Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc
ISSUE: 3RD QUARTER 2015
Roads 2 Recovery Walk Highlights Mental Health In North Queensland
mobile.abc.net.au / 8 October 2015
A sea of purple has descended on The Strand in Townsville for the Roads 2 Recovery walk, raising awareness of mental health. Members of community groups from around the city brought along friends and family to mark Mental Health Week.
Alison Fairleigh, from the Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland, said the walk highlighted how every person's journey in mental illness was not just about the destination. "A lot of people think, 'Okay, I get unwell, I've just got to get better again', but sometimes with mental ill-health we have to really go on a lifelong journey of managing ourselves, managing our symptoms and managing our environment," she said. "Today's walk is about showing that it's not all about the destination; it's about who you go on that journey with." The walk was relatively short, but this symbolised the long journey to recovery that many people went on when recovering from mental illness. Inspire Clubhouse member Alison Dart has been coping with bipolar and personality disorder for the past eight years. "It's been very up and down. There's been a lot of hills in my journey, but the small steps I've managed to take have brought me to Inspire Clubhouse," Ms Dart said. Inspire Clubhouse is a community-based recovery centre in Townsville. "That's made my journey a lot easier ... the support that we get through [Inspire Clubhouse] is fantastic, and the other support networks that we've been able to get in touch [with] through the clubhouse is fantastic as well," Ms Dart said. "We are all there as members to support each other and help each other's journey be that little bit easier, and to be able to reach those goals, whether they be small or large, with support and confidence." Making mental illness visible Ms Fairleigh said there were many mental health services available in Townsville, and she hoped the walk would encourage any passers-by to seek help when they needed it. The walk also played an important role in making mental illness, and the people coping with it, prominent in society. "It makes a statement that mental illness isn't something that we have to hide away from the community," Ms Fairleigh said. "If someone had a broken leg we'd be walking down there with a cast and people would be wanting to sign that cast. "If you have a mental illness you need to get support for it, so let's make it really visible, let's get the community behind us say, 'Hey, what's wrong with this? There's nothing wrong with it' — let's get rid of that stigma."
Around 40 people walk along The Strand in Townsville to raise awareness of mental health in the Roads 2 Recovery walk.
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.
Raise funds this October for Life Education Australia by going alcohol free – visit www.ocsober.com.au
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Choir of Unheard Voices Margaret Ross / 15 September 2015
The Choir has been in constant demand over the past two months with performances almost on a weekly basis. The Choir was invited to perform at the Northside Anglican Fair, this has been an ongoing invitation over the past 5 years and each year the audience grows.
Through June and July Choir members have been involved with an Arts Link and Mackay Regional Council project called UPRIVER. This event was to engage community back to the city heart and to create an event which celebrated Mackay past and present. The members of the Choir were involved in writing a songscape – an original piece of music which wove a tale of the Pioneer River and its connection to Mackay. This piece was to be performed in a Lantern Parade at night on the river bank walkway. We had to not only write and learn the pieces of Wayne Freemantle playing music but had to be able to sing continuously guitar at the UPRIVER project for 20 minutes. We also created and made our lantern parade. own costumes which illuminated under the lighting and blended with the theme of the night. Lantern making workshops were also attended to make the lanterns that adorned the area the choir was performing. On the night the Choir found themselves faced with the biggest audience that they have ever had to sing for. Over 3000 people lined the area adjacent to the small performance area and the crowds of people were like a sea of endlessness as the Choir looked in almost every direction around them. They handled it professionally and our part of the project was deemed an amazing success. From this performance we have now gained a professional photographer who has signed on to follow the choir and create a photographic journal.
This month the Choir travelled to Sarina to perform at the Seniors Week morning tea singing and entertaining the 150 people who had come to celebrate the day. The Choir was the opening act for the Mackay Seniors Expo and one member of the Choir spoke about her original song “My Time to Shine” which was dedicated to helping people to feel that it is time to step out of the shadows and shine.
This month September with Spring in the air ‘Embark on a Park’ is our theme and we are getting back to nature to help us with our song writing. The members of the Choir are at present working on developing more original pieces to sing and song writing workshops have been taking place to facilitate this process. An original song will be created for Mental Health Week and another for White Ribbon Day.
The Choir also performed at the Mackay Chamber of Commerce Morning Tea held at Jelly Beans for RU OK Day. Three original songs were performed and also for the Uneek Industries RU OK Day Morning Tea and next week will feature at the Disability Action Week Morning Tea.
Lindy Bishop, Mel Frieze, Carol Willis, Robert Gladwood, Peter Mackenzie, Margaret Ross, Angela Zischeke, Susan Bentley, Tammy Walker, John Jones, Josh Clark, Helen Danguaard, Wayne Freemantle, Marian Henderson, Amy Drew, Brad Page
Drought Support Kooroorinya Ladies’ Weekend Alison Fairleigh / 4 September 2015
Belly Dancing Class
A group of fifty women from north west Queensland left the drought behind for a weekend of fun at the Kooroorinya Races Reserve near Prairie in Flinders Shire, 29-30 August.
Our Camp Grounds for the weekend
Over eighty per cent of Queensland is currently in drought and for the last four years these women and their families have been dealing with the effects, destocking their properties and hand-feeding the remaining cattle and sheep to maintain their condition. The weekend was sponsored and supported by MIFNQ, where we presented workshops and spent quality time with the women.
Philippa Harris conducting a workshop
In This Edition Roads 2 Recovery Walk Highlights Mental Health In North Queensland ..................................................................................................... 1 Choir of Unheard Voices ............................................................................ 2 In This Edition ............................................................................................... 3 iPad Game Helps People With Schizophrenia .................................. 4 CEO’s Update.................................................................................................. 5 Committee Chatter ...................................................................................... 6 Townsville, Charters Towers, Palm Island Chosen As NDIS Trial Sites In North Queensland ............................................................. 7 Community Garden Update – Inspire Clubhouse ............................ 8 Media Release – New Suicide Prevention Action Plan to Reduce the Loss of Lives ............................................................................ 9 Townsville Mental Health Advocate Philippa Harris Recognised As Senior Australian of the Year Finalist ................. 10 One In Four Teenage Girls Self-Harm: Government..................... 11 A Mental Health First Aider in Every Office .................................... 12 MIFNQ Visits Remote Drought Property. ......................................... 13 Blackwoods Workplace Mental Health ............................................. 14 An Article from Jenny - Dear Friends, Please Read: ..................... 15 The Posture-Mood Connection: Why You Should Stop Slouching ....................................................................................................... 16 Why Are Elderly Australians Taking Their Own Lives? .............. 17 Rockhampton Mental Health Advocate Aims For Yale ............... 20 Calendar of Events – OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2015 .................. 21 Coffee Break ................................................................................................. 22 Halloween ..................................................................................................... 22 Mi Networks AUSTRALIA ........................................................................ 23 Membership Application Form ............................................................. 24
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To Get Our Service Known is Great…To Assist Those in Need is Divine! Deborah Parker / 10 September 2015
To reach out to families in need, raising awareness of MIFNQ Mackay services is big on our agenda. We have identified secondary schools as one positive referral source. An indicator for this is the consistent referral of families with an adolescent student who is experiencing mental health issues to our Family, Carer & Individual Service (FCIS).
In line with this, FCI Service and Living Proof Program staff members attended the Pioneer High School recently to provide information about our services. A promotional stall was put up at the school library where MIFNQ staff members were able to speak with several faculty members and school personnel who expressed great interest in what MIFNQ services can do for their students and their families. In another promo event to the schools, FCI Service Mackay Team Leader Deb Parker presented to 16 Education QLD school counsellors which resulted in several referrals to the FCI Service. FCIS will continue to devote time to promotional campaigns to firmly ensconce MIFNQ Mackay as a leading provider of recovery-orientated mental health services to families in the community.
Promo Stall @ Pioneer High School. From left: Deb Parker-FCIS Mackay Team Leader, Rosanne Houley - School Based Youth Health Nurse, Katie Ruff – Clubhouse Volunteer, Margaret Corby – Living Proof Program Coordinator.
Jeremy Audas, Cathy O’Toole, Peter Sterling & Murray Hurst at the Mental Health Week Business Breakfast that took place at the Mercure Townsville on October 8th.
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iPad Game Helps People With Schizophrenia
Where to Go for Help
AAP / 3 August 2015
A brain training iPad game has been developed to help people with schizophrenia.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge said slow progress is being made towards developing a drug treatment and the game, called Wizard, can help where drugs have so far failed. The game has been found to improve the memory of patients with schizophrenia, helping them in their daily lives at work and to live independently.
Episodic memory - the type of memory required to remember where you parked your car or where you left your keys - is one of the facets of cognitive functioning to be affected in patients with schizophrenia and there are as yet no licensed pharmaceutical treatments to improve it. Schizophrenia is estimated to cost STG13.1 billion ($A28 billion) a year in the UK, researchers said. So even small improvements in cognitive functions could substantially reduce direct and indirect costs by helping patients live more independently as well as improve their well-being and health. The game was the result of a nine-month collaboration between psychologists, neuroscientists, a professional game-developer and patients with schizophrenia.
Participants played the memory game for a total of eight hours over a four-week period while a control group continued their treatment as usual. Afterwards, researchers tested all the participants' episodic memory using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) PAL, as well as their level of enjoyment and motivation, and their score on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Doctors use this to rate the social, occupational and psychological functioning of adults.
They found patients who had played the memory game made significantly fewer errors and needed significantly fewer attempts to remember the location of different patterns in the CANTAB PAL test, relative to the control group. They also had an increase in their score on the GAF scale. Professor Peter Jones, from the university's department of psychiatry, said: "These are promising results and suggest that there may be the potential to use game apps to not only improve a patient's episodic memory but also their functioning in activities of daily living. "We will need to carry out further studies with larger sample sizes to confirm the current findings but we hope that, used in conjunction with medication and current psychological therapies, this could help people with schizophrenia minimise the impact of their illness on everyday life.�
Professor Peter University of Cambridge
Jones,
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Living Proof Update
8AM
Mackay
Living Proof Mackay have been stamping out stigma and encouraging early intervention with local high schools. In term three we had the pleasure to provide fifteen presentations and reached approximately 300 students.
A huge thank you to the volunteers who share their stories and help to make this program unique, it wouldn’t be Living Proof without you.
CEO’s Update
age 5 of 24
In this edition I’d like to reflect on the connectedness we have in our local communities and highlight some of the great work that has been happening in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay and drought affected communities to the west. As a specialist mental health community provider MIFNQ has long recognised the importance of being part of the community we work in. Our strategic plan sums this up nicely: we are building community and individual capacity to support and enable people to achieve good mental health and resilience. There are many ways of doing this; through education, early intervention, prevention, stigma reduction as well as Jeremy Audas, direct service delivery and advocacy. Being part of the community is important to CEO MIFNQ because this is where we connect directly with people who have been impacted by mental health issues, it is also part of the genesis of MIFNQ and as we continue to grow we must never lose sight of this.
In the last edition of Northern News I attempted to illustrate how we put our values into action in the communities we work in. It is through MIFNQ’s values that we connect to our communities through our services. The Junction, Inspire and Horizon Clubhouses and their marvellous members and staff really illustrate this in a powerful way. As well as being communities in themselves they are growing, developing and nurturing new community connections in the major centres of Townsville, Cairns and Mackay through their partnerships with other community organisations, businesses, health services and industry. I highly recommend dropping in to your local Clubhouse to really understand the important role they play and the enormous benefit they bring to people impacted by mental illness. Their operations depend on their members and the developing relationships they have with local organisations, sponsors, donors and funders. They are very much part of their community.
The Clubhouses are a very visible part of MIFNQ. Less visible, but with just as important an impact, are our three Families, Carers and Individuals teams based in Townsville, Cairns and Mackay. In Cairns this service takes the form of the Cairns Mental Health Carers Hub but all three services are well connected and well known in their local communities as the place to go for advice, information, referral, counselling and support no matter what the mental health issue is. For our professional staff to go about their important work effectively they need to know what is happening in the community, what other services exist that might assist, who to go to for specific information or help and where to refer people to when MIFNQ can’t provide the service required. Connecting with local communities is very important and reaching out beyond the mental health sphere into housing, employment, education, clinical services, alcohol and other drug services is just as important for we know that mental illness is an issue across our communities and so requires a whole of community response. I’d also like to acknowledge those communities that are affected by drought. We understand the impact this has on people on the land, the local businesses that serve them and the families affected by the ongoing stress caused by what has been a terrible period without adequate rain. Recently MIFNQ received funding from the Department of Social Services to assist people living in the Flinders, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook, Croydon, Etheridge and Mareeba local government areas. For more information about this work contact Alison Fairleigh in our Townsville office the person coordinating the drought assistance work.
And finally, please take part in activities around National Mental Health week from the 4th to the 10th of October to show your support for good mental health.
Jeremy Audas
Chief Executive Officer
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Committee Chatter Why Must We Grow? Australia’s little collection of Fellowships does its best to provide support for people in our areas and regions to help them in their journeys to the best recovery from mental illness that is possible. We support people directly burdened with mental illness and we support carers and families. We liaise with hospitals and doctors, housing and employment services and we look for ways to bring people and communities together.
Australia is a big country, Queensland is a huge state. Our ‘region’ - the north - is huge. Our people and our places only cover the edge of this vast region – those coastal centres from Mackay to Cairns. We make forays westward, but our region goes a long, long way west, where drought and isolation impact farmers, graziers, FIFO miners, families, remote communities and many others. Even within our centres on the coast – Mackay, Cairns and Townsville – there are needs that cannot be met with our tiny resources, though we don’t turn people away. There are many people with multiple disabilities, or who are aged and struggling, or who carry with them the trauma of war, or are grieving and alone, or who suffer from the impacts of loss of land and damaged culture, to whom we are too small to reach out to. There is so much to be done. This is why we must grow.
But just growing is not enough by itself. We still need to be ‘small’ – to be local and reachable by those who trust us not to let them down.
There are many large organisations, sometimes profit-making corporates, presenting themselves to government funders as efficient providers of services to the community. Some of them may be able to connect with people in need and become worthy service providers.
But past experience tells us that the profit motive does not always result in high quality services. Aged care provides many examples of inadequate care provided by corporate [and sometimes non-profit] giants. We must fight to avoid any exploitation of people needing high quality support. So, our little Fellowships continue to exist all over Australia, knowing that they – that is, we – provide the most understanding and best motivations in reaching out to people struggling with mental health. We make this claim because it is true – because we are part of the communities in which we work. Our staff and our volunteers [including your Board] have experience – often ‘lived’ experience, as carers and as family, but also often as direct bearers of the struggles of mental illness. So we must grow, to ensure that the high-quality and appropriate services people need are available to all those who need them.
I might be sounding like a ‘broken record’, but, with NDIS and other funding changes, it is vital that grass-roots local organisations are not swept aside by the giants and corporates, leaving people with inadequate or inappropriate services.
Bob James
President
Bob James, President
MIFNQ Management Committee President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Committee Members
Bob James
Karyn Weller Helen DeCampo
Sandra Hubert Alf Musumeci
John Moore
Promoting Recovery Through Services in the Community
Townsville, Charters Towers, Palm Island Chosen As NDIS Trial Sites In North Queensland abc.net.au/news / 25 September 2015
About 1,600 north Queenslanders will be able to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme six months before the rest of the state.
People with a disability under the age of 18 in Townsville, Charters Towers and Palm Island will be able to access the scheme from early next year. Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland, Coralee O'Rourke, said they were ideal early launch sites.
Coralee O'Rourke
"We need to have that opportunity to actually take people in, test those processes," she said. "We know in Queensland we've got quite a diverse geographic and demographic makeup." Ms O'Rourke said the communities were well prepared.
"What we have done in the meantime is actually have a lot of preparedness activities taking place," she said. "We've had nongovernment organisations working towards making sure they have all the tools they need."
Townsville's Sally Jupp, who has two sons with disabilities, said the NDIS was a lifeline for her family. Ms Jupp said she has been struggling to get support to help her sons develop. "It's absolutely life changing for us and I guess I'm speaking for all the families out there that think we get a little bit forgotten sometimes, that here's our hope that our children are going to have an awesome future," she said. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who was in Townsville to announce the trial locations, thanked the parents of disabled children for lobbying both levels of government.
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 November 2015 Time:
"I can remember years ago when I was Minister for Disability Services, when we were talking about this," Ms Palaszczuk said. "But today that reality is coming to fruition." Ms Palaszczuk said the NDIS would bring greater choice and control over how people with disability live their lives and receive support.
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2.30pm-4.30pm
Venue: Mental Fellowship Queensland
24th
Illness North
59A Cambridge Street, Vincent (Cnr. Cambridge & Palmerston Streets) Premier
of
Queensland,
Annastacia
"It will also bring huge economic Palaszczuk benefits, creating 13,000 additional jobs in Queensland's disability sector and injecting around $4 billion each year into the state's economy." The State Government contributed $1.9 million towards early access of the scheme in north Queensland, with the Commonwealth Government supplying $2.7 million.
Afternoon tea provided & all are welcome!! Meetings are held the
4th Tuesday of every month 2:30pm at MINFQ, Cambridge Street. Vincent.
Community Garden Update – Inspire Clubhouse Iris Min He / 11 September 2015
Townsville Inspire Clubhouse has recently engaged in re-establishing the Community Gardens project with a shared plot with The Drop in Centre. The Townsville Drop in Centre has an $11,000.00 funding grant for the establishment of the gardens. We are also in partnership with NEATO who will be supplying the labour for the establishment of the gardens though their Work For The Dole Programs.
To date Clubhouse members have met with both The Drop in Centre and NEATO to introduce ourselves. The two plots have been cleared of vegetation by NEATO through the work for the dole program.
Work begins on the Inspire Clubhouse plot at the Townsville Community Gardens
Club members also attended meetings with the Townsville Community Garden Inc committee meetings. The meetings are being held to discuss the transition of the committee taking over the administration of the Community Gardens from the Townsville City Council.
The committee meeting to vote in the election of Office Bearer’s positions for the Townsville Community Gardens Inc was held on 5th September.
The Townsville City Council met with Clubhouse members and other plot holder on site Monday 7th September to discuss building approval and reticulation requirements.
Another meeting will be arranged between The Townsville Drop In Centre Inc and Inspire Clubhouse to discuss where to from here, after receiving relevant information and an aerial Map of the gardens from the Townsville City Council. Further updates to come.
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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Mental Health First Aid Training 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. 2015 Dates: 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/mental -health-first-aid
To find out more contact our Qld Manager Education and Training, Philippa Harris on 4725 3664, or email training@mifnq.org.au.
Media Release – New Suicide Prevention Action Plan to Reduce the Loss of Lives
Media Statements QLD/ 10 September 2015
Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services The Honourable Cameron Dick New Suicide Prevention Action Plan To Reduce Loss Of Lives The Palaszczuk Government is aiming to reduce suicide by 50 per cent within the next decade through an integrated strategy which brings together all government and community organisations involved in the field. Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick said that around 600 Queenslanders took their own lives each year, and while Queensland’s rate of suicide was reasonably stable it was still higher than most other states and above the national average. “This plan outlines 42 actions across the State Government to improve our responses to people at risk of suicide and to support families, communities, service providers and first responders who are impacted by suicide,” he said. The four priority areas in the Queensland Suicide Prevention Action Plan are: Stronger community awareness and capacity so that families, workplaces and communities are better equipped to support and respond to people at risk of, and impacted by, suicide Improved service system responses and capacity to ensure people at risk, including those who have attempted suicide, get the support they need, when and where they need it Focused support for vulnerable groups to address the specific needs of groups and communities experiencing high rates, and at greater risk, of suicide A strong, more accessible evidence base to drive continuous improvement in research, policy, practice and service delivery. Mr Dick launched the plan at a forum hosted by the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, after which he went to the Southpoint construction site in South Brisbane. He said the site had been deliberately chosen as rates of suicide in the construction industry were higher than in the general population. He said research showed that among 15-24 year-olds, the rate of suicide in the construction industry was approximately twice that of the broader population. But the industry itself has recognised the issue and has set up the Mates in Construction program, under which workers on construction sites are trained to look out for any of their colleagues who may be seen as being at risk of committing suicide. “This is the sort of program we’re delighted to partner with,” Mr Dick said. “It gets right to the sort of people who are at greater risk of suicide and who are unlikely to associate with an outside authority figure, but are a lot more likely to listen to their own mates.” The program has largely been conducted in south-east Queensland among large construction companies but the Queensland Government is providing $155,000 to allow the expansion of the program to regional areas and to middle-sized construction companies. Mr Dick said the Suicide Action Plan was developed by the Queensland Mental Health Commission with direct input from those with experience of suicide and broad community consultation. Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Dr Lesley van Schoubroeck said greater attention needs to be given to supporting families and communities to safely talk about suicide and support those at risk to seek help. “Suicide is a tragic personal matter, yet it also affects the lives of others in our community. It’s a terrible toll that we must reduce,” she said. Dr van Schoubroeck said the Action Plan included direct input from Queenslanders, including those who have been impacted by suicide in the community and in their workplace, about what actions the state and the community might take. “Overwhelmingly the message has been that we need to change the conversation about suicide to one that focuses on hope and optimism for the future,” Dr van Schoubroeck said. “They also told us of the need to look beyond the health system to the broader social services system as providing opportunities for improved support and earlier intervention.” Implementation of the Action Plan will be overseen by a newly-established Queensland Suicide Prevention Reference Group, made up of government and community representatives and including people directly affected by suicide. The Queensland Mental Health Commission with review the Action Plan after 12 months to ensure that it continues to complement national approaches to suicide prevention.
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A Fun-Filled Morning Tea For Carers Kerri Harris / 21 October 2015
When we are stressed while living with our loved one with a mental health issue, we often feel we will never laugh again. Some of us feel as though or faces will crack if we do try to laugh Well, a number of carers found out that both these thoughts and feelings are not accurate. At the Carer’s morning tea held on Thursday, 15th October, people learned that laughter is, indeed, as research tells us, the very best medicine. But, did you know, laughter is also a brilliant exercise for all the muscles in the body. Wow! What a way to exercise! Philippa Harris, who is known to most of us, loves laughter. She told us why it is good to laugh. Totally differently from most people who tell us to do something, she showed us how to do it. Everyone in Australia has heard a kookaburra laugh. Years ago, the Kookaburra laugh bursting out of the ABC radio used to wake people who lived on farms and in the rural areas. However, do you think you can laugh like a kookaburra? Philippa encouraged people to take up the challenge and, do it. Have you ever heard a lion laughing? Well, I have….It was at this morning’s event. People were walking around, meeting others, some of whom they had never seen before, laughing, laughing out shocked laughter, volcanic laughter, and, the list goes on. After such exercise, everyone was laughing, feeling refreshed, and ready for a fabulous morning tea. As usual, at the Fellowship, food plays a central role in activities. Over the morning tea, people caught up with friends they had made during the “tough times”. Often, they were people they had not seen for years. The noise of sharing, caring, and catch up chatter was vital, dynamic, and worthwhile for all present. Lucky prizes went off, and donated herbal plants were swooped on for the gardens. Thanks to the student, Melissa, and to Caitlin for the organisation of the morning, and for a vibrant program of entertainment and togetherness.
Townsville Mental Health Advocate Philippa Harris Recognised As Senior Australian of the Year Finalist mobile.abc.net.au/news / 14 October 2015
Townsville mental health advocate Philippa Harris has been selected as a Queensland finalist for the 2016 Senior Australian of the Year. Ms Harris has been working as a mental health advocate for more than 25 years. Today she works at the Mental Illness Fellowship of North Queensland, delivering mental health first aid courses, training doctors and nurses, and helping volunteers who have experienced mental illness to share their stories with medical students. "[This nomination] is wonderful recognition ... but I've been a great believer in that if you love what you do, you don't have to work," Ms Harris said. "I have been so fortunate that I've loved every moment of all the work that I've done. "It's been hard at times but the rewards have outweighed anything." One of the more unusual parts of Ms Harris' job is running laughter workshops. Lately, she has been running the workshops in drought-affected communities. "They're having a pretty tough time and it's sometimes probably quite hard to find something to laugh at," she said. Townsville's Philippa Harris has been "But Australians are really good at poking working to help people with mental illness and to decrease the stigma around a bit of fun at themselves, and I'm certainly mental illness for more than 25 years. not averse to that. "Laughter is such an important part of our lives. If we all laughed a bit more we would actually be a lot happier," Ms Harris said. "The nice thing about laughter is you can pretend to laugh and it does you almost as much good as having a real laugh." Changes in community attitudes to mental illness Ms Harris arrived in Townsville in 1990, not long after the Ward 10B scandal was exposed. She had previously worked as a mental health nurse at the Royal Brisbane Hospital for 10 years. She said the shocking abuse and mistreatment of mentally ill patients at the Townsville Hospital had motivated her to look for work outside of the hospital system. This led her to a job at the Schizophrenia Fellowship. Ms Harris said so much had changed since she took on that role in the 1990s. "I remember Schizophrenia Awareness Week in May each year ... we would set up a display at Stockland [shopping centre]," she said. "People used to cross over the other side of the aisle to go past us just in case ... anybody spotted them having interest in this whatsoever. "But over the successive years that changed. We had people that would look out for us because they wanted to come and buy some of our sunflowers." Ms Harris said one of the most positive changes she had seen was recognition that people could recover from mental illness at home and in the community, instead of relying solely on clinical treatment. "We've seen tremendous growth in that area and the support for families, who are absolutely essential in recovering from mental illness," she said. While Ms Harris appreciated the recognition of her life's work, she said the real heroes were the people she worked with. "When people experience mental illness, when their families are involved in it, they have no choice," she said. "So whilst I'm honoured to get the nomination, the real heroes are those people who live with mental health problems day-to-day."
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“Breaking Down Depression & Building Resilience Alf Musumeci / 21 October 2015
On 9th October 2015 the Central Queensland University took the opportunity during Mental Health Week, to have the Black Dog Institute (BDI) deliver a community presentation. Titled “Breaking Down Depression & Building Resilience”, it was simultaneously delivered to 16 of its campuses in Queensland.
MIFNQ’s Philippa Harris and Alf Musumeci, who have both recently been accredited as volunteer presenters for BDI in the program, delivered the hour long presentation from the Townsville campus in Flinders Street West which was video linked to the other campuses. Associate Professor Dr. George Stuart, based in Bundaberg, chaired and coordinated the event which had in excess of 100 participants. Associate Vice Chancellor Kari Arbouin and her staff in Townsville provided the facilities and the technical support which were critical to the success of the event.
Shannon Nolan of BDI advised that this was the first time that the Institute had been involved in an event of this magnitude and type. Perhaps it will be the forerunner of many such presentations – an effective weapon combating the stigma around mental illness.
One In Four Teenage Girls Self-Harm: Government The Australian / 20 August 2015
Alarming new figures show one in four Australian teenage girls have engaged in self-harm.
The largest-ever survey of youth mental health found 10 per cent of teenagers have engaged in self-harm, and one in 13 had contemplated suicide.
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Mental Health, Wellbeing In Spotlight At Colourful Fair dailymercury.com.au / 12 October2015
One in 40 actually attempted it.
The two-year survey of 6300 families found one quarter of girls aged 16 and 17 had engaged in self-harm with one in five meeting the clinical criteria for major depressive disorder.
One in seven children and young people had experienced a mental disorder in the past year and almost one third were suffering more than one disorder. Health Minister Sussan Ley described the report on Friday as "confronting, sad and shocking".
She is concerned that while ADHD cases were falling, there had been a rise in major depressive disorder.
But it was encouraging that more young people were using support services compared with 1998, when the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents survey was first conducted, she said.
"As a parent it's heartbreaking to see these prevalent stories of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal tendencies amongst our young people, let alone as health minister.
Mental health was in the spotlight as hundreds gathered for the first year of Mackay's Mental Health and Wellbeing Fair. Glittered costumes, fluffy animals and stylish hats stole the show, to open doors of community support and togetherness.
And despite the drizzly weather, Saturday's turnout was a success. Health Minister Sussan Ley
"We must recognise in years gone by many of these cases we're hearing about today would have simply gone unaccounted for while people suffered in silence."
Ms Ley said she was proud that the majority of young people were turning to sports and other activities rather than drugs and alcohol to address their mental health issues.
Technological advances mean the $6.6 million federal governmentfunded survey is likely to be more accurate than when it was first conducted almost 20 years ago because young people can now participate without parental supervision. The government says depression reporting rates almost doubled when young people filled out the survey themselves. MOST COMMON DISORDERS AMONG YOUNG AUSTRALIANS - (4-17)
* ADHD - 298,000
* Anxiety disorders - 278,000
* Major depressive disorder - 112,000
* Conduct disorder - 83,600
Emma Sanders and Liz Bates say their costumes were inspired by their clients from Ozcare, and both go by the saying “help hats, help heads�.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
More than 500 friendly, talkative faces made an appearance to discuss the issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing. Hearing of personal experiences from guest speakers was also a great addition, Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland's Nicola Orchard said.
Event sub-committee secretary and MIFNQ admin Sharon Duns said the occasion was a chance to collaborate services and showcase the options and support available within the community. Donations?
The eight Rotary clubs of the Mackay region and Mackay Regional Mental Health Network ran the fair, with funds raised to support Australian Rotary Health's research in mental health.
A Mental Health First Aider in Every Office governmentnews.com.au / 19 October 2015
If one of your workmates cuts their finger, has an epileptic fit or vomits you would expect a first aider and a first aid kit to be on hand to cope with the situation, but what do you do if one of your colleagues was experiencing psychosis or a breakdown? Sandy Scheib teaches mental health first aid at the Northern Institute and she argues that every employer should have at least one mental health first aider on site and preferable one in each section or department. Mental Health First Aid Australia, which accredits the courses, already works with various government departments and agencies, including the Australian Department of Defence and the Personnel Administration Centre in Melbourne and many schools. Awareness of mental illness and the impact it can have on workers, colleagues and organisations is growing in Australia and the scale of the problem is serious, says Ms Scheib. A 2007 Australian Bureau of Statistics’ study, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, estimated that in any one year, around one million adults in Australia experience depression and over two million experience anxiety. Poor mental can translate into three to four days off work a month for a person each person experiencing depression and over six million working days lost each year in Australia. Mental health problems also have a direct impact on workplaces through increased absenteeism, reduced productivity and increased costs. The two-day Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) course teaches people how to identify common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse at work. It also aims to give people the confidence to provide immediate help, cope with a crisis situation such as panic attacks, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, and suggest where to get professional help. Ms Scheib says what people find most daunting when they saw a colleague struggling mentally was knowing how to approach them – and whether to do this in the first place. “Whenever I speak with people who we are training, their problem always is one, they don’t know how to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental illness and the other problem is, if it’s really obvious there is an issue they’re concerned about, what is appropriate action to offer assistance,” she says. “The course provides people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to offer the help.” The MHFA courses provide a mental health action plan using the acronym ALGEE, which stands for: Approach, assess and assist with a crisis; Listen nonjudgmentally; Give support and information; Encourage appropriate professional help and Encourage other supports. Ms Scheib says an important part of the course is to teach people how to respond when a colleague is in crisis, for example, talking about killing themselves or experiencing psychosis. “It really is about expressing concern for that person, listening to them talking through things and facilitating some professional help.” She says MHFA on its most serious level is about suicide prevention and she had a great deal of feedback on how positive the course had been in. “People feel confident and able to approach someone that they feel concerned about, to check in with someone and see what’s happening for them and if, they’re in crisis, to be able to broach those serious subjects, People can do that both in their personal and professional lives.” The course also aims to further reduce stigma around mental health and promote greater knowledge and early intervention. “When we ask people, ‘if you had symptoms of depression, would you tell your manager?’ The answer is always, ‘no’,” Ms Scheib says. “Mental illness is a treatable and diagnosable condition.” A VicHealth and Melbourne University study found that jobrelated depression costs the economy $730 million every year. This includes lost productivity due to absenteeism and presentism and government-subsidized medical care, including counselling and antidepressants.
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Probiotics Show Health Benefits: Study skynews.com.au / 19 October 2015
Friendly bacteria can act as a stress buster and improve mental health, research has shown.
A study of 22 healthy men found that volunteers who took a probiotic for a month experienced less daily stress than those given a 'dummy' placebo supplement. Tests also showed they performed better in a visual memory task. Previously, the same team found that the bacterial strain Bifidobacterium longum 1714 reduced stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms and improved memory in mice.
Lead researcher Dr Andrew Allen, from the APC Microbiome Institute at University College Cork, Republic of Ireland, says 'the findings could be taken forward into people with psychological disorders related to stress, such as generalised anxiety disorder or major depression'. The research was presented at the Society of Neuroscience annual meeting in Chicago. At the start of the study and again after four weeks the scientists measured participants' acute stress, memory and brain activity. Self-reported perceived stress and measured physical responses to stress were reduced in volunteers given the probiotic containing B. longum 1714.
The findings suggest that the bug may prove useful for alleviating stress-related conditions, though further studies involving more participants were needed, the researchers said.
MIFNQ Visits Remote Drought Property. Philippa Harris / 21 October 2015
On 16th October I was lucky enough to join Jeanie Brooke and Bernie from Uniting Care and Snr Constable Belinda Peacock, QPS, to travel to Wondovale Station for the Royal Flying Doctor’s Clinic Day. Wondovale is situated 168km ‘off the bitumen’ from the Lynd Highway, approximately 4 hours North West of Charters Towers. Like much of North West RFDS Pilot Matthew, Jeanie from Uniting Care, Queensland, the area is Drought Belinda from Qld Police and Philippa Harris, Declared and the trip provided a MIFNQ great opportunity to support local farming families going through some very tough times. The insidious nature of drought, the uncertainty of when it will end and the constant drain on financial, emotional and physical resources, can create vulnerabilities in the most stoic of individuals. Whilst the RFDS’s Dr Shaun was providing medical help, the girls from the Uniting Care’s Remote Family Services entertained the young children at play group and teachers from the School of Distant Education in Cairns engaged the school aged children in learning activities. Meanwhile, the ladies took the opportunity to socialize and support one another before listening to a presentation from Linda O’Brien, a Solicitor and local farmer on Estate Planning, Wills and Powers of Attorney. The verandah shook during Philippa’s Laughter Workshop and provided a major distraction to the children’s Bush children watch the RFDS plane lessons as they wondered what Mum land at Wondovale Station was doing ‘Lion Roaring’ and ‘Kookaburra Laughing’ and other weird things around the large verandah table. The reputation of country cooks was boosted by the morning tea and lunch the ladies provided and everyone enjoyed the fresh watermelon and pineapples Jeanie brought in from the Towers. After lunch, Judy, Health Promotions Officer from RFDS provided information on stroke prevention and interventions. An accident on a nearby property brought a young man into the clinic to see Dr Shaun before being transferred to Charters Towers Hospital. Leaving Wondovale mid-afternoon, our drive back to Charters Towers saw us passing cattle, donkeys, deer, dingoes, kangaroos, wallabies, emus, bustards and even an echidna as we bumped over the corrugated road. My next remote trip in November will be to Ibis Creek Station, four hours south of Charters Towers to run the two day Mental Health First Morning tea at Wondovale Station RFDS Clinic Aid course for the districts farmers Day and their families. This will be my second visit, which shows the interest and value rural families place on understanding mental health issues and being able to respond effectively in isolated situations.
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Government Urged to Continue Supporting Mental Health Program Abc.net.au / 28 October 2015
There are calls for the Federal Government to continue funding a program that is making a massive difference for people with severe and persistent mental illness. Hunter Partners in Recovery aims to better support people with mental illness by getting multiple services to work in a more collaborative and integrated way.
The service is hosting a forum today, called 'Working Together for Change', in a bid to identify and address gaps in the system. Hunter Primary Care CEO Kevin Sweeney said the service has already helped more than 550 people.
"It's very important that we retain a consistent strategy and approach for these people," he said. "Clearly they need a comprehensive suite of services to be able to assist them to recover, to function well in society.
"So it's important that the funding continues in whatever form." The forum's keynote speakers are Frank Quinlan from Mental Health Australia, and Leanne Wells from Consumer Health Forum Australia. Doctor Sweeney said support services are already working together, but more can be done.
"It's a question of bringing them together and looking at the particular issues of this client group," he said
Blackwoods Workplace Mental Health Kerri Harris / 29 October 2015
Ray O’Brien of Blackwoods Townsville, approached MIFNQ to discuss ways that Blackwoods Townsville could be a part of Mental Health Week 2015. Blackwoods is the largest Australian distributor of industrial, engineering and safety workplace needs across 72 locations. Ray suggested that he would like a presentation delivered to the Townsville staff, the topic being Mental Health Awareness.
Ray and I met and discussed the best way to approach the information sessions. I felt it important to seek out Ray’s input into how the sessions should be delivered as he knew his staff better than I did. Ray and I came up with the idea to have three back to back sessions, with only a few staff in each session. This proved to be a better way of the information sessions as it was more relaxed and informal.
Three sessions were delivered on 7th October 2015, to the majority of Blackwoods staff. The sessions comprised of a brief history of MIFNQ, dispelling some of the myths of mental illness, workplace mental health, stress and vulnerability, how to deal with stress and supporting networks. We also talked about some things that could make a difference to both an individual as well as workplace mental health. These included (but were not limited to) talking openly about mental health in the workplace, positive role modelling, respect and dignity, how to recognise some signs and symptoms of yourself or someone becoming ill. As the sessions were delivered in a comfortable and relaxed environment, some of the attendees were more open to talking about their own experiences. These sessions provided a foundation for Blackwoods Townsville to become more involved in Mental Health Week in the future.
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 Ray O'Brien presenting a cheque to MIFNA CEO, Jeremy Audas
Additionally, Blackwoods Townsville kindly donated $500.00 to MIFNQ during their trade show on 20th August. This donation was presented to Jeremy Audas during the Trade Show held at TAFE Queensland North. During the presentation Ray O’Brien made the following comments about the information sessions: “I would also like to take the opportunity to extend a sincere thanks to MIFNQ and Kerri in particular for the sessions that were presented at our workplace yesterday. We had three sessions approximately 25 minutes each on mental health and the workplace. They were well delivered in a relaxed and practical way. It was optional for staff to attend and all but one did. The feedback has all been very positive and appreciative. It’s great work MIFNQ is doing and quite valuable. Thanks again.”
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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
An Article from Jenny - Dear Friends, Please Read: Jenny / 21 October 2015
I need to give you an idea of what it is like to have a day in my head so you can understand what it is like for me! You do not know how I feel unless you have experienced this hell yourself. Saying that, there is no way you would want to as its pure hell!!! Also it is not ok ay to tell me to calm down, or stop being silly. Being sick with illness you can’t control is in no way shape or form silly. Being severely depressed is not silly! Don’t tell me it could be worse or people are worse off than me. I AM NOT OTHER PEOPLE!!! I AM ME!!! Do not tell me to breathe because that’s exactly what I can’t do. Do not tell me to be positive, because if I could I wouldn’t have depression now would I! Do not tell me I’m crying for no reason! There is always a reason for everything. I’m sick and tired of having these illnesses invalidated!!! Yes I’m different because I’ve got extreme depression, anxiety and PTSD… DO NOT INVALIDATE ME!!!
If you invalidate my actions and the way I react to different things you are invalidating me!!! It just is not right!!! People need to get some education and knowledge as to what it is like to have mental illness!!! It’s just no ok. It’s obvious no one has a clue what it feels like every day for me!!! You cry out for help and no one listens, you just judge and ignore me!!! I feel like I’m drowning and can’t take a breath… and I forget to breath. I stay in bed all day because I can’t find a reason to get out of bed. I’m sick of being told the way I react is annoying when I can’t help my panic attacks and freak outs. Everything is not ok. I’m so sick of these electric shocks that make you have involuntary spasms. I’m sick of the migraines… I’m sick of the nightmares and I’m sick of feeling and being sick! MOST OF ALL I’M SICK OF BEING ALONE! Being by yourself feeling that no one loves you and no one cares. Being left out and excluded really hurts too!!! And people lying hurts like hell because I can’t stand lies! People telling you they care and they love you… but have a real shit way of showing it! If you love me and care for me show it, don’t just say it. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS! ACTIONS ARE THE PERFECT EXAMPLE WHY WORDS MEAN NOTHING!!!!
The feeling of having a fever or hot and cold flushes and wanting to throw up or pass out! This shit is unbearable. DO NOT INVALIDATE ME!!!!
I’m not an attention seeker even though I need some attention and who doesn’t? I’m not a drama queen because this pain is very real. I know I’m a hard person to be friends with but please be patient and understand I CANNOT HELP THIS. Thank you - Jenny
♥
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Expert Calls for Mental Health Shake-up sbs.com.au / 21 October 2015
A globally-renowned mental health expert says stigma against patients is alive and well among health professionals, and is calling for a shake-up. Mental health sufferers are stigmatised by the professionals that are supposed to be caring for them, according to a globally-renowned expert calling for a shake-up of the system. Professor Mike Slade, from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, says the current attitude of mental health professionals is one of "do what we tell you to do and you will be well again." He says stigma against mental illness is alive and well among health professionals, who continue to maintain "hope-destroying" practices. While developed countries have closed most asylums, they've inadvertently created "virtual institutions", where sufferers who appear to live in the community are actually stuck in a "mental illnessdefined bubble". Prof Slade is calling for a shift to a 'nothing about us without us' attitude, where those affected by mental health problems are involved in the debate about their future. "If we only listen to professional constructions and narratives, we inadvertently oppress," he told Mental Health Australia's Grace Groom Memorial Oration in Canberra on Wednesday night. Treatment should be offered as a resource in someone's recovery, "rather than done to them in their best interests". Prof Slade wants the mental health system to employ more people with lived experience of mental illness. Instead of focusing only on patients, the system should be working with employers, educating them on how to accommodate workers with mental illness. Mental health needed to move from a treatment-based model to a citizenship model, focusing on supporting people to make their own way rather than providing interventions. "Living well for most of us does not happen in the hospital or in mental health service settings" Prof Slade said. "It happens as we live our lives in our chosen community."
The Posture-Mood Connection: Why You Should Stop Slouching
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care2.com/greenliving / 31 August 2015
The Posture-Mood Connection: Moment to Moment Vivian Eisenstadt is an orthopedic and sports physical therapist, postural specialist, and spiritual psychologist. She believes our physical, mental and emotional states interact and affect each other on a moment-to-moment basis. “Poor posture carries an energy with it,” she told Care2. “Depression, fatigue, and insecurity are just some of the feelings that are associated with shoulders forward and forward head posture.” Eisenstadt said expressions like “keep your chin up” and “hold your head high” exist for a reason. “Standing straight exudes a sense of pride, confidence, and promotes happiness. By standing straight, you actually feel better. Try it right now. I’ll bet you feel sexier.” “Strut your stuff” carries an energy with it, she said. “There is a higher self-esteem that good posture gives you. When my patients stand straight and I help them correct their posture, I see the smile spread across their mouths. They fall more in love with themselves in a healthy way.” If you want to get that job, that audition, that girl to go out with you — show good posture, advises Eisenstadt. She said it displays a sense of self-care that others subconsciously read off of you. You’ll get more respect from others when you have good posture. “So, stand up straight, sit straight, and feel better in all ways possible.”
Quick Tips for Posture Awareness Posture expert Dr. Steve Weiniger of Body Zone says posture breakdown spirals when people habitually move with their body folded (i.e. sitting, texting, computing) in a poor posture environment. Although there is no perfect posture position, there are easy ways to adjust your posture environment. “The key is to keep moving,” said Weiniger. Some of his quick tips for posture awareness include: •
Drive taller: Adjust the rear view mirror in your car so you have to sit tall to see.
Walk taller: Imagine a string lifting your chest and the top of your head toward the sky. Make adjustments: Change the angle of your computer monitor or try putting a book under it. For part of the day, consider sitting on a ball or a pelvic support. Move your car seat on long trips. • Get moving: Take a posture break or do posture exercises throughout the day. A one-minute break every 30 minutes can make a big difference. • Take a picture: Take a picture of your posture now, then again in two or three months, and look for differences between the two photos. Posture problems? Maybe you text too much… Dennis Enix is a doctor of chiropractic and associate professor of research at Logan University in St. Louis. He told Care2 that one of the biggest posture sins is the effect texting has on the neck and spine. “A study in the journal Surgical Technology International says the average adult head weighs between 10 to 20 pounds, however the force of the head titled down at a 60 degree angle puts 60 pounds of weight on the neck and shoulders.” The long term effect? Possible herniated discs in the cervical spine. “If you can, avoid putting that strain on your neck,” said Enix. “Additionally, practicing sitting up straight and keeping your shoulders back several times a day can help strengthen those muscles.” • •
Posture problems? Maybe you text too much…
Dennis Enix is a doctor of chiropractic and associate professor of research at Logan University in St. Louis. He told Care2 that one of the biggest posture sins is the effect texting has on the neck and spine. “A study in the journal Surgical Technology International says the average adult head weighs between 10 to 20 pounds, however the force of the head titled down at a 60 degree angle puts 60 pounds of weight on the neck and shoulders.” The long term effect? Possible herniated discs in the cervical spine. “If you can, avoid putting that strain on your neck,” said Enix. “Additionally, practicing sitting up straight and keeping your shoulders back several times a day can help strengthen those muscles.”
Why Are Elderly Australians Taking Their Own Lives? ‘Suicide stream is running again'
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Paul Donoughue/ abc.net.au / 8 September 2015
Last Christmas Eve, at a dementia care facility in suburban Sydney, Steve Atkins' 93-year-old mother decided her time had come. Her son had recently told her he would not be spending Christmas Day with her. It was not her first attempt, nor was it without forewarning. "When she was told she was going into care, and her GP told her that, she immediately said 'I will kill myself'," Mr Atkins said recently at a cafe in central Sydney. Mona Atkins has two different kinds of dementia and also suffers from bipolar, undiagnosed for much of her life. She spent about two weeks in hospital after that suicide attempt. In the mid-20th century, as pensions became commonplace and living standards improved, the rate of suicide among older people began a gradual decline. However in the past 15 years that trend has bottomed out, worrying groups that advocate for the aged. "It seems that the suicide stream is running again towards an increase in rates," Professor Diego De Leo, from Griffith University, says. In 2013, men aged 85 and over had the highest rate of suicide of any age group in Australia, according to ABS data. In the same year, if you brought the age range down to 65 and over, the number of deaths was 396 — 16 per cent of all suicides. (While an ageing Australia may affect the rate, the statistics do compensate for population.) Suicide is the leading cause of death for men aged 15-19, and affects those aged 1844 most profoundly. But what's behind a phenomenon the Council on the Ageing (CoTA) has labelled "the suicides we choose to ignore"? Mona Atkins, 93.
'A life with too many difficulties' It was a Wednesday in August in the Jubilee Room of the NSW State Parliament. Mr Atkins, 67, was telling his story for a room full of medical professionals, politicians and other stakeholders, because how could he not? For Mr Atkins, suicide has reared its head with an almost unfathomable regularity. His first experience was in 1969, when his mother tried to kill herself in front of him. In 1987 it was his son, who even before his high school graduation had decided he was a failure in life. "He spent three-and-a-half days in intensive care being told he'd die or be a vegetable," Mr Atkins says. A few years later it was Mr Atkins' friend, Martin — a poet, novelist and son of two famous Australian writers, one of whom also happened to take her own life. More years passed and the same story played out. Mr Atkins lost colleagues at the CSIRO where he worked and eventually, after a combination of chronic fatigue and some bad medication he took to treat his depression, he began to think that perhaps he, too, was not fit for this world. "There are a number of factors that have been identified," Lifeline Research Foundation executive director Alan Woodward says. "It would seem one of the key things around quality of life and happiness for older people is their perceptions around how they fit socially and with their families, how society Steve Atkins, 76, from Sydney, has on regards them — the attitudes towards older people — and their real ability to numerous occasions faced the hardship participate in life." Our society treats older people differently to other cultures, the suicide of a loved one can bring. Mr Woodward says. The Australian experience, unlike in many parts of Asia and the Middle East, is not one of inviting your ageing parents to live with you. A recent Australian study, Suicide in Older Adults, found living alone was "a significant independent predictor of suicide". Mr Atkins tells the story of his 85-year-old uncle. "He went into a nursing home. [He and his wife] had lived together for 49-and-a-half years — they'd only been apart twice in their life, when their two sons were born. I go to visit my uncle and the first thing he says to me is 'Steve, can you help me kill myself, please? I cannot live apart from Margaret'." While dementia afflicts Mona Atkins, it is less prevalent, according to some research, among older people who have taken their lives than those that died in accidents or from heart attacks. That study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2013, also found a lower prevalence of psychiatric problems among a group of elder suicides as compared to a group of middle aged people who also died by their own hand. The study's main conclusion: mental illness is not the whole story. "I don't think it is very much the mental disorder but [it's] the loneliness, the impediments you have in doing many things, the difficulties in feeding yourself — the difficulties in accepting a life with too many difficulties — that may play a role," Professor De Leo says. "So we need to embrace a holistic approach to suicide, not to narrow all attentions to mental disorders, because there is quite a number of people that don't have a mental disorder when they decide to die, particularly in old age." Continues next page
Page 18 of 24 Continued from previous page Mr Atkins also points to social exclusion as a key factor, particularly for people who had put a lot emphasis on their careers and therefore, in retirement, feel adrift. And if the stigma of men talking about their feelings remains strong anywhere, it is surely among our oldest generation. "[They have] the feeling of incapacity to contribute to the family anymore," David Helmers, executive director of The Australian Men's Sheds Associations (AMSA), says. He finds the high rate of suicides among men aged over 85 alarming, but not surprising. "It's a very complex problem. It's tragic. They feel worthless. If they are not seeing their families anymore, they just think, 'Why am I doing this?'" The idea of the Men's Sheds, which operate not just around Australia but in New Zealand and the UK, is to give older men space where they can work on their own building projects and feel comfortable talking with other men about their lives. "What we prevent is social isolation," Mr Helmers says. "Social isolation is the tipping point. It creates poor eating, poor living, substance abuse, suicide. Lots of the key killers of men can be linked to social isolation." The idea of the Men's Sheds, which operate not just around Australia but in New Zealand and the UK, is to give older men space where they can work on their own building projects and feel comfortable talking with other men about their lives. "What we prevent is social isolation," Mr Helmers says. "Social isolation is the tipping point. It creates poor eating, poor living, substance abuse, suicide. Lots of the key
killers of men can be linked to social isolation." Suicides rates by age range, 2013, presented in a chart by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. (Supplied: ABS) 'Casting out the darkness' One day in October, 2004, Noel Braun's wife Maris told him she was meeting up with a friend to exchange some books. Noel is pretty sure that was the only time, in 42 years of marriage, that she ever lied to him. "I sort of knew, when my wife went off," Noel, 82, says from his home in Jindabyne, at the foot of the Snowy Mountains. "I had this dreadful apprehension." Noel and Maris had spoken of her depression, which developed 20 years earlier and seemed to get worse with age. He worked on the phones for Lifeline, so he knew the signs, and the couple were open about the topic of suicide. Two of Maris's sisters had taken their own lives, and she had long assured Noel it would never be her fate. But in her final year, her thoughts changed. "I knew exactly what her plan was, because I asked her," Noel says. "That was my background with Lifeline. I often told people who were completely devastated, they didn't know [about her suicidal tendencies], I said, 'Well, I did'. But I still couldn't stop her." Maris's darkness overwhelmed her the day of her son's bucks party. She was 66. The funeral was held on the Thursday, the wedding on the Saturday. In the months afterwards, some family members invited Noel on a skiing trip to the US, and he accepted. It turned out to be a bad decision. "When I came back it was all waiting for me, all the grief," he says. "It was sort of like a real vacuum, a real hole." The feeling of worthlessness became oppressive, he says. He thought he had done wrong by Maris. He felt immense guilt, that he was "bad". "I reckon I was at risk myself," he says. "I was wanting to join my wife." It was a comment from a colleague at Lifeline that turned things around, he says. "I was dwelling on all the things that I didn't do for my wife. And this lady said, 'Well, think of all the things that you did do', and that thought really grabbed me. I did do a lot of things — it was just in those last hours, in that last day, she just slipped away. Maris and Noel Braun in the 1970s. That really saved me." He decided he wasn’t going to be the strong, silent type, but Maris took her own life in 2004, at the would be open about the “insidious” disease of depression and his own experience age of 66. (Supplied: Noel Braun) with it. Eleven years later, Noel stays active. He likes to walk. “In a way that is something that gave structure to my life, it gave me a sense of purpose,” he says. “If people have a sense of purpose, it sort of makes their life meaningful.” He recently walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain — one month, one backpack, 700 kilometres — and he was conscious of Maris walking with him. And I f the opportunity arose at the little chapels or churches he passed, he lit a candle for her. The candle has great symbolic meaning, he says: “It’s casting out the darkness.” Continues next page
Page 19 of 24 Continued from previous page 'It's an epidemic' As for what can be done to decrease the number of older people taking their lives, many experts say the problem is complex. But Mr Woodward says Australia could do better in having suicide prevention techniques integrated into the aged care system. He points to the US where he says guides on suicide prevention are distributed in aged care homes, with the stress of relocation noted as a factor in suicidal tendencies. Family support can also be a very significant "protective factor", he says. "Families [can] directly address the issue of isolation, so that an older person, perhaps living alone, can still participate in family visits and activities and have a sense of meaning and purpose within that family." Meanwhile, Mr Helmers says that changes to access to unemployment benefits for older Australians may have a positive effect. He uses the example of a man who spent his life installing right-side car doors at a Ford factory but was laid off at 55. "From a commercial sense, his prospects are quite minimal," he says. And yet he must fulfil the same job search and training requirements as someone applying for the dole at 18. A relaxing of those standards, Mr Helmers says, might make entry back into the workforce easier, something that is particularly important given the retirement age will rise to 67 by 2023. Of course, while groups such as CoTA and AMSA advocate for greater awareness of the suicides among older Australians — and therefore greater resourcing — it is important to put the issue into perspective. In 2013, men aged 85 and over had the highest suicide rate — 38 deaths per 100,000 people — but as a proportion of total male deaths among this age group, suicide accounted for less than 1 per cent. In contrast, for men aged 40-44 — the group with the secondhighest suicide death rate — 17 per cent of deaths were the result of suicide. For men aged 15 to 19 — the age group at which so much suicide prevention work is directed — the figures are even worse. One in three deaths are the result of suicide. Mr Helmers argues there does need to be a reallocation of resources, citing unpublished Victorian Coroners Court data he says shows the majority of the state's 2,200 suicides in a recent year were of men aged over 45. "It's logical, isn't it? If that's where the numbers are, that's where the money should be going," he says. "Youth suicides are tragic, but with older people it's an epidemic." Mr Woodward points to a similar issue: that as a society we don't look at the older life as any less valuable than the younger when it comes to suicide prevention. "Certainly, we need to put much more money and efforts into suicide [prevention] in a coordinated manner," Professor De Leo says. "We need to invest much more in research. We need to create many tailored — by age and gender — programs and evaluate them carefully, which is something that we weren't too good in doing so far. "However, I believe we are doing still too little to have a significant government impact on suicides, and we are doing even less for the elderly because we continue to consider the elderly as less important than young people." Credits Reporter: Paul Donoughue Illustrator: Lucy Fahey
Do you need to talk to someone? • • • •
Lifeline on 13 11 14 Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Rockhampton Mental Health Advocate Aims For Yale abc.net.au / 29 September 2015
After being a panellist on the ABC's Q and A program during the Mental As campaign in October last year, 'lived experience practitioner' Dr Louise Byrne is hoping to head to Yale in 2016 on a Fulbright Scholarship. She was recently one of a handful of academics across Australia to Dr Louise Byrne says we need to listen to the be shortlisted for the scholarship. large sections of our community who are directly affected by mental health challenges. If successful, Dr Byrne plans to (ABC Capricornia:Lisa Clarke) travel to America and spend a few months at Yale University gaining valuable insight into how lived experience practitioners have been able to be integrated successfully into the workplace. Dr Byrne feels our current mental health system needs to start listening to the members of our community who are directly affected by mental health challenges. "In my PhD I really looked at the current state of play for lived experience roles in Australia. Once I've got all that information from America I'll compare it to the current situation in Australia and adapt it for the Australian context," she said. Professor of Psychiatry and director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Larry Davidson, has developed a toolkit from years of research. The toolkit's purpose is to help integrate more people who have experienced mental health issues into work environments, where they can offer a unique insight. "When you include a lived experience practitioner in your multi-disciplinary team in your work environment, you're gaining a direct insight into the needs of the people that you're trying to help. How could that not be valuable?" Dr Byrne said. Her planned research in America would involve interviewing senior managers and mental health professionals who have used this toolkit developed at Yale. Dr Byrne says she would like to "create something very tangible that the mental health service system here [in Australia] can use to hopefully create better, more effective lived experience inclusion". Lived experience At the age of 14, Dr Byrne was officially diagnosed with mental illness, spending years in and out of hospitals, both voluntarily and involuntarily. She now feels that the risk of being boxed in by a specific diagnosis and being diagnosed at such a young age, did an enormous amount of damage to her self-image, shaping her behaviours in negative ways. "It really limited my ability to see myself as a whole person," she said. "I had one of your 'serious' diagnoses which, at the time I was given it, was also a type of a life sentence. "I was told to suspend any expectation of having a job, a family, a partner, that kind of thing. It was one of the diagnoses that still attracts an enormous amount of stigma." Now Dr Byrne draws from those experiences to teach future mental health practitioners at CQ University to work more from "a heart place, rather than a head place". "It's about walking with someone on their journey. It's about enabling them, rather than telling them what they should do," Dr Byrne said. "Everybody has mental health challenges. Some people's mental health challenges for whatever reason, a variety of reasons, are worse than other people's at any given moment. "What we need to do is be able to talk about this stuff in a way that it should be talked about, which is as a normal part of any human life."
Book Review
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Margaret Sleeman / 27 October 2015
The Big Little Book of Resilience - How to Bounce Back from Adversity and Lead a Fulfilling Life
By: Matthew Johnstone
Most of us set out quietly hoping for, and secretly expecting, to live a happy, successful and healthy life. But life doesn't always go to plan. The Big Little Book of Resilience is about developing flexibility, acceptance and self-compassion when those plans go awry. In this beautifully illustrated book, Matthew Johnstone guides the reader to an understanding of how resilience plays a key role in wellbeing. He offers an accessible roadmap to developing and maintaining resilience and how it can help you overcome and learn from difficult life events. About the Author The Big Little Book of Resilience is Matthew Johnstone's seventh book. His “I Had a Black Dog” and “Living With a Black Dog” have been international bestsellers. He now divides his time between creative consultancy work, public speaking, writing and illustrating books. He is married with two daughters and lives in Sydney
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Calendar of Events – OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2015
OCTOBER 2015 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS OCSOBER – Support Life Education – visit www.ocsober.com.au SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY 1 World Vegetarian Day
FRIDAY 2 World Smile Day
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10 World Mental Health Day
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12 World Arthritis Day
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14 Ride to Work Day
15 International Day of Rural
16 World Food Day
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NOVEMBER 2015 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS MOVEMBER – Grow a Mo and Help a Bro – Visit au.movember.com/programs/mental-health SUNDAY 1 World Vegan Day
2
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TUESDAY 3 Melbourne Cup Day
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Coffee Break
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Halloween
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PARTY
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SPIDER
TREATS
TRICKS
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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 Inspire Clubhouse Townsville Horizon Clubhouse The Junction Clubhouse 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.