Suzie
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.
Suzie, in her late 20s, lives with schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), fibromyalgia and other health issues.
Suzie said she has been stigmatised because of her ‘invisible’ psychosocial disabilities, especially by the medical profession. One doctor told her she was just using her OCD ‘as an excuse’ to avoid work. When she presented with suicidal ideation at a hospital emergency department, a nurse told her that if she really wanted to take her own life she would have succeeded by now.
‘I was seeing a regular GP who was treating me for my mental health issues and I was seeing her for years and years and I started developing chronic pain,’ Suzie told the Royal Commission. ‘Didn't want medication or anything like that, I was just like “Can we do tests, can we explore it?”’
The GP told her it could be fibromyalgia or it could be psychosomatic.
‘They were convinced it was all in my head because of my previous history and I couldn’t get them to do any tests.’
Suzie consulted another GP, without revealing any of her mental health history. The GP referred her to a rheumatologist, who told her she had a ‘textbook case’ of fibromyalgia.
‘Life is a lot simpler without having other diagnoses clouding – it's quite tricky,’ Suzie said.
Suzie’s psychosocial disability has also made her vulnerable in relationships. At one point she had an abusive partner – ‘someone who preyed on me being heavily medicated … someone who used that disability to isolate me, to remove me from my family.’
Suzie was dependent on this person.
‘I had no understanding of NDIS at that point. I didn't know I could get support workers. I had no-one checking up on me. And I don't think the hospitals really gave me any information about that either. I had no info.’
Suzie only became aware of the extent of the abuse after taking herself off her medication. She had a habit of doing that, she said, and ‘for once’ it worked in her favour.
‘It wasn't really doing much for my symptoms but it was clouding my cognitive function to the point where I was a bit of a zombie, so I was very easily manipulated and was just a bit of a potato. So as I came off that I was a bit more aware of what was going on.’
With the support of her mother, Suzie left the relationship and moved back in with her parents.
About a year later Suzie reported her ex-partner’s assaults to police, who told her there was nothing they could do. She believes this was because of her mental health history.
‘He was able to get away with everything that he did because of my disability. The police didn't take me seriously,’ she said. ‘It was crushing.’
Suzie is the single parent of a young child. She told the Royal Commission this makes her fearful of ‘broadcasting’ her disabilities.
‘You hear horror stories where people don't think that you can be a decent parent with a disability. If I didn't think I could be a decent parent I wouldn't be doing it, but it's very tricky.’
She is reluctant to seek support for the same reason.
‘There's too much stigma around at least this kind of disability to even ask for support. Because the minute you ask for support they start going “Well, you're not a good parent then,” and it's just not worth it.’
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.