Living with mental illness: perceptions, attitudes and challenges
Cris Abbu and Jacqueline Nelson
Wesley Mission
Contact Email:   Cris.Abbuwesleymission.org.au

This study attempted to explore community attitudes towards mental illness. Four mental illnesses were given focus: depression, schizophrenia, bipolar and anxiety disorders.

A community attitudes survey of 600 randomly selected households was undertaken in Metropolitan Sydney and in Metropolitan Newcastle. A survey of Wesley Mission staff who work with individuals with a mentally illness was also undertaken. Focus group discussions were done to delve deeper into staff experiences and insights.

The study points to the high level of exposure to mental illness either through family members or through friends. In a number of cases, the respondents themselves had previously suffered from a mental illness or are currently suffering from it. While community attitudes are generally benign, there is still discrimination in the workplace. The study also found a disparity between respondents’ reported attitudes about people with a mental illness, and how far they are actually prepared to go to embrace individuals in their personal lives.

There are differences in the findings among the four illnesses under consideration. More negative responses are often associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder than with depression and anxiety. The findings highlight some serious implications for policy specifically relating to gaps in community service provision.

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