The SANE Blog

It’s common to label people considered self-centred or egotistical as a narcissist. But what exactly is narcissism? How common is narcissism? And how do we know when someone is living with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)?

Being a carer often includes taking on roles and responsibilities to help a loved one in need.

Helping someone with their personal, medical and financial needs can come at a cost, and carers often struggle to find time for themselves. This lack of time and extra responsibilities can result in feelings of anxiety, stress and even depression.

A common call to the SANE Helpline often goes like this:

‘I think my partner, daughter or son has borderline personality disorder (BPD) and I feel like I have to walk on eggshells around them. I love this person, but the situation can be so hurtful. How can I stay and support them, but protect myself as well?’

To help we asked one of our carers, 'Ace', to share his advice for living with and loving someone with BPD. We also asked SANE Help Centre Manager, Suzanne Leckie, to add SANE’s perspective on best practice for carers.

When politicians announce changes to the services we use it can often make us stressed, worried and anxious.

For some people, it can feel like those most affected by the change are excluded from the decision-making process. And this can add to the fear that one day we’ll discover the vital services we rely on may no longer be available.

But the reality is it can take years for policy ideas to become a reality.

Simon Champ is a pioneer for the rights of people with mental illness in Australia. He believes that one of these fundamental rights is to be recognised and respected as human beings like anyone else — a simple yet distressingly difficult right to achieve, as the battle against stigma continues to this day.

When Barbara Hocking first worked with Marg Leggatt in 1989, she had no idea that six years later she would go on to become the CEO of one of Australia’s leading mental health charities — a role she held for 17 years.

Co-founder and patron of SANE

1986 - current

Her eyes sparkling with intelligence and good humour, Marg Leggatt is as full of energy today as she was in the 1980s, when she founded SANE.

There are few things in the world more frightening than hearing that someone is thinking about suicide.

Even when you know you have done everything possible to support them, it’s natural to feel an unsettling sense of preoccupation and responsibility.

Imagine watching a film about the mental illness you’ve just been diagnosed with. Now imagine that film paints a picture of violence and danger. It suggests people with your condition are a terrifying threat to society.

Hollywood loves to use extreme depictions of mental illness to make movies, and they’re not always concerned with accuracy or sensitivity.

The latest example, Split, portrays a highly stigmatising, inaccurate version of dissociative identity disorder (DID).

So it’s time to counter the myths with some facts.