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Mother of suicide victim calls for mental health rethink

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Mon, 26 Feb 2018, 5:24AM
Maria Bradshaw lost her son to suicide. (Photo / iStock)
Maria Bradshaw lost her son to suicide. (Photo / iStock)

Mother of suicide victim calls for mental health rethink

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Mon, 26 Feb 2018, 5:24AM

A mother who lost her son to suicide is calling for a completely new system for mental health.

Maria Bradshaw founded Casper (Community Action on Suicide Prevention Education and Research) after her 17-year-old son killed himself 15 days after being prescribed anti-depression drug Prozac.

She's organised a series of lectures on mental health with international speakers due to take the stage in Christchurch today.

Bradshaw says they want people to understand the mental health system doesn't just need reform it needs an absolute revolution, a completely new system.

"My child died under the system, i want something different and so much better for other people's children. I don't want anyone to have to go through what i did."

She wants people to make submissions to the Government to get the mental health system changed.

Bradshaw says the mental health system in New Zealand isn't working.

"What we are doing is giving people the information they need to hand submissions to the government. Also to make different choices for themselves about how they might deal with emotional distress or mental health issues."

Lectures will also be held in Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland.

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