@ashleighrae yes, they were so helpful to me too. Even though it's not a criminal court, the Victims of Crime Tribunal found a crime had been committed. That acknowledgement meant so much when the police investigation became inactive after two years due to insufficient evidence. It took a long time Ashleigh but I am now working in mental health myself. It can happen! You've made it this far, don't give up.

I hear you Ashleigh. If you haven't already, please look into trying EMDR. Some practitioners bulk bill and it's possible to access it through Telehealth. It helps to remove the trauma from the memories. I have found it absolutely invaluable.

@mamamia-user-482898552 I am not overreacting. Your use of stigmatised language speaks to a bigger problem which feeds into not only the issue this article raises but living with mental ill health as a whole. You should put some thought into how lucky you are that you don't understand where I'm coming from.

@mamamia-user-482898552 'These people'? Are you exempt from illness, physical or otherwise? The statistics still say one in four people will suffer from mental ill health in their lifetime but it's actually closer to one in three now. This means that the chances of you, or someone you love, being one of 'these people' is highly likely and often without much warning. I am one of 'these people' and now it is my job to help 'these people' and seeing the way they are treated when they go back to their jobs after working SO hard to get themselves to a place where they can return is heartbreaking and can be enough to undo said hard work. It is not a legal requirement to disclose a diagnosis of  mental illness to a prospective employer but it doesn't mean you won't become unwell at any time whether you had an existing diagnosis or not. Where is the empathy for our fellow humans? It's still just an illness. Just like cancer or diabetes. How likely is it you will get fired for having one if these diagnoses compared to bipolar disorder or a major depressive disorder?

Further to my previous comment, because as a Peer Worker you are open about your history of mental illness, the job comes with something of a 'reverse discrimination' so that if you do experience a relapse in your mental health employers are generally quite supportive if you need time off. This also sets a good example for others in that it's just as important to look after your mental health as it is your physical health. Helps fight the stigma.