Lived experience is the knowledge and understanding you get when you have lived through something.
When we talk about people with lived experience, we mean people who have a lived or living experience of mental ill health (sometimes called consumers) and family or friends supporting someone who have a lived or living experience of mental ill health (sometimes called carers). Some people may have a lived or living experience of both mental ill health and substance use issues or have supported someone who has a lived or living experience of both mental ill health and substance use issues. At Eastern Health we employ people who use their lived experience to support the recovery of Eastern Health consumers and the families/carers who support them.