During her visits to the hospital, the Australian celebrity broke down in tears.
Sam Frost, a former Home and Away actress, has published a harsh personal essay on her encounter with Queensland’s “reckless and irresponsible” mental health system. The actress and her Survivor actor fiancé Jordie Hansen are expecting a kid this year.
Sam has long been an advocate for mental health, and she and her sister Kristine started the programme Believe by Sam Frost to encourage young women through difficult times. Despite her repeated encouragement to seek assistance, the celebrity’s 12-week struggle with a Sunshine Coast hospital worried and perplexed her.
She explained in her first post that she was having some pregnancy-related issues around 22 weeks, so the pair decided to go to the hospital to get things looked at. It turned out that there had been no significant issues, and her kid was “happy and healthy.”
Sam made the decision to plan her birthing procedure while she was at the hospital, which required filling out a tonne of paperwork. Until she got to the “psychological component,” which is used to determine whether the patient requires “additional mental health support,” she didn’t anticipate having trouble answering questions.
“At the time, I believed it to be a generic screening and didn’t anticipate being asked about my mental health, my upbringing, etc. Until I couldn’t hold it back any longer, I could feel my chest constricting, my breath becoming shorter, and tears welling up in my eyes.
Sam described having a “little anxiety attack” due to her overwhelming emotions, but she informed her fans that her midwife was “amazing” during the entire process.
After pausing for a moment, she opened up about her concerns, fears, and “very personal material” that was difficult to convey.
I discussed my childhood struggles, ongoing worry that my past will resurface now that I’m about to have a parent, and my family’s history of post-natal depression, she said.
Her midwife informed her that she was in the “high-risk group” and that someone would contact her regarding mental health support, leaving the Bachelor star “tired, but relieved.”
Sam had numerous midwife appointments over the following few weeks and inquired about the “psychologist referral” she had been promised at her initial session at each one. She shed more tears as she was re-asked the same challenging mental health screening questions.
“After 10 weeks, I was still waiting for a response. Sam stated, “Failing to follow up with the proper mental health care after the screening procedure provoked a trauma response was risky and irresponsible. I followed up four times and sent an email with my concerns.
Sam received a call from the nursing unit manager after being ignored for a couple more occasions. Sam didn’t qualify for any mental health support, so the health worker didn’t apologise for the inconvenience or the roundabout way things went.
The celebrity asked several pertinent questions, like why it took 12 weeks to learn of this change, because she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
If a person with a long history of depression, who had challenges as a child that they were worried would resurface as they became parents, and who has a family history of post-natal depression DOESN’T fulfil the requirements for mental health support, then who does?
“, she exclaimed with fervour.
The media star criticised the “flawed” mental health system and admitted that the procedure made her cry and experience heartache. Although she has the resources to deal with her experience, she worries that other “weak” women would not be able to handle it as well.
“I have spent years talking about my experiences in an effort to encourage people to speak up. not to be reluctant to ask for help when you’re having a hard time and need it. And assistance is accessible if you ever feel like the world is falling apart. You are never by yourself, she said.
“However, following that call, I felt utterly alone. I feel deceived by the system I zealously support.
The PANDA website, which stands for Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia, was recommended by the celebrity to her followers. The group supports parents and families dealing with mental health issues.
