Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc
ISSUE: JUNE – AUGUST 2015
Opening Of The Townsville Community Mental Health Hub In Vincent Jeremy Audas / 15 June 2015
At last, our new building is open! After many years of negotiations, angst and a few setbacks the new Townsville Community Mental Health Hub incorporating the MIFNQ Headquarters and Townsville office was opened in March in a moving and well attended ceremony. The ceremony was attended by about 150 people and commenced with a wonderful indigenous smoking ceremony provided Margaret Herring & John Drew by Uncle Alfred Smallwood and a welcome to country by Larissa Wyles and Gracelyn Smallwood. Our guest speakers, included MIFNQ President Bob James, Ewen Jones MP and Councillor Colleen Doyle as well as one of the founding members of MIFNQ, Margaret Herring who with another founding member, John Drew unveiled the plaque. There were a few teary moments as speakers reflected on their own lived experience of the impacts of mental illness. This meant a lot to MIFNQ staff, members, friends and partners because it pointed to the fact that while we have come a long way since 1986, there still remain many of the issues people experienced all those years ago and that MIFNQ has much work ahead of it. The opening ceremony was followed by a Families workshop with presentations from Professor Robert Bland, Barbara Anderson and Dr Kevin Arlett, Chair of the Townsville Mackay Medicare Local and board member of the Townsville Health and Hospital Service. It was a wonderful experience to be present Councillor Colleen Doyle with so many people, past MIFNQ management committee members, community partners, other members of MIFA, politicians, both state, local and local government. Of course many people who attended were people who have received services from MIFNQ over the years. A special thanks must go to Wendy Woods who provided the marvellous piano music for the event. continues next page
59A Cambridge Street Vincent QLD 4814 PO Box 979
Aitkenvale QLD 4814 Tel: (07) 4725 3664
Fax: (07) 4725 3819
Free Call 1800 985 944 Email:
townsville@mifnq.org.au www.mifnq.org.au
MIFNQ reserves the right to edit articles for publication.
The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of MIFNQ. Friday 26th June 2015
CALL US!!!!!!! BUT ON A DIFFERENT NUMBER PLEASE‌ Our FREE CALL details have changed as we move into a closer partnership with MiNetworks. Please contact us on: FREE CALL 1800 985 944.
www.rednoseday.com.au
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A special thanks must also go to Uncle Alfred Smallwood for leading the smoking ceremony – a wonderful experience for all who were there. The scent of sandalwood lingered for many days afterwards. As I mentioned earlier, the new building has been a long time coming and many people have contributed to it along the way. Andy Froggatt, my predecessor, got the ball rolling with a grant application to the Health and Hospital Fund and his vision in doing this at the time has now been realised. I also have to sincerely thank Ken Tippett, architect and project manager who contributed many, many hours of work pro bono to bring the concept into reality. We have learnt much from him. Overall I would like to sincerely thank management committee members past and present and the countless people who have been part of MIFNQ over the nearly thirty years of existence because this is your building. It is also a physical manifestation of an ongoing combined effort to ensure people impacted by mental illness have a place in Gracelyn Smallwood & Uncle Alfred Smallwood Townsville to come to where they feel welcomed, supported Larissa Wyles giving a welcome to country conducting the smoking as they move along the path to mental wellness. ceremony
Assoc. Professor John Allen, John Drew &MIFNQ CEO Jeremy Audas Our Opening Plaque
Committee Members, Alf Musumeci, Sandra Hubert and Bob James Caitlin Duffy, Jenny Russell & Glenda Blackwell
Member of Parliament Ewen Jones Deb Parker, Ainne Hickey, Jan Grigg, Sheree Hollywood, Nicola Orchard, Bernie Triggs Some of our Townsville Inspire Clubhouse members and Kerri Harris
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In This Edition
Where to Go for Help
Opening Of The Townsville Community Mental Health Hub..................1 We’re Fundraising With Entertainment Book .............................................3 CEO’s Update ...............................................................................................................4 Committee Chatter ...................................................................................................5 Hearing Voices Support Group ............................................................................6 Cairns Carers Having a Collective Voice .........................................................7 Inspire Clubhouse Trivia Night ...........................................................................8 Drought Assistance ..................................................................................................8 Ageing With Mental Illness Requires Planning: SANE ..............................9 Australia Lagging On Funding For Mental Health Services, Says Mental Illness Fellowship ................................................................................... 10 Healthy Active Minds ............................................................................................ 12 Australia's Biggest Companies Hand Out Colouring Books To Staff To Foster Mental Health .......................................................................... 14 Social Media Project Could Help In Battle Against Youth Suicide In Australia ............................................................................................................... 15 ‘He Never Spoke Of Suicide’: Brother Says Boys Need To Talk About Mental Health ............................................................................................ 16 Online Chat Rooms Could Be Future Of Remote Mental Health, Experts Says ............................................................................................................. 18 Do You See Dead People? You’re Not The Only One ................................ 19 Blue Roo Theatre Company Is Coming To Townsville! .......................... 20 Calendar Of Events – JULY & AUGUST 2015 ............................................... 21 Coffee Break ............................................................................................................. 22 Mi Networks AUSTRALIA.................................................................................... 23 Membership Application Form ........................................................................ 24
Kids Helpline
We’re Fundraising With Entertainment Book MIFNQ is fundraising with Entertainment Book! Visit us online or in our Townsville Office to purchase your book and SAVE!!! Books are $60 and include a wide range of vouchers for local restaurants, entertainment, shopping and so much more!!! Books are also available for the Cairns Region for $55.00 Purchase your Entertainment™ Membership from Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland Inc again to support their fundraising efforts this year. Whether you choose the printed Entertainment™ Book -OR- the Entertainment™ Digital Membership for your smartphone, $12 of your $60 purchase will help community fundraising. Visit our page to purchase your copy now!
www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/2700u79
CHAT ONLINE
Free, private & confidential telephone & online counseling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.
Phone 24/7 - 1800 55 1800 Eheadspace
CHAT ONLINE
Provides online & telephone support and counseling to young people aged between 12 and 25. Available 9AM-1AM AEST
Phone 1800 650 890 Lifeline
CHAT ONLINE 24 hour crisis support. Online counselling available 8AM midnight.
Phone 13 11 14
MIFNQ Office Locations TOWNSVILLE (Head Office) 59A Cambridge St, Vincent Q 4814 PO Box 979 Aitkenvale Q 4814 P: (07) 4725 3664 F: (07) 4725 3819
E: townsville@mifnq.org.au FREE CALL: 1800 985 944
MACKAY 6/41 Gregory St, Mackay Q 4740 PO Box 729 Mackay Q 4740 P: (07) 4951 2973 F: (07) 4957 7162
E: mackay@mifnq.org.au
CAIRNS 13/129a Lake St, Cairns Q 4870
PO Box 816 North Cairns Q 4870 P: (07) 4041 2543 F: (07) 4041 2872
E: cairns@mifnq.org.au
CEO’s Update
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In this edition I would like to share with you amongst other things some of our successes that demonstrate MIFNQ values in action. We are a values based organisation and our stated values provide the underpinnings of our approach. Let’s look at what we value: Good relationships with each other, our partners and the people who need our services. Open communication by listening, respecting and being honest. Accountability through taking responsibility for everything we do. Innovation by finding out what works best and creating new opportunities. Professionalism and a strong commitment to professional standards of practice, Jeremy Audas, individually and collectively. CEO Inclusive and culturally appropriate responses to anyone who uses our services and respect for who they are. Lived experience of people who have been impacted by mental illness is recognised. Courage to make decisions that empower others to act and work in the best interests of people who need our services. Now let’s look at some examples of our values in action: Good relationships have led to the establishment and implementation of our three Clubhouses – The Junction in Cairns, Inspire in Townsville and Horizon in Mackay. Relationships with advisory board members, partners, sponsors, donors and community members has enabled the three ventures to continue to grow with over 170 people accessing Clubhouses and numbers still increasing. Open communication is an essential part of our Families, Carers and Individual services as we work alongside people seeking counselling, support, information and education to improve their lives. We are honest about what we can do – if we are unable to support someone appropriately we will acknowledge that and find a solution for that person with one of our partners. This is also the MiNetworks promise. Accountability is not just about our reporting to funding bodies, it is about being accountable to people who come to MIFNQ for assistance. It is important for MIFNQ to know that what we do is meeting people’s needs and the needs of the communities in which we work. We are responsible for everything we do and want to make sure we continually improve. That’s why we seek feedback from people who access counselling, Clubhouse members and from our community partners. Innovation has led to increased service delivery and greater reach into our local communities. For example the Living Proof schools education program has reached out across the state and has collated very positive feedback from students and school staff. It is the only schools program that draws on the wisdom of a lived experience of mental illness to educate, inform and connect with young people. Professionalism engenders confidence for people who come to MIFNQ, our community and clinical partners as well as in our day to day work. That’s why we value professional development for staff so that they can maintain the highest standards of practice and that’s why our clinical partners are so supportive of what we do. A great example here is the formal relationship we have with Mackay and Townsville headspaces. We have professionally trained and qualified staff and we take a professional approach to all that we do. Inclusive and culturally appropriate responses enable more people from diverse backgrounds to access our services. We have worked hard to reach people through creating opportunities to work in indigenous communities and with people from diverse cultures. We do this through partnerships and by treating everyone with respect. This work is ongoing and we expect to develop this area further. The lived experience of people impacted by mental illness is highly valued as it is this that creates and strengthens connections with people. Many MIFNQ staff and board members have a lived experience and our peer work projects demonstrate our commitment in this area. A great example is MIFNQ’ s support for training people with a lived experience in advocacy skills so that they can confidently approach members of parliament to lobby for the implementation of the National Review of Mental Health Programmes by the National Mental Health Commission. Another example is the value of lived experience in our Living Proof program and within the Clubhouse work units. Courage enables MIFNQ to make bold decisions in the best interests of people impacted by mental illness. We advocate locally and nationally and engender courage in the people who use our services. It has taken courage to change our structure to strengthen services in Cairns, Townsville and Mackay at a time when the future is uncertain with external changes such as the NDIS and state and federal funding challenges. We aim to adhere to our vision and mission regardless of our external environment because we value what we do. In the sometimes hectic day to day operation of MIFNQ it is important to reflect on what we value and why, this helps us to stay true to our vision and mission and builds confidence that we have remain faithful to the humble beginnings of the organisation, our reason for existence and our future direction.
Jeremy Audas
Chief Executive Officer
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Committee Chatter In March we opened our new Townsville headquarters, marking another big step in our three-decades of bringing community services to people coping with mental illness in north Queensland. This little Townsville organisation, born in the shadow of the Ward 10B crisis at Townsville General Hospital, is now supporting major service delivery in Cairns and Mackay, as well as forays into many other coastal and inland towns, where there are many people ‘doing it tough’. One of the major moves towards this spreading of facilities in recent years has been the sponsoring and supporting financially and administratively the Clubhouses established in Cairns, Mackay and Townsville. The connections at a local level between MIFNQ, the Clubhouses, regional hospitals, employers and employment agencies and Clubhouse members is mirrored at a state, national and international level with growing relationships with employment services, governments and the world Clubhouse movement. Another of our recent moves has been outwards from Townsville into the rest of north Queensland, assisting governments helping people stressed by drought with the resulting mental health issues which carry a toll on families extending to suicide and its devastating impacts on those left behind. All of these expansions: in services provided, in size of our staff and funds we dispense, as well as in the vastly increasing area we service, make the changes we have made to our organisation over the past few years so necessary. With announcements to come soon of further expansion in our areas of service, we will take advantage of our strengthened organisational structure as we continue to grow. Throughout our 30 years, we have made sure that we have remained a ‘grass roots’ organisation, faithful to our heritage, as we must continue to do to maintain the trust of those people we exist to assist. Partnerships and other collaborations at a local level, as well as at State and National levels, has been a way of ‘growing big’ while ‘staying small’ and true to our local heritage. Even at a national level, MIFA remains just a two-person office. Its member organisations are all ‘small’ like us, like MIFNQ, but combine into a strong national organisation that is big enough to influence governments and build national programs, such as MiNetworks. Queensland has four members of MIFA* with the recent joining of Bridges from Bundaberg and our ‘sister’ organisation in Townsville, SOLAS - no other state has more than one. Our Fellowship will have to consider the structures of our organisation – locally, as well as Statewide and indeed nationally, as more organisations join MIFA. So far, our strong relationships with our ‘sister’ organisations and others through collaborations and partnerships have succeeded in enabling us to present ourselves as ‘big’ to governments which like to deal with fewer bigger organisations rather than the many small ones. Some of these bigger organisations are companies whose main goal is profit but who do not have our heritage or our community ‘roots’. These are challenging times, as we expand and grow our reach of services to ‘our people’, but wonder whether we can continue in the face of the ‘big’ world we find ourselves in. *With Aftercare, operating across the three eastern states now a MIFA member, there are effectively five MIFA members operating in Queensland and two in NSW.
Bob James
President
Bob James, President
MIFNQ Management Committee President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Committee Members
Bob James (vacant)
Jenny Chapman Sandra Hubert
Alf Musumeci
Karyn Weller
Helen De-Campo
John Moore
Promoting Recovery Through Services in the Community
Hearing Voices Support Group
Hearing Voices Townsville Support Group
If you hear voices know that you are not alone! Share your experiences and share ways to cope in a confidential, supportive setting. Build hope, acceptance and understanding for living and working with voices Carers are welcome
When: Next Meeting: Time: Where:
Every 2nd & 4th Wednesday 22nd July 2015 5:30 – 7:00pm MIFNQ Building, 59A Cambridge Street, Vincent
For more information call Mary Anne Anderson on 0402 915 272 or visit the HV QLD website www.hearingvoicesqld.org
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New Support Group At MIFNQ Mary Anne Anderson / 23 June 2015 A Hearing Voices Support Group has started in Townsville to support people who hear voices; experience visions, tactile or other sensations; and those who hold unusual beliefs. The group is based on an approach developed in the late 1980’s by Dutch Psychiatrist Marius Romme and his co-worker Sandra Escher. Though the approach has been around for many years, there are still many voice hearers who report feeling very alone in their experience. Romme and Escher proposed three phases of voice hearing. The first phase they called the Startling Phase, when voices become threatening, abusive, and even hostile. For many, this phase can cause great anxiety for both the voice hearer and their families. Some people say their voices completely take over their lives. The Hearing Voices Support Group aims to reduce a common sense of isolation people feel by creating a safe and confidential environment for group meetings, encouraging hope, acceptance and helping voice hearers know they are not alone. The second phase is called the Organisational Phase. This is when people start being able to understand their voices and accept that hearing voices is part of their lives. Together with other group members they can start exploring different ways to cope, learning that controlling their voices is possible. The final phase is called the Stabilisation Phase, when people have learned to live more comfortably with their voices, fit them into their daily lives and get on with living.
The Townsville Support Group is part of Hearing Voices Queensland and the Hearing Voices Network Australia (HVNA). Our group is run according to the Hearing Voices principles which say that every experience of hearing voices, seeing visons or holding unusual beliefs is different. A process of trial and error is needed before people can gain control. Others who have walked this journey have said “its hard work, but it can be done with the help of a good map of the terrain”. Together with a number of service providers in our community, the Hearing Voices Support Group is offering a few new routes on the map! The Townsville Support Group meets fortnightly at the new Mental Illness Fellowship NQ building in Vincent. If you are interested in knowing more, please call Mary Anne Anderson on 0402 915 272 or Glenda Blackwell on 4725 3664. We would be happy to speak or meet with you to tell you more!
Cairns Carers Having A Collective Voice Bernie Triggs / 22 June 2015
On the 9th of May over 50 Cairns carers came together for the annual Cairns Mental Health Carers Forum to learn, to support each other and to build a collective voice for change. This is the third event of this kind and it continues to get strong support from local families because of the high quality presentations, the contribution to systemic advocacy in the region and the sheer pleasure of getting together in a lovely setting. With a theme of Relationships for Recovery based on the work of the Cairns Mental Health Jacqueline Conroy during her Carers Support Hub, the presenters covered a presentation. range of topics including current research, clinical communication issues, and an outline of the challenges presented by the recently released National Mental Health Commission Review. The highlight for the day though was definitely a very personal testimony from a local mother and daughter about their traumatic experiences of navigating, and often challenging, the mental health system. Marg and Tahlia’s heartfelt expose of the ‘patient journey’ had a major impact on both Forum participants and other presenters. One of the impacts was a complete change of approach for a later presenter. Ms Sam Santarossa a senior clinician with Queensland Health put her presentation aside and instead focused on using the Forum as an opportunity to start gathering feedback on reforms that need to take place at Cairns Base Hospitals Mental Health Unit. Potential reform was very much a Marg after her presentation with a token of part of the days focus and the call for our appreciation action to lobby politicians to implement the recommendations of the NMHC Review from David Meldrum of MIFA was strongly supported by all. The feedback from families at the Forum is that each year it keeps getting better, so the pressure is now really on to deliver a high quality event for 2016!
Do you care for someone with a Mental Illness? Do you live you in the Burdekin? Glenda Blackwell is now available in Ayr for counselling every Monday for Carers of people with Mental Illness in the Burdekin area. Glenda will be at The Neighbourhood Centre, 40 Chippendale Street, Ayr from 10:30am to 2:00pm on Mondays for free Counselling sessions. If you would like a session with Glenda: Phone: 4725 3664 –OR Email: gblackwell@mifnq.org.au
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Thank You Margaret Ross Jeremy Audas / 22 June 2015
Margie Ross has been with MIFNQ in Mackay since April 2010. Margie has been an absolute stalwart of the Fellowship in Mackay over those years and her leadership in the Day to Day Living program has been outstanding. Not only did her work attract many new participants to the program but it also raised the profile of MIFNQ in Mackay and indeed at the national level where the program was held up as a great example of what Day to Day Living is all about. Margie, ably supported by Lindy Bishop and Day to Day Living participants, made a number of great presentations at national Day to Day Living conferences as well as instigating a large number of mental health focussed community events in Mackay. She has built many important connections in the Mackay community and her work in the arts – music, painting and crafts has enabled many participants to grow in confidence and develop new skills. Margie’s passion for the work led to her establishing and continuing to maintain the wonderful Choir of Unheard Voices as well as implementing a number of cooking and food preparation programs which were always very popular. Margie’s work has resounded through the Mackay community and she was able to attract many donations and a considerable amount of project funding during her time in the role. But now she has moved into another role with MIFNQ as most of the Day to Day Living program is absorbed in part into the Horizon Clubhouse. The foundations for Clubhouse are solid and that is in no small way due to Margie’s ability to bring people along on their recovery journey and building relationships with the Mackay Hospital and Health Service and the broader community. I would like to acknowledge and congratulate Margie on her enormous contribution to MIFNQ in Mackay and to the betterment of the lives of people who have been impacted by mental illness. I wish her the very best in her future endeavours with MIFNQ and beyond.
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Inspire Clubhouse Trivia Night Alison Fairleigh / 8 July 2015
On Friday night, 12th June Inspire Clubhouse held a Trivia Night at our Cambridge Street venue to raise funds for a new dishwasher. There were over 50 people in attendance with $1060 raised on the night. It was a great night and we look forward to hearing more about the special events Inspire Clubhouse will be hosting over the coming months. A huge thank you to all who attended and a special thank you to all the sponsors who helped make the evening a success! Sponsors: North Qld Cowboys, Sealink Qld, Hogs Breath Café, Sausage Roll Factory, NEATO Employment Services, Warrina Complex, Just Cuts
Drought Assistance
Alison Fairleigh / 8 July 2015
MINFQ will continue to deliver support to drought affected communities in Western and North Queensland with Drought Assistance Funding being extended for a further 12 months.
The depressing landscape out west
Nothing to see for miles
This will mean a lot more days spent driving the long, straight roads of the Outback for our Townsville Area Manager, Alison Fairleigh. It’s not just landholders who are suffering but whole communities with a significant down-town for local businesses. Despite the drought, there is still tremendous beauty in the landscape and visitors are encouraged to take trips out west to help support communities with their tourist dollar. And there’s the ever present hope that one day it will rain again…
Richmond struggling
businesses
are
Clouds bring hope of rain
Townsville Community Suicide Prevention Network Alison Fairleigh / 8 July 2015
With the support of Wesley LifeForce, a Suicide Prevention Network has been started in Townsville. Wesley LifeForce has established suicide prevention networks in a wide variety of community settings throughout Australia, from urban centres to remote Aboriginal communities. A suicide prevention network, addressing the specific needs of a local area, is one of the most effective ways of raising community awareness of the issue of suicide at the same time as empowering its members to develop appropriate suicide prevention strategies at a grassroots level. The next meeting of the Townsville Community Suicide Prevention Network: Date: Tuesday 28 July, 2015 Time: 2.30pm-4.30pm Venue: Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland 59A Cambridge Street, Vincent (Cnr. Cambridge & Palmerston Streets) Afternoon tea provided & all are welcome!! Meetings are held the 4th Tuesday of every month
2:30pm at MINFQ, Cambridge Street. Vincent.
Ageing With Mental Illness Requires Planning: SANE ajp.com.au/news / 9 June 2015
Planning ahead is essential but not common for many older Australians living with a mental illness, according to research by the national mental health charity SANE Australia. “Many people manage their mental illness over a number of years and they’re often pretty resilient; but as they get older, additional challenges impact on their lives,” says Jack Heath, CEO of SANE Australia. “We’ve spoken with older people living with mental illness and while their experiences vary widely, declining physical health, an uncertain housing future and isolation are common concerns. “All these factors can complicate mental health issues and prevent a person from ageing well,” Heath explains. “Two in every three people we talked to haven’t discussed a plan for the future.” Suitable housing is a real issue for some people, especially those financially disadvantaged, says SANE. People living with a mental illness find it harder than the rest of the community to find and keep their own home. As they age, they often find themselves in less than ideal circumstances. Research shows home-based community supports together with mental health treatment for older people can reduce the likelihood of early admission to residential care, as well as improve quality of life and reduce healthcare costs. “People need to know these services exist,” Heath says. “We need to get the message out especially because we know our population is ageing. By 2040, 1 in 5 people will be over 65. “As the population continues to age, the number of older Australians living with mental illness will increase.” According to Dr Rod McKay, Director of Psychiatry and Mental Health Programs at the NSW Institute of Psychiatry, it is important to ensure older people feel they are in control of their lives. “Too often older people, particularly those with a mental illness, feel decisions are taken out of their hands, contributing to a sense of hopelessness and despair,” explains the lead author of a recent report on psychiatry services for older people prepared by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. “The process of planning ahead can be confronting,” says Heath. “We’re talking about issues relating to legal and financial affairs and medical or mental health care. These are difficult conversations to have, but without them, we reduce the likelihood that we will be in control of these decisions later on. Planning ahead is crucial to ensure choice, comfort and quality of care. “As a result of our research, SANE Australia has developed Ageing Well: A guide to planning ahead for older people who live with mental illness, their family and friends. We hope it will make this process easier.” The plain language guide looks at home and social supports, health, legal, and financial issues and includes a checklist to help work through the planning process.
Support Courses For Mental Health
PeerZone – For people with mental illness Assisting Families - For families, friends and carers of people who are living with a mental illness. Flexible and informative modules to support and educate families and carers Interactive Counselling available Modules are three hours each – COST IS FREE
PROGRAMS STARTING SOON - BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL For all enquiries and expressions of interest please contact Glenda at MIFNQ:
Phone: 07 4725-3664 Email: gblackwell@mifnq.org.au
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The Growing Link Between Nutrition & Mental Health – And The Best Foods For It yahoo.com/health / 11 June 2015
It’s a no-brainer: Eating a balanced diet helps you to look and feel good. And now researchers say that eating well may even help fight depression. A new scientific review published in the journal the Lancet Psychiatry that involved 18 researchers from around the world stresses the role that good nutrition plays in mental health.
“Evidence is steadily growing for the relation between dietary quality [and potential nutritional deficiencies] and mental health, and for the select use of nutrientbased supplements to address deficiencies,” researchers said in the review. And we’re seeing real-life proof of the relationship between food and a better psychiatric outcome: A study published in 2013 in the journal Neurocase followed two women with bipolar disorder over two years. The women were put on a ketogenetic diet (high fat, moderate protein, low carb), and their moods stabilized better than they did with medication alone.
But the link between diet and the risk of developing depression isn’t the same for everyone. “If your diet is deficient in some nutrients, it can have many effects on the brain,” study co-author David Mischoulon, MD, PhD, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a co-author of the Lancet study, tells Yahoo Health. “It can be subtle in some people and may result in psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and so forth in others.” Mischoulon and his team identified specific nutrients that are particularly helpful with boosting mental health, pointing out that many are often found in the Mediterranean diet.
Australia Lagging On Funding For Mental Health Services, Says Mental Illness Fellowship abc.net.au / 11 May 2015
The voices have ceased for now, but Shane Bell knows all too well the dangers of skipping his medication. "It's rather scary. You lose all contact with the reality of things," Mr Bell said. The 46-year-old has lived with schizophrenia for about 14 years, which included debilitating periods of psychosis. "It's mostly hearing voices Shane Bell attends the Top End and having hallucinations and strange Mental Illness Fellowship. thoughts, which are the distressing ones," Mr Bell said. "I've lost the mania and the anxiety and depression. All I've got is the schizophrenic component." Mr Bell is one of 230,000 Australians with the illness, though psychiatrists think many people hide the illness. Schizophrenia attacks the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which psychiatrist Dr Robert Parker said essentially means it undermines a person's ability to perceive reality and solve problems. "People basically stop caring for themselves, and that's the much more destructive part of the illness. "The brain is the most remarkable organ in the human body. It's a complex organ, which is why schizophrenia has a range of ways of manifesting itself," Dr Parker said. The exact cause is still not known, though Dr Parker said recent research shows most with the disorder have a genetic predisposition and it is usually brought on in teens from trauma or drug use such as cannabis and methamphetamine. But medication and early intervention is helping make the disease more treatable. "A number of years ago if you said the schizophrenia word to people it was like a life sentence, almost as bad as cancer. These days there's a lot more hope because there's much better treatments available," Dr Parker said. Services Limited: Health Workers Mental health workers are concerned schizophrenia treatments, beyond clinical services, are still limited. "People with schizophrenia make up half the caseloads of the public mental health services in most places," said David Meldrum, the executive director of the Mental Illness Fellowship Australia (MIFA).
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LIVIN Hot On The Hill
hotfm.com.au/townsville / July 2015
Townsvillians will walk up and down Castle Hill in a 24-hour charity event to raise awareness of youth mental illness and suicide. Radio station HotFM has teamed up with mental health charity LIVIN to create LIVIN Hot on the Hill, with teams walking the marathon event on August 8 from 2pm. Teams of 10 will pay a $500 registration fee, with one member of each team walking at all times during the 24 hours. LIVIN was founded in 2013 by Sam Webb and Casey Lyons. “We’ve had a lot of people from the area of not only Townsville but North Queensland reach out to us, a bit of a cry for support,” Mr Webb said. “It’s something we can’t wait to get involved in because there’s been a lot of tragic events over the last five months ... and we want to do everything we can to try and stop this from happening because it’s just not good.” Breakfast radio team Cliffo and Bec will be among those getting involved. Rebecca Lee said most people involved had been touched in some way by youth mental illness. “It’s not always easy to broach a topic like that on air so I think we sometimes avoid it because it is a difficult topic,” she said. “This is a really positive way of addressing something that is affecting Townsville that doesn’t necessarily receive a lot of attention.” All fees and donations will go to LIVIN. Register at HotFM’s website.
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"They get a service, but they get a very basic service. ”Beyond basic medicine of dealing with medications you can't rely on getting a range of other practical supports to get a life back," he said. Mr Meldrum has just started up workshops to teach schizophrenia patients and their carers how to lobby politicians to invest more in mental health services. Federal funding for mental health has increased over the past seven years by about $1.5 billion. Data from MIFA shows most OECD countries spend between 12 and 16 per cent of their health budget on mental health services, while Australia only spends eight per cent (see graph above). "If you look at what's called the burden of disease by the World Health Organisation, about 14 per cent of what gets dealt with by the health system is caused by mental illness," Mr David Meldrum, Executive Director of MIFA Meldrum said. So that's where the idea comes from. It's only really getting half of what it should get." Mr Meldrum said it was not all about money but he hoped the federal budget would not decrease funding. He said the latest national mental health review recommended more funding into community-based services. "The number of beds we have in the psychiatric system in Australia is actually slightly ahead of international comparison," Mr Meldrum said. "Where we lack is decent community services to get to where people are living," he said. Remote Communities Suffering Dr Parker said rates of schizophrenia among Aboriginal people in remote communities were three times higher than for non-Indigenous people living in cities. "Low levels of education, exposure to trauma during childhood, and volatile substance abuse are all increasing the risk factors for psychosis," Dr Parker said. Compounding this is a lack of both clinical support and community services for remote areas. "The recovery model looks at a range of issues in terms of housing, work, participation in society and education," Dr Parker said. "There's no doubt we could develop programs to enhance that." Mr Meldrum said extending community-based services and support networks for carers to the bush was essential. "If you want solutions to help people get a life you've got to go to where they live and work alongside them, not put them in an ambulance and take them several hundred kilometres away to a specialist unit. ”That may be necessary in moments of crisis, but it's not going to get your life back," Mr Meldrum said. Shane Bell recoiled at the thought of living in a remote area. He already finds it hard to get a job in Darwin despite being highfunctioning, which means that despite his illness he is able to work and have a fulfilling life. His visits the community service - the Top End Mental Illness Fellowship - as part of his therapy. "It gets you out of the house and gets you going to a place during the day and meeting people and doing this together," Mr Bell said.
News From Clubhouse
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Horizon
Nicola Orchard / 7 July 2015
Excitement is building for our move to our new Clubhouse in early August! The Pioneer Shire Council historic Building front facing Pioneer Wood Street in Shire Mackay’s CBD Council building in Wood Street will be our new home and we give many thanks to Mackay Regional Council for the time and resources allocated to its restoration and for allowing us to occupy this very important landmark.
Horizon Clubhouse enjoying tenpin bowling
members
Our Social Recreation calendar is now up and running with this activity taking place after hours every second Thursday from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. Members choose the activity and so far we have enjoyed an in-house art and craft evening, tenpin bowling and fish’n’chips at the Harbour. Some of the future undertakings discussed include karaoke, movie night and a trip to the Botanical Gardens. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates each fortnight. Supporting our Social Recreation events is the arrival of the new Clubhouse Van. This 8 seater van allows us to greater support our members in attending social recreation and other activities when there is limited access to private and public transport.
Healthy Active Minds “A healthy mind is an active mind�. "An active mind leads to a healthy body."
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Are these sayings really true? I think that it should read, "an active mind which enjoys interesting activity leads to a healthy body". When people are vulnerable, fragile and/or feel alone,(unsupported) they are more likely to experience anxious feelings, distress, and unhappiness which lead to emotional upsets, loss of energy, angry outbursts and even depression. However, an important point needs to be emphasized here. One can experience any of these feelings without being able to think of a cause. Causes are still in the land of being looked for. But, that does not mean we do not know what might work for some people. How can we help ourselves, our partners and our friends not to reach a point of desperation? If this point is reached, what can we do to help? These questions can go round and round in our minds, seeking answers, and not achieving very much. To focus on trying to get answers to a question, even when we are not too sure what that question is, is of great importance. It is not always easy to keep ourselves mentally nourished, active and relaxed. But, it can be done. For some people it will not matter how hard we work, or how wonderfully we are supported, we will need ongoing love, understanding and perhaps medical and/or other professional help. Being mentally active is like exercise for our physical bodies. Practice makes perfect. We need to do a little every day. Learning to enjoy what we do, and to do what we enjoy.
Some exercises for our minds.
Writing letters. This is an art of communication which is being lost in the era of telephones, E-mails and text messages. However, one can make e-mails very entertaining, and most interesting for the receiver, and they may take the place of a letter. My mother was a very busy letter writer, keeping in touch with her family and friends over seventy years of living far away from most of the people she loved. She was able to keep in touch, practice her writing and communication skills, and feel a sense of achievement when the task was completed. Receiving letters in return is so rewarding, too. One not only has the spoken word from a telephone call, but the visual evidence of love and support from a letter. E-mails and text messages ae the modern means of communication. Many young people keep in touch with parents, friends, and find out about jobs etc., through e-mailing and text messaging. Keeping a diary. Diaries are a way to record our lives. The good times and those which do not seem to be too good at the time of happening. These are known as the "bad times" or even perhaps the times ordained for maximum learning. Some people have become famous for their diary writing. Samuel Pepys diary has continued to be reprinted for centuries. What about Diary of a Pregnant Dad? A diary is a way to record the day, keep tally on our feelings and doings. To keep a precious memory alive, and a way to write about and let go of something else. I encourage people to keep a diary, to write down thoughts and feelings, to record their achievements and those of the family. To write of goals and reaching them and the disappointment when we do not. I encourage poetry writing, collecting of stickers sayings, cartoons, news articles and poems which make sense to us, and which we wish to remember. Your diary is your very own creation. I have found my diary keeping being an invaluable source of personal comments, information, ideas, interest and ongoing discussions within my family and of especial interest to my children who all want to know everything about everything. In particular, anything pertaining to them as they were growing up. It is an endless source of amusement, for me and for them, too. A diary is for memory tickling, and commentary on our lives, our doings, and our thoughts. Sometimes husbands like to read the diary to find out if their wives are well or not. One woman gets very frustrated with her husband's continuing to read her diary. She wants to keep her diary to herself, for her own learning and sorting out the thoughts and experiences. She is using the diary writing to try to understand her particular biorhythmical patterns. Her husband is not concerned that she is keeping secrets, only that he might be able to recognise her bad times, better. This can be a source of annoyance to the woman, (in this case) and a source of frustration for the man. if this does happen in your family, a respectful way too handle it is to be reassuring to each other.
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Cross Word puzzles. Or anything else along these lines. Keep a dictionary nearby to resort to so that one does not become frustrated, but, will achieve mental activity (exercise) that can be enjoyed. Some people challenge themselves to create crossword puzzles. You can create your own crossword puzzles with a scrabble board, and make up your own clues. You may even win a prize for this if you send them to the right magazine. Writing poetry or stories. Diary writing can include these. But, you can do these separately from a diary, too). Decisions may be made to just write. This is enjoyable, and can bring about a lot of fun and interest. If you like you can write verses for cards which you can buy, make for yourself or make on the computer. You might like to write stories for your children. Drawing is another fun filled activity to do. You do not even have to be good at drawing, just enjoy it. Have you ever looked at some of the drawings in children's books? Games: Play games, scrabble, cards trivial pursuits, or some other games. This can be done with friends, and/or with your partner, a night or day time enjoyable past-time. This togetherness can be fun and stimulating. Reading books: Reading is often enjoyable and can be relaxing. Make sure you are comfortable, and that the light is very good. When we are not well reading is something that we cannot do very easily. If reading is out of the question for you, do not be afraid to use the audio-taped books from the local library, or to buy some. These are not as available as print is, and there is not the same choice, but this is another way to be active mentally when we might have difficulty reading print, or even making time to do so. I’d rather iron while I am listening to a book. I do not notice the repetitiveness of the task, and get through a large pile very quickly and I have read something worthwhile, too. Join a book club with some friends and talk about books and enjoy each other's conversation and opinions. Enjoy having your own opinions, too. Join in activities which we may never have tried previously. If asked to do this or that, join in. Sometimes we find a new, enjoyable interest just by doing this. When one is not well or feeling uncertain it is important to feel comfortable. However, when a comfort zone has been established, one person, or a group of people can challenge themselves to try out something new. Join in some classes for self-development, relaxation, meditation or just plain fun. Join a sporting activity. This not only helps with physical activity, but mental exercise and stimulation will occur because we have to "join in", learn new moves, and have conversations. Many women join in netball games and reap an enormous benefit too their physical fitness, their mental wellbeing, and make friends, too. Develop your own activities Some people take up quilting, ceramics, baking, making salt dough figures while watching and/or playing with the children. Of course, after one has been distressed and/or depressed, these activities need to be interesting, and ones which do not require a lot of preparation nor huge concentration. We need to be kind to ourselves, and encourage ourselves to look for activities which might be interesting, enjoyable, and actually learn some new skills at the same time. A "cuppa' with friends and/or family can be a lovely "time together, either at each other's homes or at the shopping centre. Some of us enjoy just having a chance to chat. Friends can encourage each other, find fun things to do together, recognise each other and say hello (even when shopping), and altogether make us feel recognised, valued, respected and precious. MiNetworks
Helping connect you with the information and services you need. Call us on 1800 985 944
Australia's Biggest Companies Hand Out Colouring Books To Staff To Foster Mental Health http://www.smh.com.au / 9 April 2015
Some of Australia's biggest companies are buying colouring books for adults in bulk to help staff handle the stress of the modern workplace. Amid claims that Australia is facing a mental health epidemic, Melbourne neuropsychologist Stan Rodski says the simple act of colouring can change brain behaviour and help workers achieve calm and balance. Dr Rodski is the author of Colourtation; a colouring book for adults that has already been adopted by ANZ Bank, Wesfarmers and health insurance provider Bupa to name a few. The book evolved from tests that showed patients exhibiting "beta" brain wave frequencies - the type associated with physical or mental stress could be switched over to the more restful and positive "alpha" brain wave frequencies by colouring pictures. The book is not the only adult colouring book on the market. Secret Garden is now the bestselling book in the US, according to Amazon.com. Colourtation comes with a set of coloured pencils and gives users 26 different patterns to colour, in what Dr Rodski describes as a mindful, creative activity with no element of competition or failure. "This brain of ours in its Talks are underway to supply the books to current shape is about 150 million more big corporates, as well as some years old and still operates as if it government departments. were 150 million years ago," he said. "But in the last 20 years we have started to keep it awake and active more than we ever have in our whole history. Now that has consequences. "By colouring, we move ourselves from these beta waves to an alpha wave. It is akin to sitting listening to music, or focusing on watching your favourite TV program; you are singular, you are not focusing on a lot of things." Dr Rodski said more than 1000 copies of Colourtation had been sold at $20 a copy in the first month and two sequels are planned. Talks are under way to supply the books to more big corporates, as well as some government departments in Australia and New Zealand. "Researchers are showing the relationship between the number of thoughts in your head and how happy you are," Dr Rodski said. "The more thoughts that are running around in your head, the less happy you are, regardless of what the thought is, and so by uncluttering the thoughts you are improving your happiness." ANZ's head of human resources for global markets and loans, Kerrie Harris, said she used the book to remain relaxed and focused during conference calls, rather than be distracted by emails. "The colouring book is a great way to de-stress and clear my mind when I find I'm getting distracted or need clarity," she said. "I think we are all finding that the work environment is getting busier than ever with technology changing the way we work and are connected to the office... Personally, I have got a lot out of such a simple resource as it enables me to relax and change gears when required." The colouring book was initially provided to staff in ANZ's markets division during a health and wellbeing initiative, and the success of that trial has seen the book provided to more of the bank's staff in hubs around the world. "Even 30 seconds of colouring makes me feel relaxed and ready to conquer the next conversation or task," Ms Harris said. Adoption of the book by some of Australia's biggest companies comes after accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated last year that undiagnosed mental health problems were costing Australian businesses about $11 billion a year in absenteeism, compensation claims and unproductive workers. Dr Rodski said women had thus far been more eager adopters of the books than men, but it was being used by both genders. "The men probably wouldn't whip it out on to their desk as quickly as women do, but when I run the programs the men are the first ones in to grab a copy. But I don't think they are as keen let everyone know they do it," he said. "This is just an idea that has found its time."
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Rugby League Star Tells His Story Of Depression In Western New South Wales abc.net.au/news / 28 May 2015
Act. Belong. Commit. Three simple words, but they cover a lot of territory. It's the name given to a program run through the New South Wales Department of Sport and Recreation which uses the common denominator of sporting activity and community connectedness to help people get into a healthier headspace, to help them manage mental health problems. The further you look into it, the more sportsmen and sportswomen you will find who have had to deal with depression and other mental health issues along their journey. That includes people like former first grade rugby league player Wayne Wigham, who has just been on a speaking tour of western NSW.
Wayne Wigham said he was first diagnosed with depression when he was a child of 12. He said he was simply a very sad little boy. The only help that was available at that time was in the form of tranquilisers and he said he would not take them. Throughout his career in first class football, he said he managed his depression largely through exercise and training. "In hindsight it was the sport and the training that helped me, because when you train and when you play sport you produce endorphins that can help mask the depressive illness," he said. "All through that time I was suffering through terrible sadness and lethargy but I just didn't know what it really was."
The tipping point for Mr Wigham came after he left rugby league, when he joined the NSW Fire Brigade. "It was always with me, I was always struggling to get on top of it," he said. "And in the end, I had a suicide attempt." After being diagnosed with melancholia, a form of depression, Mr Wigham said his life had changed completely. "It has made me realise that it's just such a waste of time for people to be out there suffering when there's no need.� If you understand the symptoms and understand that you can get help, then it saves people a whole lot of grief in their life."
Social Media Project Could Help In Battle Against Youth Suicide In Australia daily telegraph / 24 May 2015
A research project that monitors the text messages and social media postings of United States war veterans is being considered for use on Australian youths at risk of suicide. The initiative, known as the “Durkheim Project”, analyses in real-time the social media and mobile content of veterans to determine if they are displaying suicide or self-harm tendencies. If they are suspected of being at risk, a friend or nominated person is alerted to allow for early intervention. The program — led by a veterans group, a software company and with support from Facebook — works by having veterans optA US research project involving in to participate, meaning they voluntarily social media could help combat release their private communications to the youth suicide. project’s database. It is then subjected to predictive analysis testing using a computer algorithm which monitors any behaviour suggestive of imminent self-harm. Not all information is gathered, according to the project’s website. In the case of Facebook, only status updates and postings are monitored — remaining information stays private unless authorised for analysis by the user. Australian experts working in the area of youth suicide prevention say the project could be useful in their field because it would allow friends, family and welfare services to pre-empt any harmful behaviour and intervene. Associate Professor Jane Burns, founder of the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, which explores the role of technology to improve mental health and wellbeing in young people, said the Durkheim Project and its results were being examined closely. A/Prof Burns said a big question over whether it would work in Australia is how the concept would be received by young people and whether they would permit their postings and text messages to be analysed. She said she remained optimistic about how they would receive it. “Because it’s their choice [as an opt-in process] it’s going to be far more well-received,” A/Prof Burns said. While parents already scanned the social media postings of their children, A/Prof Burns said the Durkheim Project’s methodology would do the same thing but turn the exercise into one of empowerment, rather than of fear and dread of being watched. “It means that they’re saying my mental health matters to me,” she added. Most people fail to recognise when their mental wellbeing is deteriorating and find it “incredibly tough” to reach out when and if they do, A/Prof Burns said. This project, she added, would solve address that issue as well because it would automatically notify friends and family when concerning behaviour was identified. A/Prof Burns said the project was being watched with anticipation and was getting “closer and Associate Professor Jane Burns closer” being implemented in Australia. A federal report card examining the nation’s mental health system, released in April, highlighted the need for new technologies to be used as part of our broader strategy for dealing with mental health issues in the future.
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"Nutterville...and Other True Stories Of Coping With Mental Illness" amazon.com / Faye Ellen Kufahl
Hope and love are the prescriptions that social worker Faye Kufahl has written in her compelling, new memoir "Nutterville...and Other True Stories of Coping with Mental Illness." Part I, "Nutterville," is a tender and compassionate recounting of the personality-forming events and family dynamics the author experienced while growing up in 1950s, small-town Wisconsin. This childhood became the foundation and inspiration for Ms Kufahl's earnest efforts to open a sincere discussion and ongoing dialogue both with and about those who struggle with mental illness. The book is not only an endearing yet heartbreaking story of sisterly love, it is also an outreach to anyone who has ever felt isolated, like a "misfit" or somehow "different"---or to anyone who knows someone that feels this way. Each story in the book has the potential to impart new insights on the frailties of human nature and the real-life impact our social, cultural and spiritual institutions have on the daily lives of those affected. Even as tragedy stalks the haunted, homeless denizens of mean streets, Faye Kufahl's empathy and warmhearted humor convey the to a deeper understanding of their plight: The near-folly in her sister Gail's solemn belief that apple seeds will save her life---or the sublime question of whether or not one should be allowed to dance with ghosts. Aside from being spellbinding storytelling, "Nutterville...and Other True Stories of Coping with Mental Illness" is a powerful example of a life spent in service to others. While the experience has been sobering and humbling, Kufahl's deep caring, fierce intellect and warm sense of humor have helped guide her to the conclusions stated at the end of the book, that is: Our common humanity links us through love and diversity---we are all one. "Nutterville..." is an essential read for people from all walks of life.
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‘He Never Spoke Of Suicide’: Brother Says Boys Need To Talk About Mental Health
Mental Health First Aid Training
news.com.au/lifestyle / 8 May 2015
The Mental Health First Aid Program is run by Mental Health First AidTM (MHFA) Australia, a national nonprofit health promotion charity focused on training and research. More information about MHFA Australia here: www.mhfa.com.au Standard Mental Health First Aid covers the most common disorders such as depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders and alcohol and drug problems. As well as the development of a 5step action plan for health first aid, managing suicide, panic attacks, psychotic behaviour and general behaviour.
NIC Newling was the youngest of three brothers. Ben was into sailing, Christopher captained the rugby team and Nic was the theatre geek, the emotional one. All three battled mental health problems as they grew up. Many people thought Nic had the worst problems. He spent a lot of time on Sydney psychiatric wards, talked about his suicidal thoughts and struggled to comprehend reality. Then, shockingly, Christopher took his own life at 17. “We were both getting help, medication, seeing professionals,” Nic, now 28, toldnews.com.au. “He was holding back from the issues more. He would never speak about being suicidal. “He was higher in the social pecking order and probably felt he had more to lose.” The family were destroyed by Christopher’s death. “Cricket” had always been shy and sensitive, but had worked hard to be seen as outgoing and confident. No one, from his brothers to his parents Phil and Jayne, had realised how The Newling brothers as teenagers. From deep his problems went. left, Nic, Christopher and Ben. Nic, who spent years battling dark thoughts and had electric-shock therapy at 16, now speaks publicly about suicide, encouraging young men in particular to feel comfortable discussing mental health. “My brother was really scared of talking about suicide,” he said. “It’s emotionally disconnecting, covering your flaws and weaknesses because you’re afraid someone will pounce.” Men account for 80 per cent of suicides in Australia. While more women will suffer from depression in their lifetime than men, men are less likely to seek help, with 72 per cent not accessing support, compared to 60 per cent of women, according to recent study Men, Depression, and Coping: Are We on the Right Path? It is now thought that our understanding of depression is weighted toward women, with men often showing different symptoms: externalising their feelings in numbing behaviours such as alcohol and drug misuse, avoidance, irritability and emotional withdrawal. Men are less likely to seek professional help, and may not be diagnosed correctly when they do. Nic believes that one solution is reframing what we mean by masculinity. “Talking about weakness is seen as a flaw. But some of the qualities are being ‘manly’, bravery, toughness. What is having a problem like being mentally ill and seeking help? It’s taking a risk.” Nic works with the Black Dog Institute in Sydney and visits schools to try to change the culture of silence. He says things are vastly improved from his schooldays, but that many boys still fear being judged. “The environment was that it wasn’t discussed,” he said. “You feel alone. There are probably scores more like you but because no one talks, it Nic hero-worshipped his older brother. doesn’t exist. Continues on next page
2015 Dates: 26th & 27th August 2015 17th & 18th September 2015 25th & 26th November 2015 Training Location:
MIFNQ Office 59A Cambridge Street Vincent, Townsville Duration: 2 days Cost: $100 per person Registration Forms available online at: http://www.mifa.org.au/mentalhealth-first-aid
To find out more contact our Qld Manager Education and Training, Philippa Harris on 4725 3664, or email training@mifnq.org.au.
Continued from previous page
“You might have heard on the grapevine about someone struggling but it’s not usually about mental health, it’s linked to some event, like someone’s parents’ breakup, or a bereavement.” While things have changed at his old school, Nic is pushing to get students across Australia talking about the issues, something he thinks could have helped Christopher. His brother’s suicide, along with Nic’s positive experiences at psychiatric unit Rivendell, motivated him to start speaking about his life to help others. He says he initially faced some resistance to the idea of such openness, even from his old school. Nic has overcome his health issues. An upcoming study from the Men’s Mental Health Team at Black Dog Institute, What Interrupts Suicide Attempts in Men — A Qualitative Study, says: “Men at risk of suicide tend to systematically misinterpret changes in their behaviour and thinking. “Understanding mood and behavioural changes in men enables identification of opportunities to interrupt suicide progression.” It advocates practical and emotional support, and professional intervention, to reduce the risk of harm. It also reveals that in the 12 months leading up to a suicide, only 35 per cent of men, compared to 58 per cent of women, sought care from a mental health practitioner. Nic has now recovered from his health issues, and only wishes Christopher had had the chance to do the same. “He maintained a facade, and even I bought into that image. He was this flawless leader, but behind it there was this timid boy.” If you or someone you know is in need of crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp
Do you care for someone with a mental health issue? Psychologist Glenda Blackwell, from MIFNQ Townsville, is now available one day per week in Charters Towers for counselling for the families and carers of people who have a mental health issue. There is no cost for this service. When: Fridays 9.30am – 3.30pm Where: Charters Towers Neighbourhood Centre For Bookings: Phone:
(07) 47253664 or 0408585979 - or -
Email:
gblackwell@mifnq.org.au
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Mackay Success Story
Naomi Rowler / 8 July 2015
MTRS (Mackay Transitional Recovery Service) has been working with a participant who had been in the Mental Health Unit since 28 August 2014. This participant started in the 24/7 supported accommodation house where staff and Outreach staff worked to address health and mental health concerns. During this time, the participant identified specific goals he would like to achieve – living independently, getting control of his money back from Public Trustee and get a dog.
The participant’s mental health and physical health has gradually improved over this time, supports have been identified and put in place and after moving from 24/7 care to a brief stint in the semi supported accommodation house, the participant has achieved two of his goals: moving into independent accommodation at the end of June and being granted control back of his money.
The MTRS team will continue to provide outreach and support this participant to achieve all of his goals and maintain his independence. A great outcome for him!!
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Online Chat Rooms Could Be Future Of Remote Mental Health, Experts Says
Keeping Watch Mental Health
Online treatment programs are being flagged as a solution to the high rates of suicide in remote and rural Australia. Mental health experts say people living in remote, regional and rural parts of Australia are more vulnerable to mental health problems because of poor socio-economic conditions and a lack of accessible services. The Mental Health Commission's chief executive David Butt said bad housing, high unemployment and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease all add up to increased levels of psychological distress. "Access to health services, access to employment, education, all the other things that enable you to have a contributing life are really much lower," Online chat rooms could help he said. As a result, suicide rates are 66 provide mental health services to per cent higher out of the cities and people living in remote areas, Indigenous Australians living remotely experts say. are three times more likely to commit suicide than non-Indigenous city dwellers. But the accessibility of mental health services in those areas is scarce. Data from the National Rural Health Alliance shows the number of psychiatrists, mental health nurses and psychologists in regional areas is respectively 33 per cent, 82 per cent and 54 per cent of what it is in major cities. The comparisons are even poorer in remote areas. Medicare expenditure on mental health in remote areas is 11 per cent of what it is in major cities. E-mental health treatment could help remote areas, expert says Mr Butt and other mental health experts have said one solution to the accessibility gap is online treatment programs, otherwise known as E-mental health. "We need to look at E-mental health as part of an overall treatment plan, not something separate. You'll never have all the blocks and mortar in place to treat people face to face," Mr Butt said. Australia is the leader in creating programs such as online chat rooms and connectivity to practitioners, online questionnaires, mood trackers Mental Health Commission CEO David Butt and interactive, educational says E-mental health programs could help programs. The online treatment is people in remote areas. based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is designed to change negative patterns of thinking. Mr Butt said evidence shows online programs are just as effective as face-toface CBT. "It's certainly more effective than putting people on medications, particularly in the mild to moderate category of anxiety or depression," he said. "Drugs have shown to not really be that effective with that group, whereas CBT online has shown to be much more effective." But delegates at the National Rural Health Conference in Darwin this week, who are also onthe-ground mental health workers, have said online therapy needs to be used in conjunction with traditional methods, medication and practitioners that are community or locally based. Mr Butt agreed and said the next stage is ensuring an integrated roll-out, along with technological infrastructure in the remote areas. Federal Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said the Government is considering how to support E-mental health as part of its aim to plug the accessibility gap in remote Australia.
South-east South Australian dairyfarmer Andrew Cavill has just finished his first stint as a sheep farmer, all in the name of good mental health. Last year Mr Cavill was behind the launch of a Men’s Watch program introduced in the Limestone Coast region to tackle its alarming rate of rural men’s suicide that has claimed several lives in recent years. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show men are the most common victims of suicide. A new program is due in October and Mr Cavill also hopes to start a Women’s Watch later in the year. At the same time he’s doing his bit personally to make sure fellow farmers are doing okay…even if that means temporarily trading allegiance from dairy cows to sheep. Mr Cavill, who will share his experiences and outline the Men’s Watch program at the Grassland Society of Southern Australia’s annual conference in Naracoorte South Australia on July 22-23, has swapped farming duties with a neighbour for a few days. In the wake of ongoing dry conditions in Mr Cavill’s Bool Lagoon region near Naracoorte, sheep farmers have been forced to feed their flocks for up to seven hours each day for the past eight months. Apart from the cost, the time commitment is taking its toll. “I’ve been watching them feed their sheep for weeks on end and felt to myself I bet these fellas are over it,” Mr Cavill said. “I stopped a farmer on the road the other day and asked how he was going feeding the sheep. He said he just couldn’t do it for one more day he was that sick of it. Adopting the old maxim that a change is as good as a holiday, Mr Cavill and his fellow farmer came up with a plan. “We feed dairy cows every day so I said I’ll swap you," he said. "You show me how to do yours and I’ll show you how to do mine and we can both have a break for a few days each month till we don’t need to anymore.” “After talking for a while he realised it was becoming a mental health issue. There are a lot like it. It wears them down. Those are the issues that get men depressed.”
abc.net.au/news / 25 May 2015
On
adf.farmonline.com.au/news/ 10 June
Do You See Dead People? You’re Not the Only One aww.com.au/latest-news/health / 2 June 2015
Queensland scientists say that hearing voices and seeing things is a condition that affects an astonishing five per cent of people at some point during their lives.
Hallucinations and delusions are more common than previously thought affecting as much as five per cent of the population, says researchers from the Queensland Brain Institute.
An international study led by both The University of Queensland and Harvard Medical School examined more than 31,000 people from 19 countries, including Australia, in the most comprehensive study on hallucinatory experiences ever completed. Incredibly, it’s not just the mentally ill who hear voices in their heads or see things that aren’t there.
"We used to think that only people with psychosis heard voices or had delusions, but now we know that otherwise healthy, high-functioning people also report these experiences," says lead researcher Professor John McGrath from the Queensland Brain Institute. "Of those who have these experiences, a third only have them once and another third only have two-to-five episodes across their life. These people seem to function reasonably well. "So, not only is hearing voices more common than previously thought, but it's not always linked to serious mental illness." The study involved approaching randomly selected members of the community, sitting down with them and conducting a very detailed interview about their mental health.
The study found that auditory hallucinations are more common in women than men, and they are also more common in people from wealthier countries. Professor McGrath says the findings could help generate new research into the causes of these isolated symptoms. "In particular, we are interested in learning why some people recover, while others may progress to more serious disorders such as schizophrenia," he says.
"We need to understand why it's temporary for some people and permanent for others. We can use these findings to start identifying whether the mechanisms causing these hallucinations are the same or different in both situations. "We need to rethink the link between hearing voices and mental health -it's more subtle than previously thought.
"While some people may experience a false perception that is fleeting in nature - such as mistakenly hearing their name called out in public - the kinds of hallucinations and delusions we are talking about are quite detailed, for example hearing voices that no one else can hear or a belief that somebody else has taken over your mind. "People should be reassured that there isn't anything necessarily wrong with them if it happens once or twice, but if people are having regular experiences, we recommend that they seek help."
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Supporting MIFNQ
There are many ways that you can support us and the work we do at MIFNQ. If you haven’t done so already, why not become a member. Membership is free and an application form is on the back page or you can join online at our website.
Volunteering is another way you can make a valuable contribution. We always have lots of opportunities for volunteers to make a difference to our services and programs. You may like to volunteer with administration tasks, assist with our extensive library, are a handyman or assist with our program courses which can range from reading, music, cooking, arts and crafts and a whole lot more. Many of our volunteers find they can receive as much themselves as they generously give.
Partnerships/Sponsors You might also consider becoming a business partner or sponsor of the Fellowship. Our dedicated staff put in many hours of unpaid work to enable us to provide the best service we can in the community. Business partnerships allow us keep the corporate services department running effectively and efficiently while allowing us to plan for future growth and the ever increasing demand for services. And donating to MIFNQ online is easy. Online Donations
You can make secure online donations through the Give Now website through this link www.givenow.com.au/mifnq
Blue Roo Theatre Company Is Coming To Townsville!
Book Review
Page 20 of 24
angusrobertson.com.au
A Disability Theatre Company YOUR CHANCE TO DEVELOP ACTING SKILLS IN THEATRE
3 WORKSHOPS in JULY plus your chance to see the Blue Roo Theatre Group perform at the School of Art Building Ju ly 27t h – 10am -1p m Ju ly 28 t h – 12:00p m – 3:00p m Ju ly 29 t h – 10am -1p m .
Cost - $30.00 including ticket to performance All workshops are at the Railway Estate Community Centre, 23 First Street, Railway Estate 4810. SCHOOL OF ARTS BUILDING - 7pm
JULY 30th - HOTEL PANTELONE – Presented by Blue Roo Theatre Please contact Ann Burke to express your interest on (07) 47220101 or artworks@kithandkin.com.au
TheaComp
This book is the biography of Helen Maczkowiack's son, Stephen, who suffered from schizophrenia and took his own life at just 29. It captures the haunting story of a young man's desperate struggle to find his way in life. It features excerpts from Stephen's diary, which gives the reader a deep insight into his illness: the paranoia, obsession and flashes of anger, the unpredictability as well as the creativity and energy. Helen says in the preface of her book that her primary motivation was to preserve her son's writings. But as she became more and more involved in rewriting his story, she discovered that she could also promote mental health issues to support the development of more effective responses from community services and those working in the mental health field. A courageous story consisting of diaries kept by Stephen who suicided and Helen's unflinching honesty that will touch the hearts of all readers. It will help to increase community awareness, help develop understanding, offer comfort and support to parents, encourage people to speak out, offer support to those grieving and help realize the importance of discovering early childhood differences. To learn more about the book and the author visit, angusrobertson.com.au.
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Calendar of Events – JULY & AUGUST 2015
JULY 2015 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS DRY JULY – Give up alcohol for a month to support adults living with cancer – au/dryjuly.com SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
1
2
FRIDAY 3 Townsville Show Starts
SATURDAY 4
5 First Day of MAIDOC Week
6 Townsville Show Holiday
7
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10 Castrol Edge V8 Supercars – th th 10 – 12 July
11 World Population Day
12 Diabetes Awareness Week
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17 National Pyjama Day
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24 Stress Down Day
25
26 Smoke Alarm Awareness Week
27
28 World Hepatitis Day
29
30 International Day of Friendship
31 The Strand Ephemera
AUGUST 2015 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS M S Readathon One Month Challenge – www.msreadathon.org.au SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY 1 - Jeans for Genes Day
2 McDonalds Townsville Running Festival
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11
12
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14 Forty Hour Famine
15
16
17
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19 World Humanitarian Day
20
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26 National Meals on Wheels Day
27
28 Daffodil Day
29
30
31
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Coffee Break
Let’s Meet for Coffee S
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BANANA BRUSCHETTA CARAMEL CREAM FALAFEL FRIENDS LATTE MUFFIN PASTRIES ROLLS SCRUMPTIOUS STRAWBERRY TOASTED
BISCUITS CAKES CHEESECAKE CUPCAKE FAMILY FRITTATA MERINGUE MUSHROOM PIE SANDWICH SLICES TART
Mi Networks AUSTRALIA
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Mi Networks is our promise that we can help connect you to information and services you need. From the moment you walk in the door or pick up the phone, we will welcome you. We will listen and discuss your needs. Many of our staff and volunteers have some understanding of what you are experiencing, in part because they’ve experienced mental illness or have cared for someone living with mental illness. Our Promise
A place you are welcome -- We promise to treat you like a person, not a number. We will always have time to listen, question and discuss. We want to know how you are, what you need and how we can help.
Peer Support -- Many of our staff and volunteers have lived experience: either living with mental illness or as the carers of someone with mental illness. We are people with similar experiences and we will have some understanding of what you are going through.
Relevant Information -- We offer tailored and up-to-date information to assist you, your family members, friends and carers. If we don’t have the information you require, we will help you find it.
Community Networks--We are linked into our local networks and have established strong and supportive working relationships with other services. We are connected to a broad range of programs, supports and information.
A National Network --We offer a range of one-on-one and group support programs for you, your family members, friends and carers across Australia. If we can’t assist you on-site at one of our locations, we will connect you with someone who can.
Personalised Referral -- We will refer you to the services and supports that best meet your needs. This may be a program we offer or it may be provided by someone else. We will support you to find the best fit for you. For further information go to the MiNetworks website or call 1800 985 944
Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc MIFNQ-Cairns Mental Health Carers’ Support Hub MIFNQ-Day To Day Living MIFNQInc @CairnsCarersHub @MIFNQ @Roads2Recovery MIFNQInc
www.mifnq.org.au Townsville has an extensive collection of books, DVD’s and CDs, for members to borrow. Feel free to come in and browse around. Library Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm
Membership Application Form
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I would like to become a member of Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.
Individual
Family
Organization
Please select the category/categories which relate to you:
Family Member Health Professional
Friend Student
Someone who experiences mental illness Other _____________________________
What Program/s are you current enrolled in (if any):
Day to Day Living Living Proof
Early Psychosis Respite
MH First Aid Assisting Families
Well Ways Counselling
DONATIONS AND REQUESTS I wish to support the work of the Fellowship and I enclose a donation of:
$100 $50 $25 Other ____________________________________ Please contact me about a regular contribution I wish to donate in other ways…. __________________________________________________ Please contact me with information about helping the Fellowship through my Will YOUR DETAILS Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Phone Home: _____________________________
Work: _________________________________
Fax: _____________________________________
Mobile: ________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________________________________ Email Consent (please sign) ____________________________________________________________ (This consent allows MIFNQ to contact you via electronic media) Image Consent (please sign) ___________________________________________________________ (This consent allows MIFNQ to use your image on print and/or electronic media)
On completion return to: Email:
townsville@mifnq.org.au
Doc ID: MNQ002
Version: 1.10
Fax: (07) 4725 3819
Approved by: Chief Executive Officer
Post: Membership Administration Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc PO Box 979 AITKENVALE QLD 4814 Effective date: 16/01/2014
Review date: 16/01/2015
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The Master document is controlled electronically. One printed copy of each version is held for reference in the Quality Management System Master Document File. All other hard copies are uncontrolled.