now you cant tell, but STAY AWHILE THEN YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME. Also in the song they sing...' 'TALKINGto MYSELFin PUBLIC, Dodging glances on the Train. I know I know They've all been talking about me.

Well I told an old Highshool I was Mentally Ill awhile back and she said 'what happened you weren't crazy I knew you! I told her I really was only she just didn't know it.

3 When I am physically sick and say go to the Emergency room or such and they start reading the medications list of 'Lithium' and 'Risperdal' They pretty much write me off as being fine and just a psychiatric patient with delusions of being or having physical illness. I do know the docotors and Hospitals treat me less than and do not hear me as much as if they did not know I was mentally ill and on Psychiatric Medications and I would get a more complete examination as to what is the entire physical aspet in relation to my psychiatric conditon not being known or exist.

I have no Idea how many times I have gotten 'the look' from strangers when I am in a store, which I can not go in big busy stores only quiet small stores. So I speak at times not realizing my thoughts out loud and mumble my thoughts to myself throughout the store and then when they 'catch' talking to myself, they act as if I am some sort of creature who would hurt them and they do not even know who I am. The would rather look at me and snatch up there children and run away from my presense as if I am going to hurt them cause I come of looking I guess like a Psycho even though I do not at all believe in violence.

I mean I am 32 years old and have never ever Hit anyone or caused anyone physical harm. Even when in locked wards. They don't get it, I am more afraid of them than they are of me. If that makes sense.

I will stop, and apologize for my mind being in some sort of topsy turvey state right now and I think maybe I went way far to alot of different sides of the original question only did my best to try and stay on track with what it was I started to speak of or talk about.

I hope they will look more at like your doctors notes and you as your struggle with psychosis and help you to get your Disibility Pension and reconsider the fact of the true matter here that you feel to unwell to work full time job and function at the same time. I wish you luck and again apologize for this way long reply.

Hope it goes better for you in the future and that they will listen and really see you and you r condition.

Take Care,
krzykris101