Harley
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Harley identifies as gender fluid and lives with bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
‘I don’t identify myself as having a disability,’ Harley told the Royal Commission. ‘Most people in my life are aware of [the disorders] and sometimes it causes some issues.’
During job interviews, for example, Harley makes their disorders known to the employer to make it clear they ‘might need extra help with a task or have to do things differently’. It’s usually at that point that the employer decides Harley is ‘no longer a suitable candidate’.
If an employer hires Harley, it’s sometimes to fill a diversity quota.
‘I’m then often exploited, my diagnoses are made incredibly public to strangers in a new workplace (who I normally wouldn’t tell) and I’m asked to speak about my conditions often, even when I don’t want to.’
Harley has lost contact with some friends and family because of the stigma associated with bipolar disorder and ADHD.
‘They believe I’m dangerous or crazy. Even when I’m taken to hospital for something completely unrelated, as soon as the hospital staff find out they treat me completely differently, again like I’m crazy and dangerous. Which I’m absolutely not.’
Harley also told the Royal Commission how expensive it is to treat ADHD and bipolar disorder.
‘I feel like most of my savings are going towards my medication just to keep me functioning.’
Harley said the disorders were diagnosed only because a government-funded mental health service provided free access to a psychologist.
‘I can’t afford to see a psychologist outside of them and so when my free sessions run out I’m not sure what I’m going to do.’
Harley hoped that one day everyone would treat mental health the same as any other health condition.
‘If someone tells you that they’re diabetic, almost no-one bats an eye. They just let that person get on with their day and do what they need to do to manage their illness. I hope that one day everyone will feel the same when someone with a serious mental health condition like bipolar or schizophrenia says the same thing.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.