Jag fick en förfrågan av en student i Slovenien som i sin masteruppsats gör en undersökning om fördomar och stereotyper om psykisk ohälsa i Slovenien jämfört med Sverige. Han behöver 385 svar o bad mig sprida den om jag kan.

Om du vill så svara anonymt på den (den är översatt till svenska), tar ca 10 min...
https://www.1ka.si/a/921248ad

Jag fyllde i. Men det saknades svarsalternativ. Då jag var ung botade man autism (och annan psykisk ohälsa antar jag) med ett kok stryk. Det blev folk av mig. Autismen är kvar.

I am sorry for this post being in English. I don't speak Swedish. I've never been learning Swedish. I am from Slovenia.

Wow, this is a nice surprise! I am that student from Slovenia and I registered here to tell you about my survey. But Richard already did it. So nice of you! Tack så mycket!

ANYONE who lives in Sweden is more than welcome to fill the survey.

Ignatius: I am really sorry to hear that you had such bad experience True. In the past a lot of mental health problems were tried to be solved with violence. In Slovenia there's still a stereotype people who have mental health issues are considered as violent.

However, through my study and speeches at international conferences, I want to show people that people with mental health problems are just people. And that they are not violent, but that they are often victims of violence.

Thank you all for help! It means a lot!

Cool study, do you got any plans on continuing with research after finishing your master's degree?

Hej, thanks for the compliments. Tack

I'm not completely sure yet.
I hope that the current research will be finished fairly soon and that I will finish my master's degree. Next fall I would like to start my doctoral studies.

I hope that I will be able to continue my research as part of my doctoral studies. I have already learned a lot about Sweden and how it deals with mental health challenges. Slovenia can learn a lot from Sweden.

I am a registered nurse by profession, and I worked in psychiatry and clinical psychology for 14 years. I have always wanted to at least create a support group for people who have lost a loved one to suicide and a support group for people who have lost a child. We actually have almost no such thing in Slovenia, although we need it. I hope that I will succeed.

I don't know yet what I will be allowed to research during my doctoral studies. However, I hope that the lecturers will consider my ideas to continue research in the field of mental health.

I will definitely attend some international conferences and I also need to do research for the conferences.

Do you have any ideas on how the current research could be continued or what I could research?

Good luck with everything.

That's sounds interesting, I do some research myself actually. Suits me well as I do research within the area of my big interest:)

Maybe you could look into disability prejudice within supported employment (SE). I have been going through SE and it is a great method I think, training on the job, exploring accomodations, with support and then do the job gradually more independently. However, getting a job was much more difficult when I needed accomodations of the job description. Many employers are sceptical because they want people to just fit into their current ways of working, but for me with autism I usually couldn't just fit into their ways of working even though I did a great job with my main tasks. So several places, despite govermental financial support offers to the employers, did not want to employ me because of my need for accommodations (but sometimes let me do unpaid internships). I'd like to see more research on how employers could become more open to changing their ways of working to include people with various abilities and disabilities, because for some, like me, working is good for our mental health.

@ Skogkatt: Tusen takk

@ Guppy: It would be interesting to hear about your research as well.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. The situation in Slovenia is very similar.
People who need workplace adaptations have to obtain status. Usually, this means that they are given the status of a disabled person. Which is terrible, because most of the time, people are not even disabled, they just need a suitable job and/or workplace adaptations.

Once a person has been granted the status, they can apply for vocational rehabilitation if they want to. This means that they try to find out what kind of work this person can do. Sometimes they suggest retraining or training for a new profession.

In Slovenia, we have disability companies. These are companies that employ people with a disabled status and receive money from the state for employing them. However, these are usually people who have physical health problems. I strongly doubt that these people get suitable work, maybe the employers just want money from the state.

I have some health problems. I do not have a disabled status. I have 23 years of work experience. I have been in my current job for a year and it is the only job where my employer offers me adjustments to make my job easier.

We really need more research in this area. Especially to prove that many people could do many jobs if employers were willing to adapt. I understand that some jobs cannot be adapted, but many could.

I wish you all the best with your research! I have a small comment. If I remember correct, one question was about religion and if I believe prayers can cure mental illness. I think the question is tricky. I think that you can feel a lot better and even be cured from say depressions, if you believe in something, have strict routines or a strong conviction. In God or something else. In fact I believe such factors are more important than psychiatric aid or medication. With that said, I do not believe that God cures people from mental or physical illness or that prayers is the right way for modern science. Perhaps something for you to consider.

Thank you very much!

You are right. There was indeed a question regarding prayer/faith and whether it cures mental illness. The question was meant as if faith alone or prayer alone can completely cure every mental illness.

I agree that the question is a bit tricky. I believe that some mental illnesses require medication. However, I am not a doctor and I cannot say with certainty which mental illnesses they are. However, regardless of whether a particular illness requires medication or not, you are right that something else is needed. Support, hope, etc. I think that faith and/or prayer can also help additionally.

My opinion is that regardless of whether we are talking about physical or mental illnesses, support is needed. Some people find support in music, some in friends, some in prayer, etc.

For example, many people have asked me what I think about hugging trees. Hugging trees does not help me. However, if it helps someone, let them hug trees. Hugging trees doesn't interfere with my life, but if it makes someone happy, it indirectly has a positive impact on me and society.

I hope you all have that "something" that you believe in and that drives you forward in life.

"Only the shallow know themselves" - Oscar Wilde.

That's very interesting saying, Freddy Dreadful