Northern Voices Jun13

Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc

Urgent Action Called For

Media Release 24 May 2013

Commission calls for urgent action to improve the physical health of those with mental health difficulties.

The National Mental Health Commission is urging attendees of today’s National Summit on mental health and physical health in Sydney to commit to meaningful action that will improve the physical health of those with mental health difficulties. The Summit will be hosted by the Commonwealth Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, The Hon. Mark Butler and the New South Wales Minister for Mental Health and Healthy Lifestyles, The Hon. Kevin Humphries. It has been called in response to growing community concerns and evidence about inequities in the physical health of people with mental illness.

Prof. Allan Fels, Chair of the National Mental Commission will be participating in the Summit and says: “The physical health of people with mental illness is a scandal that receives almost no attention.

People with mental health problems are dying decades younger than the general population, and their wellbeing must be given a higher priority in all areas of health.”

Physical health was a major focus of the Commissions’ first National Report Card on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in 2012. In the Report Card the Commission called for all governments to set targets and work together to reduce early death and improve the physical health of people with people illness. “We all know that possible concurrent issues like smoking, poor nutrition and physical inactivity have a major bearing on physical health. However, most Australians may not know that some antipsychotic medications prescribed to manage mental illnesses such as schizophrenia also contribute to the likelihood of developing chronic physical disorders.

“Importantly, all government funded mental health related programs must be measured on how they support people to achieve better physical health and longer lives, and enduring mental illness must be given the status of a chronic disease to give it higher national focus and support,” Prof. Fels says.

Key facts:  One in five Australians experience a mental health difficulty in any given year  The physical health of people living with a mental health difficulty is worse than those in the general community on just about every measure, while people with severe mental illness live between 1032 years less than the general population  People with illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia have heart-related problems, diabetes and obesity at much higher rates than the rest of the community continues next page

Issue: JUNE 2013

159 Kings Road Pimlico QLD 4812

PO Box 979 Hyde Park QLD 4812

Tel: (07) 4725 3664 Fax: (07) 4725 3819 Email: townsville@mifnq.org.au

www.mifnq.org.au

Editor: Deborah Wilson, Corporate Development Manager Tel: (07) 4725 3664 Fax: (07) 4725 3819 Email: cdm@mifnq.org.au Compiled by: Margaret Sleeman, Receptionist

© Mental Illness Fellowship of Nth Queensland Inc. PO Box 979 Hyde Park QLD 4812 All rights reserved.

Printing & Design: Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.

MIFNQ reserves the right to edit articles for publication.

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of MIFNQ.

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continued from previous page  People with mental health difficulties have lower access to the health services they need, potentially contributing to premature death Contact: Ben Hornbrook, 0431 180 161 bhornbrook@boxingclever.net.au

In This Edition

Members of the community in the Gulf Savannah Region of North Queensland learnt what to do in a mental health emergency as part of a Mental Health First Aid training course held in Georgetown.

Frontier Services Savannah Regional Health Service organised the two-day training program conducted by Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland (MIFNQ).

Philippa Harris, from MIFNQ, who led the training, said learning Mental Health First Aid was just as important as regular First Aid. “We are actually more likely to come across someone experiencing a mental health problem than a physical health problem,” she said. “Statistics show one in five people experience a mental health issue every year.”

With the financial and emotional impact of fire, floods and drought affecting people in the region, the training was particularly important for the communities of the Etheridge and Croydon Shires.

“It has been a pretty difficult time and a lot of people are stressed.

Ongoing stress is a risk to our physical and mental health, so it is important that we recognise when people are struggling with mental health issues.”

“Early recognition of these issues is very important to make sure people can recover as soon as possible.”

The training took participants through the different types of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, psychosis and eating disorders. “We teach people how to identify and support someone who might be developing a mental health issue and where to go for professional help.”

“We also look at what to do in a crisis situation and take them through a number of different scenarios, what they should do, who to involve and what they will be thinking. It gives people the opportunity to feel confident, knowing they’ve been through the training and they know what to do.”

Savannah Regional Health Service Primary Health Care Nurse Anna Burley said training people in Mental Health First Aid was a big help to health services in addressing mental health. “It creates an extra set of eyes for health services as more people are able to identify when a mental health issue is emerging,” said Ms Burley.

This is the fourth time the training has been conducted in the Savannah region.

NRL launches mental health.......... 3

Mental Health First Aid

Sophie Scott and Gillian Bennett | ABC News | 28 May 2013

Urgent Action Called For................. 1 Mental Health First Aid.................... 2 Committee Chatter ............................ 4 CEO’s Update ....................................... 5

Ashleigh Witt’s Story ........................ 6 Media portrayals of schizophrenia ................................................................... 7 Stories for keeping strong ............10 Concern for Aussie Parents..........10 People with schizophrenia face more health risks .............................14 What to Do When a Family Member Gets a Mental Illness.....15 Defence mental health boost.......17 Townsville NAIDOC Week 2013 19 Diversity – Range of Difference..20 Success Weight Loss Program ....22 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.24 ‘Man Up’ Campaign..........................25 Rural MH Workshops .....................26 Graduates Taking Up Rural Jobs 27 Art from Adversity...........................28 An Extraordinary Life.....................30

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NRL launches mental health

By Jennifer Browning ABC News 3 June 2013 The National Rugby League has launched a new mental health initiative on the eve of the State of Origin series. The campaign, called What's Your State of Mind, is a partnership between mental health providers and rugby league that is aiming to breakdown stereotypes and stigmas.

NRL chief executive Dave Smith says it is important program for the community and for players.

"Mental health does not discriminate," Smith said. "Even in a game as tough as rugby league, we are faced with mental health challenges."

"Our rugby league family of players, officials and volunteers should know that it's OK to talk to someone if you don't feel right.

"Having the courage to talk about how you are feeling ensures you will have the support of others and at the same time you could be giving someone else the confidence to talk about how they feel."

The initiative comes after the code had three unexpected deaths of young players since October.

NRL senior welfare and education manager Paul Heptonstall says he hopes the program will encourage everyone to look out for each other.

"Unfortunately in the last couple of months the NRL lost a couple of players who could not see an answer to these mental health challenges and very sadly took their own lives," he said.

"But an even sadder statistic is that 40 Australians every week will do the same thing.

"The aim of the program is to ensure a healthier environment where a mental health issue is treated the same as any other illness. A series of community service announcements featuring some of the game's greats will be broadcast throughout the State of Origin series over the next six weeks. One of them, Queensland coach Mal Meninga, says he was very keen to be a part of the campaign.

“Health and wellbeing should be our number one priority, and to speak out and seek support is not a wussy thing to do but a courageous thing," he said. “To utilise the vehicle of rugby league I think is fantastic.”

For more information about suicide prevention contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or go to www.nrlstateofmind.com.au

MIFNQ MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS DUE SOON Membership renewal is due on 1 July each year and although there is no charge for membership, you are still required to renew each year.

Your Membership Renewal Form will shortly be forwarded to you for completion and return to us. If your details have changed, please note them on the Form.

Donations are gratefully accepted and these can be made when you are returning your Form, in person at any of our offices or online at http://www.givenow.co m.au/mifnq.

We look forward to your continued support.

Regards

Management Committee

Committee Chatter

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In a ‘civic’ society in the modern and wealthy world, we are able to look after each other much better than in poorer societies, or those with less of a caring nature. We don’t just leave the old and infirm to fend for themselves, as is the case in many parts of the world, and as we did ourselves not so long ago in our own history.

This has meant that those who have wealth, those who earn big salaries or have other ways of earning much income [perhaps from businesses or investments] pay more tax, so that governments have more money to provide the essential services to everybody, regardless of whether they could otherwise afford these services.

Bob James, President We don’t ask people to pay to defend our country themselves, or to build roads, dams and hospitals [well, sometimes we do – e.g. toll roads, medicare levies, private hospital cover] – but most of it comes from our taxes, and the governments pay for the army, for most roads and for the bulk of the health system.

As we grow richer [yes, we do grow richer – I just have to think back to my own teenage years, a mere halfcentury ago, to know how much more we now have] – as we grow richer and enjoy the fruits of technological progress, we notice more and more those groups of people who struggle with disadvantage.

We have minimum wages, pensions, unemployment benefits [miserable as they all seem, many countries don’t have them at all] and we slowly progress towards eliminating the extreme inequalities suffered by our most disadvantaged people. So we try to eliminate this disadvantage, or at least minimise it. NIDS is the most recent example of this, together with the Gonski reforms in education. Efforts to “close the gap” in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, education and life-expectancy is another.

Over my lifetime, governments have reduced their direct involvement as service providers, but have continued to fund these increased services. They long-ago realised that they could not provide the right services as cheaply as the right community organisations. Aboriginal communities, charities, and importantly, NGOs [Nongovernment organisations] such as your Fellowship do a much better job of knowing what ‘their people’ need, and of providing for those needs.

These NGOs range from huge, nation-wide corporate-style organisations to tiny local groups, such as your Fellowship was when it started about 27 years ago. MIFNQ is now no longer tiny [though our tiny premises are] and we are part of a larger group of local Fellowships, so we do have a national presence and a national voice for ‘our people’ through MIFA, at which we have an equal voice with our fellow-organisations in Sydney and Melbourne and all over Australia.

While your little Management Committee is small, and they are all volunteers, they are skilled and experienced people, with both managerial and lived-experience to bring to the table as they try to guide the Fellowship towards providing more and better services to more people over a larger area in our region. They undergo training in finance and governance so that they are up to date with the ever-increasing requirements and demands that NGOs have placed upon them by the governments which fund them. And they are guided by the wonderful staff of our Fellowship, who are the real heroes of this story, carrying out the day-to-day duties, providing the services all week long and all year round.

Your board, your Management Committee, is a group of volunteers who give their time and expertise to ensure that your Fellowship complies with all the necessary matters that our solemn duty requires – to our funding bodies, to other government agencies and, most of all, to ‘our people’ – those who carry the burdens of their mental conditions and those of their loved ones.

Bob James President Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.

CEO’s Update

Page 5 of 32

As our President, Bob James, points out in his musings elsewhere in this newsletter, the Management Committee of MIFNQ plays a voluntary yet vital role in the functioning of MIFNQ. Our committee is very active in the informing MIFNQ’s strategic direction and has a huge responsibility as the employer of all MIFNQ staff and volunteers. The Workplace Health and Safety Act, the Associations Incorporations Act, and other pieces of legislation provide both a framework to support and protect the organisation, its staff, volunteers and the people who use its services, as well as a legal obligation to adhere to statutory requirements.

Jeremy Audas, CEO There is a much higher degree of responsibility for committee members these days and that is why MIFNQ is implementing new policies, including induction, training and governance policies for the committee itself. There has already been some additional training provided to committee members some of whom have recently undertaken risk management and governance professional development. Soon, relevant committee members and staff will be doing some further training on costing, pricing and budgeting. It is important to ensure that committee members have appropriate knowledge and skills, particularly as our external environment changes, so that they are well equipped to fulfil their roles. I am very pleased to say that our management committee has an excellent mix of skills and abilities that have already been put to good use.

I’d like to personally thank the committee for its leadership and work in relation to some of the changes that have been happening within the Fellowship.

Some of the work MIFNQ has been doing internally is about strengthening its governance and service delivery. A range of new policies is currently being endorsed and implemented. Work continues on adopting a set of internationally recognised standards – ISO9001:2008. In the future we will have an external auditor assess our compliance with these standards and once we receive certification MIFNQ will be in a much stronger position in relation to funding submissions, consistent internal processes and in developing strong evidence based practice.

Parallel with the adoption of the standards we are implementing a quality system to ensure we maintain the highest quality of service delivery and engagement with people who use our valuable services. While all of this creates extra work for staff and management in the short term the long term outlook is that MIFNQ will become a more sustainable, viable and business like organisation while still retaining its community roots. MIFNQ’s values will continue to underpin its development and ensure we always have a strong connection with people who use our services past and present. It has been particularly pleasing to see staff embrace the changes that are occurring as the Fellowship grows into a mature contemporary organisation and we are already seeing some of the benefits of this development. I’d like to acknowledge our Corporate Development Manager, Deb Wilson, for the constant work she has been doing in the background updating our web pages, policies, documents and processes for our quality system, a huge task that is onerous but essential.

On other matters MIFNQ has been informed by Queensland Health that it’s Living Proof and Townsville counselling and community education services have renewed funding, at least for the next twelve months. At the time of printing we have received no indication of further funding from Queensland Health for the Cairns Carers Hub.........more on this in the next edition of Northern Voices. All levels of government have shrinking resources in the Community Mental health area so MIFNQ needs to work with its partners, consortium members and allies to make the best use of its resources. In Queensland the new Mental Health Commission will be working towards a state wide plan for mental health and this will have an impact on all funded organisations. The National Disability Insurance Scheme will also require changes in the way not for profit organisations are funded and the Federal election in September is sure to bring about further challenges for our sector. However, MIFNQ is ready to respond to these changes, we are flexible, responsive and agile in the way we do our business and this approach will stand us in good stead for whatever comes our way.

Finally I would like you to engage with our social media as often as you can, we have a number of Twitter and Facebook accounts and these are easily accessible through our website by clicking on the Social Media tab at the top of our new home page. We already have over 400 Facebook followers and Twitter is very active, particularly around the Living Proof program so please support your Fellowship by engaging with this at every opportunity.

We welcome comments, suggestions and feedback through social media.

Jeremy Audas

Chief Executive Officer Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.

Ashleigh Witt’s Story

Page 6 of 32

from LivingProof | May 1, 2013

I have a shocking confession to make I have depression.

You probably think I’m crazy for admitting that, right? I’d have to be crazy to suggest I wasn’t absolutely perfect, wouldn’t I? Because we are all perfect, aren’t we? Type A personalities. Successful. Perfect Grades.

Big Career Goals… ‘Depressed’ doesn’t exactly fit onto that list.

Of all people, I would know. I’ve spent the last 5 years very successfully hiding it. No one would believe I have depression – I was president of my medsoc and on every committee imaginable, have a huge group of friends and amazing parents. I get good grades, won a scholarship to Kings College London and received the prize for contributing the most to my medicine cohort. I have nice hair, perfectly applied makeup, expensive clothes and I have never, ever worn trackpants in my life.

My life might look perfect; but until 12 months ago, I was so miserable I could barely breathe. I had worse depression than I’d ever read about in a textbook, and worse depression than any patient I saw on my psychiatry rotation. Worst still, I’d been like this for as long as I could remember, but I was so terrified to ask for help. I was terrified to admit that I wasn’t perfect because, as far as I could see, everyone else in medicine was.

I would like to say 12 months ago I got better because I was finally brave enough to ask for help. Unfortunately the real story is, in order to finally get help I had to be admitted to hospital after an overdose.

That’s the saddest part of my story. I would rather have died than admit to having depression. In order to get the treatment I needed, I almost had to die.

Sometimes I feel like depression is the new thing to be in the closet about. I honestly feel like I’m coming out when I tell someone about it. I even hid it from my grandparents because they wouldn’t understand and I didn’t want them to be ashamed of me. A friend recently described me a little while ago as openly depressed – that really made me laugh. Should we have a depression pride movement as well? It’s not something I’m ‘proud’ of – but it’s also something that I can’t change about myself. Even though I’m ‘recovered’, I had depression for some of the most important years of my life – it has had a huge impact on the person I am, not in a bad way necessarily.

Do you know how much CBT actually changes you as a patient? I can analyse any situation as an outsider and chose what to become emotionally involved in. I’ve learnt how to not take things personally.

And believe me my empathy for my patients is better than anyone else’s.

I’m not saying a mental illness defines you for the rest of your life, but I think your recovery from one does.

So while you might think I’m crazy for publicly admitting this, I can’t let people continue to believe that they are the only ones struggling. Why can’t we talk about this? We’ve seen the stats! Whilst 1 in 5 people suffers from depression, that number nearly triples for doctors. More than half of us will suffer from depression at some point in our career. continues next page

Mental Health First Aid Training

The Mental Health First Aid Program is run by Mental Health First AidTM (MHFA) Australia, a national non-profit 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.

2013 Dates: 6th & 7th Aug 2013 8th & 9th Oct 2013 3rd & 4th Dec 2013 Youth Mental Health First Aid is for adults who live or work with young people. This course also addresses self-harm and eating disorders.

2013 dates: 9th & 10th Jul 2013 5th & 6th Nov 2013 Both courses cover the development of a 5-step action plan for mental health first aid, managing suicide, panic attacks, psychotic behaviour and general communication skills.

Training Location: Arcadian Surf Lifesaving Club The Strand Rockpool North Ward Qld 4810 Duration: 2 days Cost: $100 per person

Online Registration Forms: http://www.mifa.org.au/menta l-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.

continued from previous page Doesn’t that scare you? Doesn’t it scare you that you could be sitting next to someone who is completely broken and not even realise?

Doesn’t it scare you that, statistically, at some point, three people in your friendship group will seriously consider ending their lives?

Doesn’t it scare you that someone in your Monday morning lecture will do so?

It scares me, and that’s why I’m writing this. Because you can’t pick who has depression. It could be the person next to you. It could be the most confident kid in your class. It could be the president of your medsoc. I hope it isn’t you, but if it is, this is the message I wish I’d gotten a long time ago – please go and see your GP, please go and get help. This isn’t a life sentence, it’s a treatable disease, you just need to ask for help.long time ago – please go and see your GP, please go and get help. This isn’t a life sentence, it’s a treatable disease, you just need to ask for help.

I promise it really does get better.

Ashleigh Witt Ashleigh is a 22 year old doctor and mental health advocate who grew up in Innisfail, North QLD. Ashleigh currently works in Melbourne with Western Health.

-oOo-

If you have been affected by reading this story and need to talk to someone, please call: Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 Lifeline 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 Youthbeyondblue 1300 224 636 Or visit:

headspace www.headspace.org.au Reach Out! www.reachout.com Youthbeyondblue www.youthbeyondblue.com (for depression and anxiety and how to help a friend)

Page 7 of 32

Where to Go for Help Kids Helpline Chat Online

Free, private and confidential telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.

Telephone Available 24/7 - 1800 55 1800 Eheadspace Chat Online

Provides online and telephone support and counselling to young people aged between 12-25.

Available 9AM-1AM AEST 1800650 890 Lifeline Chat Online

24 hour crisis support 13 11 14 Online counselling available 8AMmidnight

Contact Us

Email: livingproof@mifnq.org.au Facebook: Living Proof – Positive Stories of Mental Illness Twitter: LivingProofQLD Phone: 1800 455 455

Townsville

Philippa Harris, Queensland Education & Training Manager

P: 07 4725 3664 Street Address: 159 Kings Road, PIMLICO Q 4812 Postal Address: PO Box 979, HYDE PARK Q 4812

Regional Queensland

Alison Fairleigh, Rural Coordinator P: 07 4725 3664 E: AFairleigh@mifnq.org.au

Sunshine Coast

Judy Kiellerup, Regional Coordinator (SQ)

P: 07 5442 1651 Postal Address: PO Box 5080 SUNSHINE COAST MC Q 4560

Media portrayals of schizophrenia

www.theconversation.com 5 April 2013

Either mad and bad or Jekyll and Hyde: Stigma can take a heavy toll on people who suffer from mental illness. Being shunned, feared, devalued and discriminated against can impair recovery and deepen social isolation and distress. Many sufferers judge stigma to be more difficult to cope with than the symptoms of their illness.

Thankfully, there are grounds for hope. Australian researchers have shown that mental illness stigma, such as the unwillingness to interact with affected people, generally declined from 2003 to 2011. Some credit for this improvement must go to media campaigns by beyondblue and SANE, and to the willingness of many people to speak publicly about experiences that would once have been shamefully private.

The dark cloud inside this silver lining is schizophrenia, a serious condition that impairs thinking, emotion and motivation. While Australians’ attitudes towards depression have become more accepting, the stigma of schizophrenia has remained largely unchanged.

Misusing and misunderstanding People with schizophrenia are still perceived as dangerous and unpredictable, and these perceptions have increased in recent years. Attitudes to people with schizophrenia have also worsened in the United States at the same time as attitudes to depressed people have improved.

Just as the media can take some credit for the declining stigma of other conditions, it must take some of the blame for the continuing stigma of schizophrenia. Media portrayals commonly associate it with violence and danger.

Schizophrenia is also often misused to refer to split personality or incoherence. This Jekyll-and-Hyde misconception persists despite countless corrections. One study of Italian newspapers, for instance, found that the term was employed in this way almost three times as often it was used correctly to refer to people with the diagnosis or their illness.

But just how negative are current media depictions of schizophrenia?

My students and I recently examined this question in a study that we published in the academic journal Psychosis. We located every story published in major national, state and territory online and print news media outlets in the year ending August 2012 that cited schizophrenia or schizophrenic. We then counted how many stories misused these terms and coded how often the condition was linked to violence or presented in a stigmatising way.

Our results were striking. Almost half (47%) of stories linked schizophrenia to some form of violence, and 28% of these associated it with attempted or completed homicide. The schizophrenic person was identified as a perpetrator of violence six times more frequently than as its victim. continues next page

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Entertainment Book

$55

The Entertainment™ Book is a local restaurant and activity guide, which provides hundreds of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers from the finest restaurants, cafés, attractions, theatres and accommodation.

Entertainment™ Books have been distributed by fundraising organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand for the past 18 years.

MIFNQ will again be selling these books as a way to raise funds to aide in our efforts to assist those living with mental illness while supporting their carers and families.

The 2013|2014 Far North Queensland Book can be ordered from your local MIFNQ office or online at https://www.entertainment book.com.au/orderbooks/2 700u79

continued from previous page Schizophrenia was misused as a split metaphor in 13% of stories. And fully 46% of stories were coded as stigmatising.

It’s hardly surprising that the public’s views of the condition continue to be laced with fear and loathing if they usually find schizophrenia presented in the context of violent aggression or as a metaphor for internal contradiction.

Better ways What can be done about all of this? For one thing, journalists and the general public need to become aware that schizophrenia doesn’t mean split personality and it bears no resemblance to caricatures of craziness. This mistaken usage should be retired not because the police say it’s offensive, but because it perpetuates a misunderstanding that hurts real people.

Journalists and editors also need to think carefully before linking schizophrenia to violent behaviour. Often the proposed link is dubious and speculative, and adds nothing important to the story. Just as violence supposedly committed by people experiencing mental illness is over-reported – producing an exaggerated sense of their dangerousness – their victimisation is often under-reported.

An equally important corrective would be to publish more stories that feature people with schizophrenia living well, present their everyday struggles and adversities or showcase promising treatments and research findings. Coverage can be improved. Our study found that stories from broadsheet newspapers were less stigmatising than tabloid stories, and longer, more developed stories were less stigmatising than briefer seriously unbalanced ones.

This is not a matter of white-washing the news. People with schizophrenia are indeed at a somewhat increased risk of committing violent offences (and of being their victims). They can behave in challenging ways. But the media landscape that our study surveyed is so tilted towards depicting schizophrenia as dangerous that it’s seriously unbalanced.

The news media can do better and, if they do, the stigma of schizophrenia may start to erode their victims). They can behave in challenging ways. But the media landscape that our study surveyed is so tilted towards depicting schizophrenia as dangerous that it’s study surveyed is so tilted towards depicting schizophrenia as dangerous that it’s seriously unbalanced.

The news media can do better and, if they do, the stigma of schizophrenia may start to erode.

The news media can do better and, if they do, the stigma of schizophrenia may start to erode.

Author: Nick Haslam Professor of Psychology at University of Melbourne Disclosure Statement: Nick Haslam does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

Page 9 of 32

White Wreaths Mark Queensland Suicides

ABC Rural – Neroli Roocke May 29, 2013 People of all ages from all over Queensland who've committed suicide have been remembered in the centre of Brisbane today.

Hundreds of white wreaths, each one bearing a photograph, have been laid out in Post Office Square.

The display and a service were organised by Fanita Clark of the White Wreath Association, an organisation she started 14 years ago after the death of her son.

She says each photograph carries a name, an age and how the person died.

"We don't go into a full description but to have the details of how the person took their life is extremely important.

"Most people who've lost a loved one, whichever method it may have been ... they think that they are the only one who's loved one took their life by these means.

"When they come to this display and see so many people have taken their lives, immediately a tonne of weight is taken from their shoulders."

The public display also seeks to combat some of the myths and stigmas surrounding suicide and help the Association's fundraising effort to establish 'safe haven' centres for people needing urgent mental health care and ongoing support.

Stories for keeping strong

Pro Bono News | 3 June 2013

Film Recognises Depression in Urban Indigenous Communities

Depression and anxiety support organisation BeyondBlue has released a short film created to help indigenous people in urban communities raise awareness and recognise depression.

Beyondblue collaborated with The Aboriginal Medical Service of Stories for Keeping Strong - Arrente Western Sydney and producers, isee-ilearn, to develop the script and produce the film Story for Keeping Strong, which was launched in Western Sydney.

Beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell AO said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who lived with psychological stress, especially depression and anxiety, may not recognise it or talk to family, friends or a health professional about their symptoms.

“We are pleased to have funded this very important project and we hope the film raises awareness of how to talk to someone who might be depressed and assist them to get appropriate help," she said.

Beyondblue Indigenous and Priority Communities Team Leader Nell Angus said Story for Keeping Strong featured a conversation about depression between members of an extended family - a young Aboriginal man talks with two Elders, an Aunt and a young Aboriginal woman.

“The project took 12 months to complete with the first step being to establish a story development group, and the group members defined what depression looks like for them, their family and their community,” she said.

“Based on this consultation, the group discussed the things that disconnect people, families and communities and the things that bring them together to start healing.

“These ideas of a family discussion became the foundation of the story.

It is a family conversation about reconnecting to life and community that could be happening in your neighbour’s home.”

The voices of five members of the Western Sydney Aboriginal community were recorded to tell the stories and their photographs taken as the basis for the animation.

Uncle Dennis Dunn, a Wiradjuri Elder and a ‘star’ in the short film, said he felt positive in helping to develop the story because it related to his people within the urban community of the Western Sydney region.

“The film is so culturally-appropriate to many clans within our communities and it is understood by the community,” he said. “As an Aboriginal Elder, I am often asked, ‘How often do I visit an Aboriginal community?’ and I reply ‘every single day’ as the majority of people think that Aboriginal communities only exist in rural or remote areas.

“Personally, it shows you how invisible our communities are to the people who live and work side by side with us. “I feel proud when working with people, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who care about our mob and who help to bring change for our people.”

Beyondblue…..1300 224 636 http://www.beyondblue.org.au/resources/for-me/aboriginal-andtorres-strait-islander-people

Page 10 of 32

Inspirational Quotes

Concern for Aussie Parents

Miriam Hall | ABC News 20 May 2013

Mental health disorders among Australian parents on the rise A new study has found the number of parents with mental illness increased by three per cent every year between 1990 to 2005.

The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, is the first of its kind in Australia, based on 15 years of data from Western Australia.

Lead author of the report, Dr Melissa O'Donnell from the University of WA, said she was not surprised by the results.

"We know that welfare Photo: (Giulio Saggin, file photo: ABC News) agencies and hospitals had recorded a rise in the number of families needing support for parents with mental health problems," she said. "(We know) that the cases had become more complex with comorbidities for mental health disorders and substance use as well.

"So that, in effect, we weren't really that surprised."

The disorders in the study included illnesses like psychosis, substancerelated abuse and stress disorders, but not post-natal depression.

Dr O'Donnell says the rise in numbers could be explained by better and more frequent diagnoses.

"We are seeing broader services available, so I guess more people are able to access services for in and out-patients," she said.

"Therefore more parents would get a diagnosis, and that's what we based our data on."

But the study also found a rise in the numbers of parents with specific types of mental illness.

"We are seeing more parents in our data that had stress and adjustment related disorders... as well as an increase in parents with substance use mental health disorders," she said.

Targeted approach

Dr Melissa O'Donnell says the mental health of a parent can have a significant impact on families and the increasing figures highlight the need for early intervention.

"We do know that there is increase in expenditure in this area, but it's really important that we target it to those at risk families," she said.

"Having early intervention and treatment and support available to families, particularly when they do need respite or support in their parenting, that's really important."

Lead report author, Vera Morgan from the University WA, also believes there needs to be a targeted approach to providing support to mentally ill parents. continues next page

News in Brief

Page 11 of 32

Mental health spending rises to $6.9 billion, or $309 per Australian

www.news.com.au 27 March 2013

SPENDING on mental health services has ballooned by almost half a billion dollars to about $309 for every Australian, according to the latest statistics.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) says figures for 2010/11 show a rise in spending of $450 million from the previous financial year, to $6.9 billion.

Of that more than $4.2 billion was spent on state and territory services, with $1.8 billion focused on public hospitals.

"This (total spending) equates to about $309 spent per Australian on mental health-related services in 2010/11, an increase from $248 per Australian in 2006/07," AIHW spokeswoman Pamela Kinnear said.

The AIHW said the federal government's spending on mental health services was also on the rise, with $852 million paid in Medicare benefits.

"Almost 9 per cent of all prescription subsidies in 2010/11 were mental health-related, totalling $834 million, or $38 per Australian," Dr Kinnear said.

continued from previous page "We know a lot of these parents are subject to very poor socioeconomic conditions, they have low education outcomes, low employment, and putting them close to the poverty line, and they have accommodation issues," she said.

"They actually need support with these very specific areas as well as support in the area of raising their children."

Ms Morgan says the Government needs to prioritise agencies.

"Although there was some support in the very recent budget, there's always a lot more room that needs to be there for providing services," she said.

Impact on children

Psychiatrist Dr Nick Kowalenk, from Children of Parents with a Mental Illness, says there are specific developmental issues for children who have mentally ill parents.

"Usually for kids.... who are five, six, seven, Photo - Ka Yaan PhotoXpress they're affected to the extent that they can lose a bit of confidence when their parents are depressed," he said.

"We've got some Australian evidence which shows that school readiness is impacted when mum or dad is depressed.

"If parents have substance abuse problems and those sorts of issues and addictions, that's also not a good thing for kids and they tend to have a whole lot more behavioural problems and some difficulties."

He says mental illness in parents is a hidden problem and there needs to be more support.

"The issue of kids is one that's not always addressed that well," he said.

"For example with Beyond Blue and in conjunction with the states, the Federal Government's had a National Perinatal Depression Initiative, which is pretty much established Australia-wide early identification of mental health problems for mums about to give birth and for mum soon after giving birth.

"It hasn't included dads yet, and it hasn't really had quite enough attention to infants and making sure that their health and wellbeing is maintained even when mum or dad have a mental health problem."

Dr Melissa O'Donnell

BPsych (Hons), MPsych, GradDip Ed, PhD NHMRC Early Career Fellow, Developmental Pathways Project Areas of research expertise: Child maltreatment and linked cross-jurisdictional data.

Dr Melissa O'Donnell is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow and a Psychologist, who completed her PhD in 2009 through the University of Western Australia. Her research uses longitudinal population data from the Western Australian Government Departments of Child Protection, Health, Corrective Services and Education which has been linked and de-identified through the Data Linkage Unit at the Department of Health.

News in Brief

Page 12 of 32

The Hon. Warren Entsch MP spoke in Parliament (29/05/13) on the Appropriations Bills 1 & 2 2013-14 and used the opportunity to highlight a number of key issues in our region. “…Finally, these concerns are very close to my heart. I have to highlight a number of issues under the umbrella of health. You have heard me speak many times in this place about the tuberculosis issue.

In this budget the government was given the opportunity to provide Queensland Health with the $24 million it owes the Cairns Base Hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis of PNG nationals and to look at reopening the Saibai and Boigu clinics. Unfortunately there is no funding whatsoever to pay their debts in this regard. The fallout from this government's failure to pay these bills is now being seen with the death four weeks ago of an Australian Torres Strait Islander in Cairns Base Hospital. Twenty four million dollars should have been spent on frontline services, recruitment and retention of qualified and experienced staff and on outreach programs in our regional and remote area.”…..

I am also disappointed to see little in the way of support for mental health services. I recently intervened on two occasions where young people with serious mental health challenges were about to be put into a totally inappropriate environment. There is an urgent need for a new approach for the funding and provision of mental health services in Cairns and in Far North Queensland. We have in headspace, Time Out House, the Carers' Hub and the Clubhouse some excellent programs that target different age groups and complement each other perfectly.”

The Hon. Warren Entsch MP Federal Member for Leichhardt | Chief Opposition Whip P: 07 4051 2220 E: warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au

Model Cell System Offers Insights Into Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Other Neuropsych Disorders

Medical News Today | 6 May 2013

Medical researchers have manipulated human stem cells into producing types of brain cells known to play important roles in neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and autism. The new model cell system allows neuroscientists to investigate normal brain development, as well as to identify specific disruptions in biological signals that may contribute to neuropsychiatric diseases.

Scientists from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the SloanKettering Institute for Cancer Research led a study team that described their research in the journal Cell Stem Cell, published online.

The research harnesses human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), which differentiate into a broad range of different cell types. In the current study, the scientists directed the stem cells into becoming cortical interneurons - a class of brain cells that, by releasing the neurotransmitter GABA, controls electrical firing in brain circuits.

"Interneurons act like an orchestra conductor, directing other excitatory brain cells to fire in synchrony," said study co-leader Stewart A. Anderson, M.D., a research psychiatrist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "However, when interneurons malfunction, the synchrony is disrupted, and seizures or mental disorders can result."

Anderson and study co-leader Lorenz Studer, M.D., of the Center for Stem Cell Biology at Sloan-Kettering, derived interneurons in a laboratory model that simulates how neurons normally develop in the human forebrain.

"Unlike, say, liver diseases, in which researchers can biopsy a section of a patient's liver, neuroscientists cannot biopsy a living patient's brain tissue," said Anderson. Hence it is important to produce a cell culture model of brain tissue for studying neurological diseases. Significantly, the human-derived cells in the current study also "wire up" in circuits with other types of brain cells taken from mice, when cultured together. Those interactions, Anderson added, allowed the study team to observe e cell-to-cell signaling that occurs during forebrain development.

In ongoing studies, Anderson explained, he and colleagues are using their cell model to better define molecular events that occur during brain development. By selectively manipulating genes in the interneurons, the researchers seek to better understand how gene abnormalities may disrupt brain circuitry and give rise to particular diseases. Ultimately, those studies could help inform drug development by identifying molecules that could offer therapeutic targets for more effective treatments of neuropsychiatric diseases.

In addition, Anderson's laboratory is studying interneurons derived from stem cells made from skin samples of patients with chromosome 22q.11.2 deletion syndrome, a genetic disease which has long been studied at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In this multisystem disorder, about one third of patients have autistic spectrum disorders, and a partially overlapping third of patients develop schizophrenia.

Investigating the roles of genes and signaling pathways in their model cells may reveal specific genes that are crucial in those patients with this syndrome who have neurodevelopmental problems.

News in Brief

Page 13 of 32

Hope budget will boost regional mental health efforts Natalie Poyhonen & Marty McCarthy ABC News | 13 May 2013

Queensland's Rural Woman of the Year, Alison Fairleigh, says it is critical the Federal Government provides funds in the budget for regional mental health programs, with the drought starting to impact on communities.

One third of Queensland is drought declared and that is contributing to economic pressures on sectors such as the beef industry.

Ms Fairleigh says the Federal Government should place an emphasis on funding social workers to provide support to rural residents.

"We need to make sure that we have mental health-trained counsellors within the communities that are reaching out to these people in need," she said.

"We have seen the devastation that drought wreaks on farming communities and we have to be ahead of the game here."

Last year, the Federal Government froze the Mental Health Nurse Incentive program, which provided one-on-one clinical nursing support to regional residents with chronic mental illness.

Ms Fairleigh says it is a crucial scheme for rural areas where access to front-line health services often proves difficult.

"One of the things that they can have access to are mental health nurses, psychologists, social workers," she said.

"Sometimes they have to travel distances to see these people, but not as far as you would to see a specialist."

People with schizophrenia face more health risks

Nomee Walsh | ABC News 9 May 2013

A mental health support group says people with schizophrenia have the worst physical health profile in Australia.

Australians with schizophrenia are 50 per cent more likely to die from a heart attack, 20 per cent more likely to get cancer and have a lifespan Photo: ABC News of 25 years less than the average Australian.

There are an estimated 200,000 Australians with schizophrenia.

The Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales says the physical health of those with schizophrenia has not improved in the last 100 years.

"If it was any other group there would be screams about it in the street," chief executive Rob Ramjan said.

"It is the physical health issues that are killing them, not the mental health illness."

Mr Ramjan says schizophrenics have the highest type-2 diabetes rate of any group of people in the world, which can increase with certain types of medication.

"In the case of type-2 diabetes there appears to be some linkage between the two illnesses that leads to people with schizophrenia having that higher rate.

"In other areas, people will have a disorder but they won't get the treatment and there are two possible reason for that.

"One is that the health system because of the stigma associated with mental illness is not providing the treatment and the other is that the person with schizophrenia may have impaired decision making."

He believes the focus needs to move away from solely addressing mental health symptoms.

"So if somebody is complaining of a chest pain they might be delusional, but unfortunately they might be having a heart attack," he said.

A guy that I used to case manage years ago had a motorcycle accident and went to a large hospital. They saw on his medical record that he has schizophrenia. He was left in the waiting area for 11 hours. When they finally checked on him he was dead. He'd had massive internal injuries. But because of the diagnosis of mental illness he was not treated in the way that he should have been. So that barrier still exists and it's a massive barrier to people getting appropriate and adequate treatment.

Rob Ramjan

The fellowship says Australian governments are spending about half of what they should be on mental health services. He also says Australia has the worst record in OECD countries of assisting people with a psychiatric disorder back into employment. continues next page

News in Brief

Page 14 of 32 www.ABC.net.au 13 June 2013

Report questions effectiveness of mental health strategies A report by a Newcastle medical researcher has raised doubts about the effectiveness of treatment programs for people with a mental illness, despite billions of dollars being invested. Health economics Professor Christopher Doran from the Hunter Medical Research Institute prepared the Sax Institute review for the NSW Mental Health Commission.

The review shows there is little evidence that the $10 billion spent in Australia every year is invested wisely in mental health programs.

It found Australia is operating in an "information vacuum" when it comes to developing mental health programs and more research is needed.

Professor Doran says to date the research into intervention strategies for people with a mental illness have focused on medication and therapy rather than what programs might be effective in schools or the workplace. "I've found limited evidence of strategies around education and employment programs and when you look at people slipping through the gaps there's huge issues with productivity in terms of lost income and lost potential," he said.

Professor Doran says more effective strategies are needed to detect and treat children susceptible to a mental disorder such as ADHD. "There's no follow up information in terms of how effective or what impact this medication is having," he said.

"You need to demonstrate when you get return on investment to make sure those scarce resources are allocated in their most efficient way."

continued from previous page Despite the scale of the problem, Mr Ramjan says it is not intractable.

He says it is scientifically established that treatment such as dental hygiene improvement will reduce mental health symptoms, so more effort has to go into the physical health of people with mental health problems.

"It's the whole person that needs to be looked at. Not just treat the symptoms, but treat the whole person. Assist the person on their recovery journey," he said.

"Having a group of people who have the worst health profile in this country who can't get employment who are living in poverty leads to a hopeless situation."

Mr Ramjan says community support for people with schizophrenia is also important.

"People with schizophrenia, major mental illness, want a better quality of life. They need access to the services that will help them get that," he said.

T: 02 9879 2600 F: 02 9879 2699 The Old Gladesville Hospital Building 36, Digby Road Gladesville NSW 2111 E: admin@sfnsw.org.au W: www.sfnsw.org.au

What to Do When a Family Member Gets a Mental Illness

Natasha Tracy | Healthy Place | 3 May 2013

A get questions from all sorts of family members and friends of people with mental illnesses and, luckily, many of these people want to help.

The trouble is people feel intimidated by a diagnosis of mental illness. They don’t even know where to start to help.

Photo: Healthy Place This is completely normal.

A probable lifetime diagnosis is enough to make anyone feel powerless.

But you are not powerless. If you love someone with a mental illness, there are many things you can do to help.

The Mental Illness Knowledge Barrier - The first thing to tackle is the knowledge barrier. It’s completely understandable that friends and family won’t know much about a mental illness when it is first diagnosed. People have heard the words “bipolar” o “schizophrenia” but really have no accurate knowledge as to what these things are. So it’s critical to learn.

It’s essential to, quite frankly, consume as much information as possible on the diagnosis. HealthyPlace is a great place to start this learning. I have written hundreds of articles here that can be immensely helpful when learning about a disorder. continues next page

My Say Survey

Page 15 of 32

The My Say survey has been extended until early July to give parents of children with special needs more time to respond.

Please do everything you can to promote this landmark survey to parents as well as to professionals who work in this space. The information they provide is vital and will be used to plan the rollout of free parenting support across Queensland All parents and caregivers of children with a disability aged between 2 and 10 years in Queensland can fill out the survey.

The survey will become available for parents in Victoria in 2013 and for parents in New South Wales in 2014.

The survey has been developed for parents of children with:  Intellectual disability/developmental delay  Autism Spectrum Disorder (including Autism, Asperger’s Disorder, PDD-NOS)  Language delay/disorder  Motor or sensory disability (such as Cerebral Palsy, hearing/visual impairment) Parent Survey Link

http://mysay.org.au/parents/ The

parent survey takes 20-30 minutes to complete.

Professional Survey Link

http://mysay.org.au/professionals/

continued from previous page This knowledge does a few things. It allows you to understand:  What the person with the mental illness is going through  The behavior that you may have seen that was motivated by the illness  The types of treatments available and what those treatments are like In other words, education allows you to put yourself in the shoes of the person with the mental illness – at least a little.

News in Brief

Page 16 of 32

Police say refugees need more welfare, mental health support www.ABC.net.au/news/ 13 June 2013

Families and Mental Illness

We have a great blog here, Mental Illness in the Family, that I recommend you check out, but basically, family is complicated at the best of times and adding an illness into the mix isn’t about to make anything simpler. In short, what I can say is:  Be there for the person with the mental illness  Tell the person with the mental illness that you care about them and love them and no disease will ever change that  Try to support the person with the mental illness in ways that they request  Try to keep other family drama out of the equation – if you can

Talk to the Family Member with the Mental Illness And possibly the number one thing you can do to help a family member with a mental illness is to talk to them. Open up a dialog. Start a conversation that makes it clear that the person with the mental illness is not “crazy” and you feel the same way about them as you did before the diagnosis. And then ask the person with the mental illness what they need. I can tell you list of things that I think any person with a mental illness would need, but the person who is the expert in his or her own mental illness is the patient herself.

You might try offering to do things like:  Make appointments for the person with the mental illness. Go with them to these appointments.  Keep track of medical records  Offer to do the person’s laundry, clean, take out the garbage or do other household chores that may seem overwhelming  Offer childcare  Offer to make a meal for the person sometimes  Check in with the person with the mental illness frequently, if for no other reason, then just to ensure the person maintains outside contact And like I said, just be there, unconditionally. Most of us with a mental illness have had people walk away from us due to that mental illness, and likely, that will be your family member’s bigger fear. If you can alleviate that fear, even a little, you’re doing an amazing job.

You can find Natasha Tracy on Facebook or GooglePlus or @Natasha_Tracy on Twitter.

HealthyPlace www.healthyplace.com

Victorian police say a lack of welfare and mental health support is contributing to violence and substance abuse among refugee communities in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs.

Police have contributed to a letter sent by a group of general practitioners to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

It calls on the Federal Government to urgently provide more health resources to help asylum seekers.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius says help is desperately needed to stem the problems in the community.

"We've identified a particular group in the community that are in need of some assistance and support to help them deal with very significant challenges that we're facing," he said.

"We're very keen to have that support provided."

Assistant Commissioner Cornelius says a lot of individuals have very significant mental health challenges that give rise to behavioural problems.

"It's critical that appropriate support is made available to those individuals so that they get the help and support they need," he said.

Defence mental health boost

ABC News | 4 May 2013

Defence community welcomes mental health boost The former commander of Australian forces in Afghanistan, John Cantwell, has welcomed extra funding to help Defence Force personnel battling a mental illness.

The Defence white paper released yesterday includes an extra $25 million to expand health cover, counselling and post-discharge medical assessments.

Retired Major General Cantwell has warned of a tidal wave of posttraumatic stress disorder cases as Australian troops leave Afghanistan.

He says he believes dealing with the Retired Major General Cantwell Photo: Aust Govt Dept of Defence Defence bureaucracy will still be difficult for returning soldiers, but the funding is a good start.

"I'm certainly more confident having this level of funding and this level of public recognition of the issue in such an important defence-related document is certainly cause for some satisfaction," he said.

"However the problem remains profound and I think there will still be quite a few difficulties for our veterans."

A veterans counselling service will be extended to cover border protection staff and those responding to disaster zones.

The Defence Force Welfare Association's David Jamison is happy peacetime personnel will get access. "There's an urgent need for these people to be supported as well," he said.

But concerns remain that services will not cope with demand from troops returning from Afghanistan. Former Defence chief Chris Barrie says it is a step in the right direction but "may not be enough".

Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced extra funds at the launch of the first Defence white paper since 2009, outlining the department's strategic direction. "We need to do as a Government, as a Defence Force, as a community, and as a nation, everything we can to ensure our wounded warriors are cared for and respected," he said.

"Not just those who suffer from physical wounds but those who suffer from mental wounds."

The white paper says Australia will adopt a "long-term" goal of raising Defence spending to 2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Major General Cantwell says it is not enough and should be between 2.5 and 3 per cent of GDP. "The level of funding is far too low and has been for the last five years or more," he said. "The Government has failed really failed to step up to the mark. There are certainly risks associated with such a low percentage of our GDP being deployed on defence issues."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the document comprised a list of unfunded commitments.

Coalition Defence spokesman David Johnston says the Opposition will release its own white paper within 18 months of taking office if it wins September's election.

Exit Wounds Book Review

Page 17 of 32

'This is my story, but it is also the story of thousands of Australian veterans from Iraq, East Timor, Afghanistan and other conflicts who bare similar emotional scars. This is what becomes of those men and women we send off to war, pay little attention to, then forget once they are home.'

As a country boy from Queensland, John Cantwell signed up to the army as a private and rose to the rank of major general. He was on the front line in 1991 as Coalition forces fitted bulldozer blades to tanks and buried alive Iraqi troops in their trenches. He fought in Baghdad in 2006 and saw what a car bomb does to a marketplace crowded with women and children. In 2010 he commanded the Australian forces in Afghanistan when ten of his soldiers were killed. He returned to Australia in 2011 to be considered for the job of chief of the Australian Army. Instead, he ended up in a psychiatric hospital.

Exit Wounds is the compassionate and deeply human account of one man's tour of the War on Terror, the moving story of life on a modern battlefield: from the nightmare of cheating death in a minefield, to the poignancy of calling home while under rocket fire in Baghdad, to the utter despair of looking into the face of a dead soldier before sending him home to his mother. He has hidden his post traumatic stress disorder for decades, fearing it will affect his career.

Australia has been at war for the past twenty years and yet there has been no stand-out account from these conflicts—Exit Wounds is it.

Raw, candid and eye-opening, no one who reads this book will be unmoved, nor forget its imagery or words.

Random House Books Australia ISBN: 9780522861785

Page 18 of 32

Garry McDonald heads up anxiety campaign

BeyondBlue

Actor Garry McDonald is spearheading a $2 million anxiety awareness campaign after spending years battling the disorder while hamming it up during his comedic career. McDonald, best known for his characters Norman Gunston and later Arthur Beare on Mother and Son, said he always thought anxiety was just part of his personality.

"I kind of thought that everyone experienced this, that I was a bit of a wuss, and couldn't handle it," he said. The Logie-winning actor is now an ambassador for the anxiety campaign by mental health charity and advocacy group beyondblue.

Our Get to know anxiety campaign has been informed by the stories and feedback of people who have experienced anxiety, and for some this may trigger feelings and emotions in relation to your own experience. Remember, there is support and information available. Talk it through with us by contacting the beyondblue support service.

www.ninemsn.com 6 May 2013

I Am Anxiety

Actor Garry McDonald wants Australians to recognise the signs of anxiety. Photo: Hunter Tim

The Get To Know Anxiety campaign, launched nationally on Monday, also features a short film starring Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn.

Beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell said more than one in four Australians have experienced an anxiety condition, but most are unable to identify it.

"Anxiety has doubled the prevalence of depression, but knowledge about this is extraordinarily low," Ms Carnell said. She said many people put up with debilitating anxiety symptoms because like McDonald, they believed they were just a part of their personality.

There was also a stigma associated with anxiety, Ms Carnell said.

"People were often quite dismissive, they didn't see anxiety as a real condition," Ms Carnell said. "They believed they should be able to suck it up, get on with it, pull up their socks."

McDonald said he battled anxiety for 20 years before it culminated in a much publicised nervous breakdown in 1993 while he was trying to revive Norman Gunston for a new series. "I hope this campaign will change the way people understand anxiety," he said.

I am the ill ease you feel when you walk into a crowded room. I am the hot and cold flushes that confuse you when you're already confused enough. I am the one that raises the whip to your already racing heart. I am the tightening of your chest. I am the snowballing worries that feel like they might become an avalanche and just bury you in an instant. I am the obsessive, and I'm the compulsive.

If you or someone close to you has experienced symptoms like these, visit www.beyondblue.org.au or call 1300 22 4636

Townsville NAIDOC Week 2013

Page 19 of 32

Townsville NAIDOC Events 01 July 

Coming of the Light

07 July 

Townsville NAIDOC



Sunday, 07 July 2013

2013

7 – 14 JULY 2013 The theme for NAIDOC Week 2013 is We value the vision: Yirrkala Bark Petitions 1963.

This year's theme proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of the presentation of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions to the Federal Parliament.

In August 1963, the Yolngu people of Yirrkala in northeast Arnhem Land sent two bark petitions – framed by traditional ochre paintings of clan designs – to the Australian House of Representatives.

The petitions protested the Commonwealth's granting of mining rights on land excised from Arnhem Land reserve and sought the recognition by the Australian Parliament of the Yolngu peoples' traditional rights and ownership of their lands.

Asserting title to Yolngu country under Yolngu law, the petitions were the first traditional documents recognised by the Commonwealth Parliament and helped to shape the nation's acknowledgment of Aboriginal people and their land rights.

We value the foresight, strength and determination of the Yolngu people whose Bark Petitions set into motion a long process of legislative and constitutional reforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

While appealing for the recognition of Yolngu rights to land, the Bark Petitions were a catalyst in advancing changes to the Constitution in the 1967 referendum, the statutory acknowledgment of Aboriginal land rights by the Commonwealth in 1976, and the overturning of the obstacle of the concept of terra nullius by the High Court in the Mabo Case in 1992 that recognised the traditional rights of the Meriam people to their islands in the eastern Torres Strait.

Today, we look to a future that better understands and celebrates the unique connection that Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander's share to country, as we continue to build an Australia that reflects the achievements and furthers the aspirations of our people.

2013

Week (7- 14 July 2013) 07:30am - 01:00pm Official Launch of 2013 Townsville NAIDOC Week

08 July  2013

09:30am

2013 Townsville Police District NAIDOC Flag Raising Ceremony

10 July 

07:00am - 09:00am

12 July 

09:30am - 10:00am



11:30am - 04:30pm

2013

2013

If you would like to know more, read on for a comprehensive insight into the Petitions (http://australia.gov.au/aboutaustralia/australian-story/bark-petitions-indigenous-ar t)

2013 Townsville

NAIDOC Breakfast

2013 Townsville NAIDOC March

Townsville NAIDOC Deadly Day Out

(Family Fun Day)

Townsville NAIDOC Committee PO Box 1594, Townsville QLD 4810 E: info@townsvillenaidoc.com.au W: www.townsvillenaidoc.com.au

National NAIDOC Information E: info@naidoc.org.au W: www.naidoc.org.au

19 July  2013

2013 Townsville NAIDOC Dinner

Diversity – Range of Difference

Rebecca Hampton

We don’t realise that every day we step out our front doors and we are faced with diversity. Australia is very culturally enriched, not with just our native people, but with many nationalities from across the world. I first encountered diversity at a startling rate through the Mental Illness Fellowship Inc. Many years back I walked into the main office of this Community Service Provider to seek help to fit back into the community after having my stay in the Acute Mental Health Hospital. I met a lot of people from all walks of life with a common aspect to me – Mental illness issues. Mental illness does not discriminate. Just as hearing impairment, blindness, learning disabilities (etc) do not discriminate irrespective of your cultural background.

My background is very diverse, I also identify as Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander. In saying that, I have had a very different cultural upbringing to those who had a proper cultural upbringing.

Even to this day, I do not understand my Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander culture.

As a Peer Support Worker from the MIFNQ working in the National Tobacco and Mental Illness Project I have quickly learnt that brain storming ways to ‘educate’ and gather resources for such diverse groups is the norm.

One such group struggled with all the hand out resources we have always used, these resource handouts mostly consist of reading, not so much looking and creating discussion about what is in the hand out.

We need more diagrams also, to explain the text that was essentially the learning material they needed to help them along their quit journey with tobacco use. My supervisor (Project Officer) and I decided first port of call was to contact the head office of Mental Illness Fellowship Inc in South Australia, and see if they offered diagram resources along with reading resources for our participants.

The NTMI Project is relatively new and no such resources have been established to go along with the current resources. It was now up to me and my Supervisor to skim through our reading resources and establish the most important factors that will aid our participants in their quit journey. A very popular tool used is known as The 4D’s.

The 4D’s are:

1. DELAY – Wait a while, the craving is likely to pass 2. DEEP BREATHE - Breathe slowly and deeply, this can help you relax 3. DRINK WATER – This helps reduce the cravings and flush out the toxins accumulated through smoking. If you like you can add lemon and cordial.

4. DO SOMETHING ELSE –Take action, do something different, this helps you to think of something else continues next page

Page 20 of 32

Helping people with mental illness to be

Group Support Program A supportive program for tobacco smokers with a mental illness

Would you like to quit or cut down tobacco?

When: Every Tuesday starting on 2 July 2013 What Time: 10am – 12pm

Where: Uniting Care Community Training Room 276-280 Ross River Rd Aitkenvale 4814

Join the Tobacco & Mental Illness teams peer supported 10 week tobacco program and get information about what options there are for people who want to make changes.

The group provides a positive and supportive place to work on smoking and is for people who are:   

Just thinking about quitting.

Wanting to cut back.

Really keen to stop smoking.

For more information contact Rebecca on 0434 742 322 to register, or email Rebecca at tobaccocessation@mifnq.org.au or just turn up on the day.

continued from previous page For DELAY we simply added a diagram of the clock and talked through the step with our participants. DEEP BREATHE, a simple picture of a person mediating was enough for our participants to understand the concept behind deep breathing.

DRINK WATER, a diagram of a cup of water was added to the reading material to show that grabbing a glass of water is not just a good distraction, but also a healthy one. DO SOMETHING ELSE, I decided on a diagram of a person head butting a soccer ball. This showed a healthy distraction.

I created posters from scratch, many posters mostly covered the important aspects of quitting tobacco use and the benefits our participants would receive in doing so. We have also found creating power point presentations to be useful, but only if we can get our hands on the technology to show the presentations. DVDs are also useful.

Group discussions seem to work wonders. One particular group we travel to is of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I’ve have stated I am of Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander back ground, but know little of my culture. I was pleasantly surprised on my first visit that one person picked up straight away that I have Islander ‘in my face’. I’ve learnt in this group that sharing stories and involving everyone else with their stories is a great way to talk about their tobacco use and what we can all do together to address it. We have used a lot of visual material over reading material and we find they delight well in seeing their progress with their quit journey on the Carbon Monoxide monitor weekly. Using this machine first, opened up discussion very quickly and gets the group interacting.

I have discovered that Torres Strait Islander men in this group will not give me eye contact, but still much prefer one on one discussion and support from myself. I do not understand the eye contact or lack of it, but the more I work with this particular group I feel I want to get back to “my people”. I have already gained my certificate that states I am a Mental Health First Aider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. I learnt through this training, cultural understanding in this field is a must.

Through my work with the Mental Illness Fellowship, the National Tobacco Mental Illness Project and studies in TAFE my overall goal is to become better equipped and resourceful to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with Mental Health issues. I want to bridge the gap between the main stream mental health services and the services required for those in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I conclude this, diversity, doesn’t alone mean you are of different culture. Diversity is a range of difference...in all areas as whole.

Page 21 of 32

Did You Know?

11% of people are left handed unless food is mixed with saliva you can't taste it

The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes

8% of people have an extra rib The smallest bones in the

human body are found in your ear

Stewardesses is the longest

word that is typed with only the left hand

That you burn more calories

eating celery than it contains (the more you eat the thinner you become)

All the blinking in one day

equates to having your eyes closed for 30 minutes

Your foot has 26 bones in it The average human brain contains around 78% water

Your brain uses between 20 -

25% of the oxygen your breathe

A 1/4 of your bones are in your feet

Your tongue is the fastest healing part of your body

A 1 minute kiss burns 26 calories

You burn more calories sleeping than watching TV

An average person will spend 25 years asleep

The most common mental illnesses are anxiety and depression

Your skin is the largest organ making up the human body

Enamel is the hardest substance in your body

The hyoid bone in your throat is the only bone in your body not attached to any other

Page 22 of 32

Success Weight Loss Program

News in Brief

Successful Weight Loss Program For Patients With Serious Mental Illness

Salvos plead for more farm mental health support in outback Qld

Medical News Today | 25 March 2013

www.ABC.net.au/news

By Kate Stephens - Posted 12 June 2013

Through a program that teaches simple nutrition messages and involves both counselling and regular exercise classes, people with serious mental illness can make healthy behavioural changes and achieve significant weight loss, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

These weight loss amounts were similar to those in other successful programs studied with subjects in the general population - studies that specifically excluded people with serious mental illnesses, the researchers say.

Results of the new research, believed to be the first large study of its kind to involve people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression, suggest that a population many consider to be unable to engage in a behaviour management program can make substantial lifestyle changes to improve their health. People with serious mental illness often are overweight or obese and have mortality rates two to three times higher than that of the general population, primarily from obesity-related conditions. Many are sedentary and take several psychotropic medications, which include weight gain as a side effect.

Results of the research were published online in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions (EPI/NPAM).

"We sought to dispel the perception that lifestyle programs don't work in this population," says study leader Gail L. Daumit, M.D., M.H.S., an associate professor of general internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "There's this really important need to find ways to help this population be healthier and lose weight. We brought a weight-loss program to them, tailored to the needs of people with serious mental illness. And we were successful."

Known as ACHIEVE (Randomized Trial of Achieving Healthy Lifestyles in Psychiatric Rehabilitation), the study enrolled 291 overweight or obese patients with serious mental illness. Some 144 were randomly placed in an intervention group, while 147 made up the control group.

The intervention took place at 10 Baltimore area outpatient psychiatric rehabilitation day facilities that already offered vocational and skills training, case management and other services for people with mental illness not well enough to work full time. continues next page

The Salvation Army's Outback Flying Service says there needs to be more long-term mental health support for farmers in Queensland.

Simon Steele flies to remote stations in the Gulf, north-west and Channel Country, helping graziers on their properties, offering chaplaincy support and occasionally dropping food parcels.

Mr Steele says many are struggling with rising debt, drought conditions and low cattle prices.

He says financial struggles in the farming sector is nothing new but better access to mental health support would help.

"We always need more of that [mental health support] and I think that's the most important part because there's always going to be financial debt and obviously we can't just change that easily but the mental health side is something that is worth a lot in getting somebody to be able to get through," he said.

He says most graziers are just trying to deal with rising debt, hoping cattle prices will improve.

"It is hard for them because they are feeling I guess alone in that the debt is building up and we need to get through, to get to the other side," he said.

"It just seems like everything is against them at the moment, especially as I said with the drought.

"The dams aren't full and just sort of trying to hang out until the end of it and also until the cattle prices rise."

continued from previous page The researchers added a schedule of regular group and individual weight-management sessions, thrice-weekly exercise classes and a weekly weigh-in for the first six months of the trial. The sessions and weigh-ins continued, though less frequently, for the following year, though the exercise class schedule remained the same.

At the 18-month point, on average, the intervention group lost seven more pounds than the control group. Nearly 38% of the intervention group lost 5% or more of their initial weight, as compared with 23% of the control group. More than 18% of those in the intervention arm of the study lost more than 10% of their body weight after 18 months, compared with 7% in the control group.

Participants lost more weight as the intervention went on. This suggests it took a while to make behavioural change, but once these modifications took hold, the changes yielded positive results, Daumit says.

Of the people in the study:  50% had schizophrenia,  22% had bipolar disorder; and  12% major depression.

Many with serious mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, have impairments in memory and executive function, as well as residual psychiatric symptoms that impede learning and adoption of new behaviours.

What the study suggested, Daumit says, is that tailored programs can overcome these impediments.

The average number of psychotropic medications study participants took was three; the medications, often required for long-term symptom control, are known to cause weight gain in part by stimulating appetites and increased eating.

Instead of asking participants to keep detailed food logs and counting every calorie they consume - a practice common to other weight-loss programs - Daumit's program instead focused on relatively simple messages and goals, she says. They were encouraged to avoid junk food and sugary beverages, monitor portion sizes and include more fruits and vegetables in their diet. They had regular exercise at the rehabilitation facilities as part of the study, and were encouraged to exercise 30 minutes on other days, too.

Daumit says she thinks the weight-loss program could be adopted by other psychiatric rehabilitation facilities.

"This population is often stigmatized," she says. "This study's findings should help people think differently about people with serious mental illness. Our results provide clear evidence that this population can make healthy lifestyle changes and achieve weight loss”.

Study Leader:

Gail L. Daumit, M.D., M.H.S., Associate Professor of Medicine The Johns Hopkins Hospital

News in Brief

Page 23 of 32

A WEST Australian director of mental health has been appointed to head Queensland's new Mental Health Commission.

News.com.au 10 June 2013

Lesley van Schoubroeck has been an executive with Western Australia's mental health agency since early 2010.

She previously spent seven years as a director of Western Australia's Department of Premier and Cabinet and was instrumental in setting up WA's Mental Health Commission.

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said Dr van Schoubroeck would be charged with establishing the independent Queensland Mental Health Commission when it starts on July 1.

"She has worked extensively on public sector management and policy, and has engaged extensively with advocacy groups," he said in a statement on Monday.

"Most importantly, she will be central to improving the system that supports people living with a mental illness or who misuse substances, as well as their families, carers and support networks."

As mental health commissioner, Dr van Schoubroeck will also have support from a new Queensland Mental Health and Drug Advisory Council.

Last week's state budget allocated $3 million to establish the mental health commission, which Mr Springborg said would play a role in reducing suicide rates, and use early intervention measures to help the vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Medical News Today | 4 June 2013

Surgery For Sufferers Is Safe And Effective Around half of people with an extreme form of obsessive compulsive disorder responded well to a type of psychosurgery that proved to be safe and effective, according to research published online in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, & Psychiatry.

Researchers from Canada have now recommended physicians should consider this approach in helping people with OCD who have not responded to any other type of treatment.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disease which leads to anxiety-provoking thoughts (obsessions) causing repeated, time-consuming behaviors (compulsions) that might or might not provide temporary relief. Around 1 to 2% of the population is thought to have OCD that is severe enough to disrupt their life.

Standard treatments for the disorder are antidepressant medication and/or psychotherapeutic help such as cognitive behavioural therapy, but other studies have shown that such treatment does not help relieve symptoms for between 20-30% of patients.

Psychosurgery for OCD is sometimes carried out, but is rare and few studies have examined the benefits of this surgery.

Researchers from the Department of Neurological Sciences at UniversitĂŠ Laval, Quebec, therefore, decided they would study the efficacy and possible complications of one type of such surgery bilateral anterior capsulotomy - in patients with severe OCD who had not responded to any other treatments over a long time period.

Nineteen patients were studied who had a severe form of OCD that had not responded to drugs or psychotherapeutic treatment. All of these patients underwent psychosurgery in the form of bilateral capsulotomy between 1997 and 2009.

They were evaluated before the surgery and then periodically afterwards for two years as well as being contacted again at an average of seven years after their operation to check on their progress.

Using a tool called the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), the researchers measured the patients' symptom severity. A patient with an improvement rate of over 35% in the Y-BOCS score was considered a responder, while a patient with a 25% improvement was considered a partial responder.

Their results showed that 36.8% of the patients responded fully to the procedure and 10.5% were considered partial responders, meaning that almost half of the patients (47.3%) responded to the surgery.

At the end of the study, three out of the 19 patients had recovered from their OCD, three were in remission (meaning their symptoms were reduced to a minimum level) and no deaths were reported. Only two patients had permanent surgical complications.

They concluded: "We are aware of the many ethical and sociopolitical considerations related to psychosurgery, but we think that such surgery is appropriate under thoughtful regulation, particularly when the disorder is chronic, intractable to non-invasive treatment modalities and when surgery is the last therapeutic option."

Page 24 of 32

Words of Wisdom from the Dali Lama "Follow the three R's: Respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for all your actions."

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck "Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly."

"Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship."

"When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it."

"Spend some time alone every day."

"Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values."

"Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk."

"When you lose, don't lose the lesson."

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past."

"Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality."

‘Man Up’ Campaign

Shelley Strachan | The Gympie Times | 7 June 2013

Page 25 of 32

Men’s Programs

The task of the beyondblue Men’s Team is to provide national leadership in the drive to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety in men.

The team encourages men to take action against depression and anxiety and to reduce stigma through a collaborative approach to programs, knowledge building and policy. 

You can’t underestimate the value of such support when life seems overwhelming.

– David Gibson. Photo: Renee Pilcher

Men happy to 'man up' for mental health campaign

THE launch of Australia's Man Therapy campaign which urges men to "man up" and get help for problems like depression and anxiety was very relevant to the Gympie region where farmers and businessmen were still grappling with the fallout of the flood disasters.

Deputy Mayor Tony Perrett and a host of Gympie men backed the new campaign yesterday, Cr Perrett saying he had seen for himself, particularly in the South Burnett, where men who had worked their farms for years were now trying to cope with the hardship and losses caused by the floods.

"There are some really difficult situations in our rural areas where there have been some really heavy losses," he said.

Backed by Beyondblue and Mental Health Minister Mark Butler, Man Therapy centres on Dr Brian Ironwood, a character that promote men's mental health by asking men to "take life by the balls".

In Australia, one in eight men are likely to experience depression and one in five are likely to experience anxiety.

While the rates are much lower than women, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, with at least 1727 men dying from suicide in 2011.

The advertisements asking men to look out for their mates and support each other will appear on television, radio, online and in print media.

The humorous initiative can also be viewed at http://www.mantherapy.org.au.

"It is well known that Australian men do not have a good record of attendance at doctors' surgery or discuss with their mates or loved ones any mental health problems or for that matter health matters," Mayor Ron Dyne said.

       

Australian Survivorship Action Plan Beyond Barriers Man Therapy Reducing stigma in men ‘Soften The Fck Up’ Suicide prevention program Support service promotion The Shed Online Youth Collaboration Network

Talk it through with us, day or night Call us 1300 22 4636 W www.beyondblue.org.au Web chat 4pm to 10pm Facebook beyondblue Twitter @beyondblue YouTube beyondblueofficial

continued from previous page Mr Gibson says he finds his man therapy at Apex.

"They cover all the fun elements of this program, from man aromatherapy at a barbecue, to community service at Santa Fair or camping and music appreciation at the Gympie Muster to the adrenaline rush of gator racing," he said.

"In fact these guys are the gurus of man therapy in Gympie. "On a serious note, I believe this Man Therapy campaign is an important imitative. I know that the Apex guys were there for me through some difficult times and helped me realise that you should never take yourself too seriously.

"You can't underestimate the value of such support when life seems overwhelming and I'd encourage anyone who is feeling down to look to these ideas."

Rural MH Workshops Mental health workshops for drought regions

Neroli Roocke | ABC Rural | 30 May 2013

The Queensland Government is planning 40 mental health workshops in its latest drought assistance package.

Visiting Richmond Stock at a water trough on Gipsy Plains, near Cloncurry today, Agriculture Photo: Peter Lewis Minister John McVeigh says conditions have deteriorated since he was in the northwest region two weeks ago.

"It's quite depressing to tell you the truth, the dry conditions have continued to take hold." He says the mental health support workshops will be funded by Queensland Health across the 13 shires under drought declarations. "Educating locals, councils and other people who can assist in local communities about how to keep an eye out for mental and psychological health issues and concerns because people are under enormous stress, there's no doubt about that."

Leasehold land rent increases that should be happening this year have been frozen for properties in drought, resulting in a reduction of $1.2 million in land rent income for the government. Properties wanting to install emergency water infrastructure will be offered a 50 per cent rebate on what they spend up to $20,000. These measures come on top of the freight subsidies on offer for fodder and water cartage, opening some national parks and reserves to grazing, and easing road restrictions for road trains shifting droughted livestock to Roma and Emerald.

David Carter, who runs Wyangarie Station near Richmond, says he will find some of the new measures useful. "The sum of a lot of small things can make a big difference - it hasn't got to be one overarching thing that solves the problem, but all these little things add up to significant help.” "Everybody's under stress and under pressure. "Times like this stresses your imagination and we become fretful, for want of a better word, over the welfare of our stock." Mr Carter today showed the Premier Campbell Newman and Mr McVeigh a yard of weaners he'd removed from their mothers earlier than he would like and explained why that's done to give the cows a chance to survive.

Page 26 of 32

Did you know?

The most common illnesses experienced by people with SMI include cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, respiratory illness and obesity related diseases. These diseases occur at rates much higher than the general population, and contribute to the high morbidity and mortality seen in people with SMI. These diseases not only occur more frequently in people with SMI than the general population, but they also occur at an earlier age, are more severe, and lead to earlier death. For example:  31% of people with schizophrenia and coronary heart disease

 41% of people with schizophrenia and diabetes are diagnosed under the age of 55, compared with 30% of others with diabetes. After five years, 19% of people with diabetes who have schizophrenia have died, compared with 9% of people with no SMI.  21% of people with schizophrenia who have a stroke are under 55, compared with 11% of others who have a stroke. After five years, 28% of people who have had a stroke and who also have schizophrenia have died, compared with 12% of people with no SMI.

 23% of people with schizophrenia and respiratory disease are diagnosed before the age of 55, compared with 17% of others with respiratory disease. After five years, 28% of people with respiratory disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder who also have schizophrenia have died, compared with 15% of people with no SMI.

Graduates Taking Up Rural Jobs More Allied Health Graduates Are Taking Up Rural Jobs

Hospital & Healthcare News | 30 May, 2013

More than a third of allied health students who completed a rural placement are now working in rural and remote Australia, according a new survey by Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH).

A survey of 161 graduates who completed a Clinical Placement Scholarship between 2009 and 2012 found that 35 per cent of them are now working in rural practice.

The findings, which were collated via email and phone, are a strong indicator that exposure to rural practice as a student gives health providers a more positive outlook towards future careers in rural regions.

SARRAH CEO Rod Wellington said the survey also found that 73 per cent of respondents, including those currently working in cities, intended to work in rural and remote settings in the future.

“This survey verifies our belief that rural placements for students of both city and country backgrounds is a good thing for Australia,” Mr Wellington said.

“We’ve known for a long time that rural students are more likely to work in a rural setting, but these findings show that city-based health professionals will also relocate to the bush if they are given a taste of rural practice while at university.

“Once they graduate, young allied health professionals are having a huge impact on rural patients in crucial areas of need such as aged care, mental health, early intervention and Aboriginal health. “It not only results in rural patients getting access to more health services, but it gives allied health professionals a great start to their careers.”

Key findings from the survey of 161 graduates are:  



18 per cent are employed in areas with Australia’s second highest rating of remoteness (*ASGC-RA 4) 45 are working in rural and remote areas other than where they completed their clinical placement. These include Innisfail (Qld), Austins Ferry (Tas), Leongatha (Vic), Dubbo (NSW), Tom Price (WA).

54 per cent chose to work in metropolitan areas, citing lack of incentives with rural jobs and the cost of living away from families as two factors influencing their career choice.

Did you know

Page 27 of 32

 People with severe mental illness (SMI), such as schizophrenia and mood disorders, have much higher rates of physical illness than the general population. They also have physical health problems that often remain undetected or untreated. Up to 50% of people with SMI have identified medical disorders which frequently exacerbate their psychiatric condition. The presence of a greater number of physical health problems can also contribute to more severe psychosis and depression.

Poor physical health is associated with poorer mental health.  Many health care systems do not adequately provide an integrated approach for physical and mental health care. Generally mental health care is provided by one organisation and physical health care from a different provider. One condition may be receiving adequate attention while the others are not. The consequences of fragmented or incomplete care are all too often a lower life expectancy and a poorer quality of life.  Cancer accounts for a large proportion of deaths among people with schizophrenia; indeed, the World Federation for Mental Health has reported that cancers, especially breast cancer and lung cancer, are the second most common cause of death in people with schizophrenia. This could be associated with the difficulty they have with accessing health care, including cancer screening programmes.

Art from Adversity

www.dailytelegraph.com.au

ANNE Naylor had no idea she had a talent for painting until after she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The West Pennant Hills mum said discovering her creativity had been a positive aspect of her diagnosis.

"The art is beautiful that has come out of it," she said. "It just sprang from some creativity that was there and hadn't been expressed before.

"One day I looked around my home and thought the artwork on my walls is pretty boring and I would like to paint artworks for my whole house. (It came) completely from nowhere."

Ms Naylor recently launched her book, Art From Adversity: A Life With Bipolar. It is part autobiography, part information guide to bipolar disorder and mental health.

"My aim in writing the book is to say no one's normal and everyone has got something, whether it's a mental health issue, a child with a disability, a health problem," she said.

"The second message is that bipolar is not all bad. There's a perception it's only terrible … but, for a lot of people like me, there are some really positive aspects to it."

Ms Naylor was diagnosed in 2005 after going through mood changes "that couldn't really be explained by regular life circumstances".

She hopes the book will help destigmatise mental illness. "I don't fit the stereotype as a person with a mental illness," she said.

"I work in the community and contribute to society."

"I think that some people think that for people with a mental illness it's very obvious but it's not. It's just like having any other chronic, long-term illness that you have to manage."

Ms Naylor said she had met a lot of wonderful people as a result of her diagnosis.

"I really appreciate my friends who I talk to and when things are difficult and I'm finding it hard, I say to myself your life is great and you have got a lovely family and plenty of other people have much more Author Anne Naylor. difficult things to deal with," she said.

Picture Peter Kelly Source: News Limited

Poem

Page 28 of 32

Mushy Brains Our brains are in a mush, Caused by a rush, Of treatments that go zap zap zap.

I wonder what would happen, If we didn’t get them clapping, Over such a barbaric practice.

The clock has passed by, Over a lot of great time, But they still do the same treatment.

They treat a lot of people, As well as folks who are highly regal, Not knowing what we are in for.

They tell us that we will be okay, After the zap-ba-dee-doo brain waves, But that is not the truth.

Instead of us being cured, We spew up after the treatment, And our memory goes squishily squashily blank.

What do we do now, I ask?

Do we yell at all the staff, For causing our beautiful memory bank to be destroyed?

Or do we sit around here, Let our lives go on, As if nothing really bad happened to us?

Kathryn O’Neill

Mi Networks AUSTRALIA 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.

Page 29 of 32

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.

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 MI Networks website http://www.minetworks.org.au/ or call 1800 985 944

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 http://www.givenow.com.au/mifnq.

An Extraordinary Life

Page 30 of 32

Back in the late 1970’s and early 80’s, 2 young members of Doreen’s extended family were diagnosed with a terrible illness. Not the sort of illness that usually brings families, friends and their communities together, but the sort of illness that can bring shame, isolation and fear to ordinary families; an illness whose name at the time, was rarely spoken because of the stigma attached.

But Doreen was not like ordinary people. She knew that stigma was based on ignorance. She also knew that ignorance could be challenged by knowledge, by information and by truth. So she went in search of the knowledge. But this was in the days before Goggle, search engines and the internet. Knowledge of the kind she was looking for was not easy to find, but what she did find in her search Doreen Wheeler was a few other like-minded people living locally; Grace, Margaret and Debbie Herring, Jeanette Muir, John Drew, May Bligh. She even 5 May 1927 – 4 May 2013 found a couple of health professionals willing to support her quest.

And then she found an Occupational Therapist from Victoria called Margaret Leggett OAM. Between them, they established the Schizophrenia Fellowship of North Queensland which became incorporated in 1986. This was an organization established by and for people and families living with schizophrenia; an organization that provided accurate, up to date information about schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Doreen lobbied for funding to establish the first housing program for people with mental illness in Queensland, right here in Townsville, even providing some of her own furniture to turn houses into homes. She sourced books and education programs to raise awareness of schizophrenia in the community and to help families and individuals manage the impact of mental illness; she challenged ignorance and stigma by increasing knowledge and understanding; Through the Schizophrenia Fellowship, she lobbied for the establishment of a day therapy centre, run by the first community mental health team in Townsville. Again she and the Fellowship members raided their homes and wallets to help set it up; Doreen and the Fellowship members went to Sussex Street Day Therapy Centre every week to provide a home cooked meal for the delighted clients. Doreen helped the Fellowship to gain funding to staff and run an information and drop in centre in North Ward, near the old Townsville hospital.

Doreen was at various times, President, Secretary, and Committee member. Even Jim, her husband, was roped in to be the Treasurer for a time. This was after all a family affair, all be it, an extended family affair.

Over the years, Doreen has been the first to put up her hand to run information displays at Castletown, Stockland and Willows shopping centres during Schizophrenia Awareness Week every May. She supported any fund raising event, art show, community mental health forum and conference with national and international guest speakers. Doreen remained involved and committed to the aims and objectives of what is now the Mental Illness Fellowship NQ that she helped set up over 30 years ago, right to the end of her life.

Doreen was a hero and will become a legend for the positive contribution she has made to the lives of thousands of individuals and families whose lives are affected by schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. On her work, on the foundations she helped build, sits the largest specialist non-government organization outside the Brisbane metropolitan region in Queensland. An influential organization, with services operating in Cairns, Townsville and Mackay and outreaching into rural and remote areas throughout Queensland. The Mental Illness Fellowship NQ is a legacy of Doreen Wheeler’s extraordinary life.

MIFNQ Office Locations

CAIRNS

Page 31 of 32

MACKAY

Suite 7,129a Lake St, Cairns Q 4870 PO Box 816N Cairns Q 4870 P: (07) 4041 2543 F: (07) 4041 2872 E: cairns@mifnq.org.au

TOWNSVILLE (Head Office) 159 Kings Rd, Pimlico Q 4812 PO Box 979 Hyde Park Q 4812 P: (07) 4725 3664 F: (07) 4725 3819 E: townsville@mifnq.org.au FREE CALL: 1800 455 455

14-16 Wood St, Mackay Q 4740 PO Box 729 Mackay Q 4740 P: (07) 4951 2955 F: (07) 4953 0509 E: mackay@mifnq.org.au

SUNSHINE COAST - Living Proof PO Box 5080 Nambour Q 4560 P: (07) 5442 1651 F: (07) 5442 1651 E: coolum@mifnq.org.au

MIFNQ Management Committee

President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Committee Members

Bob James (vacant) Jenny Chapman Sandra Hubert Alf Musumeci Tanya Park Donella Pickles Sandi Winner

Promoting Recovery Through Services in the Community Living Proof – Positive Stories of Mental Illness Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc MIFNQ-Cairns Mental Health Carers’ Support Hub MIFNQ-Day To Day Living MIFNQInc @CairnsCarersHub @MIFNQ @LivingProof @Roads2Recovery MIFNQInc

www.mifnq.org.au Townsville has an extensive collection of books, DVD’s, CDs, VHS and cassettes for members to borrow. Feel free to come in and browse around.

Library Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

Page 32 of 32

OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Received: ___________________

Membership No: ___________ Entered: ____________________ Initials: _____________________

I would like to become a member of Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc. Membership is free.

 Individual

 Family

 Organization

Please select the category/categories which relate to you:

 Family Member  Friend  Health Professional  Student

 Someone who experiences mental illness  Other _____________________________

 Day to Day Living  Early Psychosis  Mental Illness Education

 MH First Aid  Respite  Well Ways

What Program/s are you currently enrolled in (if any):

DONATIONS AND REQUESTS

I wish to support the work of MIFNQ, I have enclosed 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: ..........................................................

Fax: ..............................................................................

Work: .....................................................................................................

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

Fax: (07) 4725 3819

Post: REPLY PAID 979 Membership Administration Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc PO Box 979 HYDE PARK QLD 4812