Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc Issue: JUNE 2013Urgent Action Called For

Media Release 24 May 2013

Commission calls for urgent action to improve the physical healthof those with mental health difficulties.The National Mental Health Commission is urging attendees of today’sNational Summit on mental health and physical health in Sydney tocommit to meaningful action that will improve the physical health ofthose with mental health difficulties. The Summit will be hosted by theCommonwealth Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, The Hon. MarkButler and the New South Wales Minister for Mental Health andHealthy Lifestyles, The Hon. Kevin Humphries. It has been called inresponse to growing community concerns and evidence aboutinequities in the physical health of people with mental illness.Prof. Allan Fels, Chair of the National Mental Commission will beparticipating in the Summit and says: “The physical health of peoplewith mental illness is a scandal that receives almost no attention.People with mental health problems are dying decades younger thanthe general population, and their wellbeing must be given a higherpriority in all areas of health.”Physical health was a major focus of the Commissions’ first NationalReport Card on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in 2012. In theReport Card the Commission called for all governments to set targetsand work together to reduce early death and improve the physicalhealth of people with people illness. “We all know that possibleconcurrent issues like smoking, poor nutrition and physical inactivityhave a major bearing on physical health. However, most Australiansmay not know that some antipsychotic medications prescribed tomanage mental illnesses such as schizophrenia also contribute to thelikelihood of developing chronic physical disorders.“Importantly, all government funded mental health related programsmust be measured on how they support people to achieve betterphysical health and longer lives, and enduring mental illness must begiven the status of a chronic disease to give it higher national focus andsupport,” Prof. Fels says.Key facts: One in five Australians experience a mental health difficulty in anygiven year The physical health of people living with a mental health difficultyis worse than those in the general community on just about everymeasure, while people with severe mental illness live between 10-32 years less than the general population People with illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophreniahave heart-related problems, diabetes and obesity at much higherrates than the rest of the community

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159 Kings RoadPimlico QLD 4812PO Box 979Hyde Park QLD 4812Tel: (07) 4725 3664Fax: (07) 4725 3819Email: townsville@mifnq.org.auwww.mifnq.org.au

Editor: Deborah Wilson, CorporateDevelopment ManagerTel: (07) 4725 3664Fax: (07) 4725 3819Email: cdm@mifnq.org.auCompiled by: Margaret Sleeman,Receptionist© Mental Illness Fellowship of NthQueensland Inc.PO Box 979Hyde Park QLD 4812All rights reserved.Printing & Design:Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.MIFNQ reserves the right to editarticles for publication.The views expressed in thisnewsletter are not necessarily thoseof MIFNQ.

Page 2 of 32continued from previous page People with mental health difficulties have lower access to thehealth services they need, potentially contributing to prematuredeathContact: Ben Hornbrook, 0431 180 161 bhornbrook@boxingclever.net.auMental Health First Aid

Sophie Scott and Gillian Bennett | ABC News | 28 May 2013Members of the community in the Gulf Savannah Region of NorthQueensland learnt what to do in a mental health emergency as part of aMental Health First Aid training course held in Georgetown.Frontier Services SavannahRegional Health Service organisedthe two-day training programconducted by Mental IllnessFellowship North Queensland(MIFNQ).Philippa Harris, from MIFNQ, wholed the training, said learningMental Health First Aid was just asimportant as regular First Aid.“We are actually more likely tocome across someone experiencing a mental health problem than aphysical health problem,” she said. “Statistics show one in five peopleexperience a mental health issue every year.”With the financial and emotional impact of fire, floods and droughtaffecting people in the region, the training was particularly importantfor 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 isimportant that we recognise when people are struggling with mentalhealth issues.”“Early recognition of these issues is very important to make surepeople can recover as soon as possible.”The training took participants through the different types of mentalhealth issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, psychosisand eating disorders. “We teach people how to identify and supportsomeone who might be developing a mental health issue and where togo for professional help.” “We also look at what to do in acrisis situation and take themthrough a number of differentscenarios, what they should do,who to involve and what they willbe thinking. It gives people theopportunity to feel confident,knowing they’ve been through thetraining and they know what todo.”Savannah Regional Health ServicePrimary Health Care Nurse Anna Burley said training people in MentalHealth First Aid was a big help to health services in addressing mentalhealth. “It creates an extra set of eyes for health services as morepeople 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 Savannahregion.

In This Edition

Urgent Action Called For................. 1Mental Health First Aid.................... 2NRL launches mental health.......... 3Committee Chatter ............................ 4CEO’s Update ....................................... 5Ashleigh Witt’s Story ........................ 6Media portrayals of schizophrenia................................................................... 7Stories for keeping strong ............10Concern for Aussie Parents..........10People with schizophrenia facemore health risks .............................14What to Do When a FamilyMember Gets a Mental Illness.....15Defence mental health boost.......17Townsville NAIDOC Week 2013 19Diversity – Range of Difference..20Success Weight Loss Program ....22Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.24‘Man Up’ Campaign..........................25Rural MH Workshops .....................26Graduates Taking Up Rural Jobs 27Art from Adversity...........................28An Extraordinary Life.....................30

Page 3 of 32NRL launches mental health

By Jennifer Browning ABC News 3 June 2013The National Rugby League has launched a new mental health initiativeon the eve of the State of Origin series. The campaign, called What'sYour State of Mind, is a partnership between mental health providersand rugby league that is aiming to breakdown stereotypes and stigmas.NRL chief executive Dave Smith says it is important program for thecommunity and for players."Mental health does not discriminate," Smith said. "Even in a game astough as rugby league, we are faced with mental health challenges.""Our rugby league family of players, officials and volunteers shouldknow 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 willhave the support of others and at the same time you could be givingsomeone else the confidence to talk about how they feel."The initiative comes after the code had three unexpected deaths ofyoung players since October.

NRL senior welfare and education manager Paul Heptonstall says hehopes the program will encourage everyone to look out for each other."Unfortunately in the last couple of months the NRL lost a couple ofplayers who could not see an answer to these mental health challengesand very sadly took their own lives," he said."But an even sadder statistic is that 40 Australians every week will dothe same thing."The aim of the program is to ensure a healthier environment where amental health issue is treated the same as any other illness. A series ofcommunity service announcements featuring some of the game'sgreats will be broadcast throughout the State of Origin series over thenext six weeks. One of them, Queensland coach Mal Meninga, says hewas very keen to be a part of the campaign.“Health and wellbeing should be our number one priority, and tospeak out and seek support is not a wussy thing to do but acourageous thing," he said. “To utilise the vehicle of rugby league Ithink is fantastic.”For more information about suicide prevention contactLifeline on 13 11 14 or go to www.nrlstateofmind.com.au

MIFNQMEMBERSHIP

RENEWALSDUE SOON

Membership renewal isdue on 1 July each yearand although there is nocharge for membership,you are still required torenew each year.Your MembershipRenewal Form willshortly be forwarded toyou for completion andreturn to us. If yourdetails have changed,please note them on theForm.Donations are gratefullyaccepted and these canbe made when you arereturning your Form, inperson at any of ouroffices or online athttp://www.givenow.com.au/mifnq.We look forward to yourcontinued support.RegardsManagement Committee

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Committee ChatterIn a ‘civic’ society in the modern and wealthy world, we are able to look after eachother much better than in poorer societies, or those with less of a caring nature. Wedon’t just leave the old and infirm to fend for themselves, as is the case in many partsof 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 haveother ways of earning much income [perhaps from businesses or investments] paymore tax, so that governments have more money to provide the essential services toeverybody, regardless of whether they could otherwise afford these services.We don’t ask people to pay to defend our country themselves, or to build roads, damsand hospitals [well, sometimes we do – e.g. toll roads, medicare levies, private hospital cover] – but most of itcomes from our taxes, and the governments pay for the army, for most roads and for the bulk of the healthsystem.As we grow richer [yes, we do grow richer – I just have to think back to my own teenage years, a mere half-century ago, to know how much more we now have] – as we grow richer and enjoy the fruits of technologicalprogress, 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’thave them at all] and we slowly progress towards eliminating the extreme inequalities suffered by our mostdisadvantaged people. So we try to eliminate this disadvantage, or at least minimise it. NIDS is the most recentexample of this, together with the Gonski reforms in education. Efforts to “close the gap” in Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander health, education and life-expectancy is another.Over my lifetime, governments have reduced their direct involvement as service providers, but have continuedto fund these increased services. They long-ago realised that they could not provide the right services as cheaplyas the right community organisations. Aboriginal communities, charities, and importantly, NGOs [Non-government 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 yourFellowship 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 andMelbourne and all over Australia.While your little Management Committee is small, and they are all volunteers, they are skilled and experiencedpeople, with both managerial and lived-experience to bring to the table as they try to guide the Fellowshiptowards providing more and better services to more people over a larger area in our region. They undergotraining in finance and governance so that they are up to date with the ever-increasing requirements anddemands that NGOs have placed upon them by the governments which fund them. And they are guided by thewonderful 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 ensurethat your Fellowship complies with all the necessary matters that our solemn duty requires – to our fundingbodies, to other government agencies and, most of all, to ‘our people’ – those who carry the burdens of theirmental conditions and those of their loved ones.Bob JamesPresidentMental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.

Bob James, President

Page 5 of 32CEO’s UpdateAs 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 thefunctioning of MIFNQ. Our committee is very active in the informing MIFNQ’sstrategic direction and has a huge responsibility as the employer of all MIFNQ staffand volunteers. The Workplace Health and Safety Act, the AssociationsIncorporations Act, and other pieces of legislation provide both a framework tosupport and protect the organisation, its staff, volunteers and the people who useits services, as well as a legal obligation to adhere to statutory requirements.There is a much higher degree of responsibility for committee members these daysand that is why MIFNQ is implementing new policies, including induction, training and governance policies forthe committee itself. There has already been some additional training provided to committee members some ofwhom have recently undertaken risk management and governance professional development. Soon, relevantcommittee members and staff will be doing some further training on costing, pricing and budgeting. It isimportant to ensure that committee members have appropriate knowledge and skills, particularly as ourexternal environment changes, so that they are well equipped to fulfil their roles. I am very pleased to say thatour 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 thathave been happening within the Fellowship.Some of the work MIFNQ has been doing internally is about strengthening its governance and service delivery. Arange of new policies is currently being endorsed and implemented. Work continues on adopting a set ofinternationally recognised standards – ISO9001:2008. In the future we will have an external auditor assess ourcompliance with these standards and once we receive certification MIFNQ will be in a much stronger position inrelation 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 thehighest quality of service delivery and engagement with people who use our valuable services. While all of thiscreates extra work for staff and management in the short term the long term outlook is that MIFNQ will becomea more sustainable, viable and business like organisation while still retaining its community roots. MIFNQ’svalues will continue to underpin its development and ensure we always have a strong connection with peoplewho use our services past and present. It has been particularly pleasing to see staff embrace the changes thatare occurring as the Fellowship grows into a mature contemporary organisation and we are already seeing someof 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 andprocesses 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 Townsvillecounselling and community education services have renewed funding, at least for the next twelve months. At thetime of printing we have received no indication of further funding from Queensland Health for the Cairns CarersHub.........more on this in the next edition of Northern Voices. All levels of government have shrinking resourcesin the Community Mental health area so MIFNQ needs to work with its partners, consortium members and alliesto make the best use of its resources. In Queensland the new Mental Health Commission will be workingtowards a state wide plan for mental health and this will have an impact on all funded organisations. TheNational Disability Insurance Scheme will also require changes in the way not for profit organisations are fundedand the Federal election in September is sure to bring about further challenges for our sector. However, MIFNQis ready to respond to these changes, we are flexible, responsive and agile in the way we do our business and thisapproach 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 andFacebook accounts and these are easily accessible through our website by clicking on the Social Media tab at thetop of our new home page. We already have over 400 Facebook followers and Twitter is very active, particularlyaround 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 AudasChief Executive OfficerMental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.

Jeremy Audas, CEO

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Ashleigh Witt’s Storyfrom LivingProof | May 1, 2013I have a shocking confession to make -I have depression.You probably think I’m crazy for admitting that, right? I’d have to becrazy to suggest I wasn’t absolutely perfect, wouldn’t I? Because we areall 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 successfullyhiding it. No one would believe I have depression – I was president ofmy medsoc and on every committee imaginable, have a huge group offriends and amazing parents. I get good grades, won a scholarship toKings College London and received the prize for contributing the mostto 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 Icould barely breathe. I had worse depression than I’d ever read aboutin a textbook, and worse depression than any patient I saw on mypsychiatry rotation. Worst still, I’d been like this for as long as I couldremember, but I was so terrified to ask for help. I was terrified to admitthat I wasn’t perfect because, as far as I could see, everyone else inmedicine was.I would like to say 12 months ago I got better because I was finallybrave enough to ask for help. Unfortunately the real story is, in order tofinally 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 thanadmit to having depression. In order to get the treatment I needed, Ialmost had to die.Sometimes I feel like depression is the new thing to be in the closetabout. I honestly feel like I’m coming out when I tell someone about it. Ieven hid it from my grandparents because they wouldn’t understandand I didn’t want them to be ashamed of me. A friend recentlydescribed me a little while ago as openly depressed – that really mademe laugh. Should we have a depression pride movement as well? It’snot something I’m ‘proud’ of – but it’s also something that I can’tchange about myself. Even though I’m ‘recovered’, I had depression forsome of the most important years of my life – it has had a huge impacton the person I am, not in a bad way necessarily.Do you know how much CBT actually changes you as a patient? I cananalyse any situation as an outsider and chose what to becomeemotionally involved in. I’ve learnt how to not take things personally.And believe me my empathy for my patients is better than anyoneelse’s.I’m not saying a mental illness defines you for the rest of your life, but Ithink your recovery from one does.So while you might think I’m crazy for publicly admitting this, I can’t letpeople continue to believe that they are the only ones struggling. Whycan’t we talk about this? We’ve seen the stats! Whilst 1 in 5 peoplesuffers from depression, that number nearly triples for doctors. Morethan half of us will suffer from depression at some point in our career.

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Mental Health First AidTrainingThe Mental Health First AidProgram is run by Mental HealthFirst AidTM (MHFA) Australia, anational non-profit healthpromotion charity focused ontraining and research. Moreinformation about MHFA Australiahere: www.mhfa.com.au

Standard Mental Health FirstAid covers the most commondisorders such as depression,anxiety, psychotic disorders andalcohol and drug problems.2013 Dates:6th & 7th Aug 20138th & 9th Oct 20133rd & 4th Dec 2013Youth Mental Health First Aid isfor adults who live or work withyoung people. This course alsoaddresses self-harm and eatingdisorders.2013 dates:9th & 10th Jul 20135th & 6th Nov 2013Both courses cover thedevelopment of a 5-step actionplan for mental health first aid,managing suicide, panic attacks,psychotic behaviour and generalcommunication skills.Training Location:Arcadian Surf Lifesaving ClubThe Strand RockpoolNorth Ward Qld 4810Duration: 2 daysCost: $100 per personOnline Registration Forms:http://www.mifa.org.au/mental-health-first-aidTo find out more contact our QldManager Education and Training,Philippa Harris on 4725 3664, oremail training@mifnq.org.au.

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Contact UsEmail: livingproof@mifnq.org.auFacebook: Living Proof –Positive Stories of Mental IllnessTwitter: LivingProofQLDPhone: 1800 455 455TownsvillePhilippa Harris, QueenslandEducation & Training ManagerP: 07 4725 3664Street Address: 159 Kings Road,PIMLICO Q 4812Postal Address: PO Box 979, HYDEPARK Q 4812Regional QueenslandAlison Fairleigh, Rural CoordinatorP: 07 4725 3664E: AFairleigh@mifnq.org.auSunshine CoastJudy Kiellerup, RegionalCoordinator (SQ)P: 07 5442 1651Postal Address: PO Box 5080SUNSHINE COAST MC Q 4560

continued from previous pageDoesn’t that scare you? Doesn’t it scare you that you could be sittingnext to someone who is completely broken and not even realise?Doesn’t it scare you that, statistically, at some point, three people inyour friendship group will seriously consider ending their lives?Doesn’t it scare you that someone in your Monday morning lecture willdo so?It scares me, and that’s why I’m writing this. Because you can’t pickwho has depression. It could be the person next to you. It could be themost confident kid in your class. It could be the president of yourmedsoc. I hope it isn’t you, but if it is, this is the message I wish I’dgotten a long time ago – please go and see your GP, please go and gethelp. This isn’t a life sentence, it’s a treatable disease, you just need toask for help.long time ago – please go and see your GP, please go andget help. This isn’t a life sentence, it’s a treatable disease, you just needto ask for help.I promise it really does get better.

Ashleigh Witt Ashleigh is a 22 year old doctor and mental health advocate who grewup in Innisfail, North QLD. Ashleigh currently works in Melbourne with WesternHealth. -oOo-If you have been affected by reading this story and need totalk to someone, please call:Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800Lifeline 13 11 14Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467Youthbeyondblue 1300 224 636Or visit:headspace www.headspace.org.auReach Out! www.reachout.comYouthbeyondblue www.youthbeyondblue.com(for depression and anxiety and how to help a friend)

Where to Go for HelpKids Helpline Chat OnlineFree, private and confidentialtelephone and online counsellingservice specifically for youngpeople aged between 5 and 25.Telephone Available 24/7 - 180055 1800Eheadspace Chat OnlineProvides online and telephonesupport and counselling to youngpeople aged between 12-25.Available 9AM-1AM AEST -1800650 890Lifeline Chat Online24 hour crisis support 13 11 14Online counselling available 8AM-midnight

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The 2013|2014 Far NorthQueensland Book can beordered from your localMIFNQ office or online at

https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/2

700u79

Media portrayals of schizophreniawww.theconversation.com 5 April 2013

Either mad and bad or Jekyll and Hyde:Stigma can take a heavy toll on people who suffer from mentalillness. Being shunned, feared, devalued and discriminatedagainst can impair recovery and deepen social isolation anddistress. Many sufferers judge stigma to be more difficult to copewith than the symptoms of their illness.Thankfully, there are grounds for hope. Australian researchers haveshown that mental illness stigma, such as the unwillingness to interactwith affected people, generally declined from 2003 to 2011. Somecredit for this improvement must go to media campaigns bybeyondblue and SANE, and to the willingness of many people to speakpublicly about experiences that would once have been shamefullyprivate.The dark cloud inside this silver lining is schizophrenia, a seriouscondition that impairs thinking, emotion and motivation. WhileAustralians’ attitudes towards depression have become moreaccepting, the stigma of schizophrenia has remained largelyunchanged.Misusing and misunderstandingPeople with schizophrenia are stillperceived as dangerous andunpredictable, and these perceptionshave increased in recent years. Attitudesto people with schizophrenia have alsoworsened in the United States at thesame time as attitudes to depressedpeople have improved.Just as the media can take some creditfor the declining stigma of otherconditions, it must take some of the blame for the continuing stigma ofschizophrenia. Media portrayals commonly associate it with violenceand danger.Schizophrenia is also often misused to refer to split personality orincoherence. This Jekyll-and-Hyde misconception persists despitecountless corrections. One study of Italian newspapers, for instance,found that the term was employed in this way almost three times asoften it was used correctly to refer to people with the diagnosis or theirillness.But just how negative are current media depictions of schizophrenia?My students and I recently examined this question in a study that wepublished in the academic journal Psychosis. We located every storypublished in major national, state and territory online and print newsmedia outlets in the year ending August 2012 that cited schizophreniaor schizophrenic. We then counted how many stories misused theseterms and coded how often the condition was linked to violence orpresented in a stigmatising way.Our results were striking. Almost half (47%) of stories linkedschizophrenia to some form of violence, and 28% of these associated itwith attempted or completed homicide. The schizophrenic person wasidentified as a perpetrator of violence six times more frequently thanas its victim.

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Entertainment Book

The Entertainment™ Book is alocal restaurant and activityguide, which provideshundreds of up to 50% off and2-for-1 offers from the finestrestaurants, cafés, attractions,theatres and accommodation.Entertainment™ Books havebeen distributed by fund-raising organisationsthroughout Australia and NewZealand for the past 18 years.MIFNQ will again be sellingthese books as a way to raisefunds to aide in our efforts toassist those living with mentalillness while supporting theircarers and families.

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continued from previous pageSchizophrenia was misused as a split metaphor in 13% of stories. Andfully 46% of stories were coded as stigmatising.It’s hardly surprising that the public’s views of the condition continueto be laced with fear and loathing if they usually find schizophreniapresented in the context of violent aggression or as a metaphor forinternal contradiction.Better waysWhat can be done about all of this? For one thing, journalists and thegeneral public need to become aware that schizophrenia doesn’t meansplit personality and it bears no resemblance to caricatures ofcraziness. This mistaken usage should be retired not because the policesay it’s offensive, but because it perpetuates a misunderstanding thathurts real people.Journalists and editors also need to think carefully before linkingschizophrenia to violent behaviour. Often the proposed link is dubiousand speculative, and adds nothing important to the story. Just asviolence supposedly committed by people experiencing mental illnessis over-reported – producing an exaggerated sense of theirdangerousness – their victimisation is often under-reported.An equally important corrective would be to publish more stories thatfeature people with schizophrenia living well, present their everydaystruggles and adversities or showcase promising treatments andresearch findings. Coverage can be improved. Our study found thatstories from broadsheet newspapers were less stigmatising thantabloid stories, and longer, more developed stories were lessstigmatising than briefer seriously unbalanced ones.This is not a matter of white-washing the news. People withschizophrenia are indeed at a somewhat increased risk of committingviolent offences (and of being their victims). They can behave inchallenging ways. But the media landscape that our study surveyed isso tilted towards depicting schizophrenia as dangerous that it’sseriously unbalanced.The news media can do better and, if they do, the stigma ofschizophrenia may start to erode their victims). They can behave inchallenging ways. But the media landscape that our study surveyed isso tilted towards depicting schizophrenia as dangerous that it’sstudy surveyed is so tilted towards depicting schizophrenia asdangerous that it’s seriously unbalanced.The news media can do better and, if they do, the stigma ofschizophrenia may start to erode.The news media can do better and, if they do, the stigma ofschizophrenia may start to erode.Author: Nick HaslamProfessor of Psychology at University ofMelbourne

Disclosure Statement: Nick Haslamdoes not work for, consult to, ownshares in or receive funding from anycompany or organisation that wouldbenefit from this article, and has norelevant affiliations.

White Wreaths MarkQueensland Suicides

ABC Rural – Neroli RoockeMay 29, 2013People of all ages from all overQueensland who've committedsuicide have been remembered inthe centre of Brisbane today.Hundreds of white wreaths, eachone bearing a photograph, havebeen laid out in Post Office Square.The display and a service wereorganised by Fanita Clark of theWhite Wreath Association, anorganisation she started 14 yearsago after the death of her son.She says each photograph carriesa name, an age and how theperson died."We don't go into a full descriptionbut to have the details of how theperson took their life is extremelyimportant."Most people who've lost a lovedone, whichever method it mayhave been ... they think that theyare the only one who's loved onetook their life by these means."When they come to this displayand see so many people havetaken their lives, immediately atonne of weight is taken from theirshoulders."The public display also seeks tocombat some of the myths andstigmas surrounding suicide andhelp the Association's fundraisingeffort to establish 'safe haven'centres for people needing urgentmental health care and ongoingsupport.

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Stories for keeping strongPro Bono News | 3 June 2013

Film Recognises Depression in Urban IndigenousCommunitiesDepression and anxiety supportorganisation BeyondBlue hasreleased a short film created to helpindigenous people in urbancommunities raise awareness andrecognise depression.Beyondblue collaborated with TheAboriginal Medical Service ofWestern Sydney and producers,isee-ilearn, to develop the script and produce the film Story for KeepingStrong, which was launched in Western Sydney.Beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell AO said Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people who lived with psychological stress, especiallydepression and anxiety, may not recognise it or talk to family, friendsor a health professional about their symptoms.“We are pleased to have funded this very important project and wehope the film raises awareness of how to talk to someone who might bedepressed and assist them to get appropriate help," she said.Beyondblue Indigenous and Priority Communities Team Leader NellAngus said Story for Keeping Strong featured a conversation aboutdepression between members of an extended family - a youngAboriginal man talks with two Elders, an Aunt and a young Aboriginalwoman.“The project took 12 months to complete with the first step being toestablish a story development group, and the group members definedwhat depression looks like for them, their family and their community,”she said.“Based on this consultation, the group discussed the things thatdisconnect people, families and communities and the things that bringthem 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 communitythat could be happening in your neighbour’s home.”The voices of five members of the Western Sydney Aboriginalcommunity were recorded to tell the stories and their photographstaken as the basis for the animation.Uncle Dennis Dunn, a Wiradjuri Elder and a ‘star’ in the short film, saidhe felt positive in helping to develop the story because it related to hispeople within the urban community of the Western Sydney region.“The film is so culturally-appropriate to many clans within ourcommunities and it is understood by the community,” he said. “As anAboriginal Elder, I am often asked, ‘How often do I visit an Aboriginalcommunity?’ and I reply ‘every single day’ as the majority of peoplethink that Aboriginal communities only exist in rural or remote areas.“Personally, it shows you how invisible our communities are to thepeople who live and work side by side with us. “I feel proud whenworking with people, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who care aboutour mob and who help to bring change for our people.”Beyondblue…..1300 224 636http://www.beyondblue.org.au/resources/for-me/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people

Inspirational Quotes

Stories for Keeping Strong - Arrente

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Concern for Aussie ParentsMiriam Hall | ABC News 20 May 2013

Mental health disordersamong Australian parentson the riseA new study has found thenumber of parents with mentalillness increased by three percent every year between 1990to 2005.The study, published in theMedical Journal of Australia, isthe first of its kind in Australia,based on 15 years of data fromWestern Australia.Lead author of the report, DrMelissa O'Donnell from theUniversity of WA, said she wasnot surprised by the results."We know that welfareagencies and hospitals hadrecorded a rise in the numberof families needing support for parents with mental health problems,"she said."(We know) that the cases had become more complex with co-morbidities 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, substance-related abuse and stress disorders, but not post-natal depression.Dr O'Donnell says the rise in numbers could be explained by better andmore frequent diagnoses."We are seeing broader services available, so I guess more people areable to access services for in and out-patients," she said."Therefore more parents would get a diagnosis, and that's what webased our data on."But the study also found a rise in the numbers of parents with specifictypes of mental illness."We are seeing more parents in our data that had stress andadjustment related disorders... as well as an increase in parents withsubstance use mental health disorders," she said.Targeted approachDr Melissa O'Donnell says the mental health of a parent can have asignificant impact on families and the increasing figures highlight theneed for early intervention."We do know that there is increase in expenditure in this area, but it'sreally important that we target it to those at risk families," she said."Having early intervention and treatment and support available tofamilies, particularly when they do need respite or support in theirparenting, that's really important."Lead report author, Vera Morgan from the University WA, also believesthere needs to be a targeted approach to providing support to mentallyill parents.

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News in BriefMental health spending risesto $6.9 billion, or $309 perAustralian

www.news.com.au 27 March 2013SPENDING on mental healthservices has ballooned by almosthalf a billion dollars to about $309for every Australian, according tothe latest statistics.The Australian Institute of Healthand Welfare (AIHW) says figuresfor 2010/11 show a rise inspending of $450 million from theprevious financial year, to $6.9billion.Of that more than $4.2 billion wasspent on state and territoryservices, with $1.8 billion focusedon public hospitals."This (total spending) equates toabout $309 spent per Australianon mental health-related servicesin 2010/11, an increase from $248per Australian in 2006/07," AIHWspokeswoman Pamela Kinnearsaid.The AIHW said the federalgovernment's spending on mentalhealth services was also on therise, with $852 million paid inMedicare benefits."Almost 9 per cent of allprescription subsidies in 2010/11were mental health-related,totalling $834 million, or $38 perAustralian," Dr Kinnear said.

Photo: (Giulio Saggin, file photo: ABC News)

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continued from previous page"We know a lot of these parents are subject to very poor socio-economic conditions, they have low education outcomes, lowemployment, and putting them close to the poverty line, and they haveaccommodation issues," she said."They actually need support with these very specific areas as well assupport 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'salways a lot more room that needs to be there for providing services,"she said.Impact on childrenPsychiatrist Dr NickKowalenk, from Childrenof Parents with a MentalIllness, says there arespecific developmentalissues for children whohave mentally illparents."Usually for kids.... whoare five, six, seven,they're affected to theextent that they can lose a bit of confidence when their parents aredepressed," he said."We've got some Australian evidence which shows that schoolreadiness is impacted when mum or dad is depressed."If parents have substance abuse problems and those sorts of issuesand addictions, that's also not a good thing for kids and they tend tohave a whole lot more behavioural problems and some difficulties."He says mental illness in parents is a hidden problem and there needsto 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, theFederal Government's had a National Perinatal Depression Initiative,which is pretty much established Australia-wide early identification ofmental health problems for mums about to give birth and for mumsoon after giving birth."It hasn't included dads yet, and it hasn't really had quite enoughattention to infants and making sure that their health and wellbeing ismaintained even when mum or dad have a mental health problem."

Dr Melissa O'DonnellBPsych (Hons), MPsych, GradDip Ed, PhDNHMRC Early Career Fellow,Developmental Pathways ProjectAreas of research expertise: Childmaltreatment and linked cross-jurisdictionaldata.Dr Melissa O'Donnell is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow and aPsychologist, who completed her PhD in 2009 through the Universityof Western Australia. Her research uses longitudinal population datafrom the Western Australian Government Departments of ChildProtection, Health, Corrective Services and Education which has beenlinked and de-identified through the Data Linkage Unit at theDepartment of Health.

News in BriefThe Hon. Warren Entsch MPspoke in Parliament (29/05/13)on the Appropriations Bills 1 &2 2013-14 and used theopportunity to highlight anumber of key issues in ourregion.“…Finally, these concerns are veryclose to my heart. I have tohighlight a number of issues underthe umbrella of health. You haveheard me speak many times in thisplace about the tuberculosis issue.In this budget the government wasgiven the opportunity to provideQueensland Health with the $24million it owes the Cairns BaseHospital for the treatment oftuberculosis of PNG nationals andto look at reopening the Saibai andBoigu clinics. Unfortunately thereis no funding whatsoever to paytheir debts in this regard. Thefallout from this government'sfailure to pay these bills is nowbeing seen with the death fourweeks ago of an Australian TorresStrait Islander in Cairns BaseHospital. Twenty four milliondollars should have been spent onfrontline services, recruitment andretention of qualified andexperienced staff and on outreachprograms in our regional andremote area.”…..I am also disappointed to see littlein the way of support for mentalhealth services. I recentlyintervened on two occasionswhere young people with seriousmental health challenges wereabout to be put into a totallyinappropriate environment. Thereis an urgent need for a newapproach for the funding andprovision of mental healthservices in Cairns and in Far NorthQueensland. We have inheadspace, Time Out House, theCarers' Hub and the Clubhousesome excellent programs thattarget different age groups andcomplement each other perfectly.”The Hon. Warren Entsch MPFederal Member for Leichhardt |Chief Opposition WhipP: 07 4051 2220E: warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au

Photo - Ka Yaan PhotoXpress

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

Medical News Today | 6 May 2013Medical researchers have manipulatedhuman stem cells into producing types ofbrain cells known to play importantroles in neurodevelopmental disorderssuch as epilepsy, schizophrenia andautism. The new model cell systemallows neuroscientists to investigatenormal brain development, as well as to identifyspecific disruptions in biological signals that maycontribute to neuropsychiatric diseases.Scientists from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research led a study team that describedtheir research in the journal Cell Stem Cell, published online.The research harnesses human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), whichdifferentiate into a broad range of different cell types. In the currentstudy, the scientists directed the stem cells into becoming corticalinterneurons - a class of brain cells that, by releasing theneurotransmitter GABA, controls electrical firing in brain circuits."Interneurons act like an orchestra conductor, directing otherexcitatory brain cells to fire in synchrony," said study co-leader StewartA. Anderson, M.D., a research psychiatrist at The Children's Hospital ofPhiladelphia. "However, when interneurons malfunction, thesynchrony is disrupted, and seizures or mental disorders can result."Anderson and study co-leader Lorenz Studer, M.D., of the Center forStem Cell Biology at Sloan-Kettering, derived interneurons in alaboratory model that simulates how neurons normally develop in thehuman forebrain."Unlike, say, liver diseases, in which researchers can biopsy a section ofa patient's liver, neuroscientists cannot biopsy a living patient's braintissue," said Anderson. Hence it is important to produce a cell culturemodel of brain tissue for studying neurological diseases. Significantly,the human-derived cells in the current study also "wire up" in circuitswith other types of brain cells taken from mice, when culturedtogether. Those interactions, Anderson added, allowed the study teamto observe e cell-to-cell signaling that occurs during forebraindevelopment.In ongoing studies, Anderson explained, he and colleagues are usingtheir cell model to better define molecular events that occur duringbrain development. By selectively manipulating genes in theinterneurons, the researchers seek to better understand how geneabnormalities may disrupt brain circuitry and give rise to particulardiseases. Ultimately, those studies could help inform drugdevelopment by identifying molecules that could offer therapeutictargets for more effective treatments of neuropsychiatric diseases.In addition, Anderson's laboratory is studying interneurons derivedfrom stem cells made from skin samples of patients with chromosome22q.11.2 deletion syndrome, a genetic disease which has long beenstudied at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In this multisystemdisorder, 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 modelcells may reveal specific genes that are crucial in those patients withthis syndrome who have neurodevelopmental problems.

News in Brief

Hope budget will boostregional mental healthefforts

Natalie Poyhonen & Marty McCarthyABC News | 13 May 2013Queensland's Rural Woman of theYear, Alison Fairleigh, says it iscritical the Federal Governmentprovides funds in the budget forregional mental health programs,with the drought starting toimpact on communities.One third of Queensland isdrought declared and that iscontributing to economicpressures on sectors such as thebeef industry.Ms Fairleigh says the FederalGovernment should place anemphasis on funding socialworkers to provide support torural residents."We need to make sure that wehave mental health-trainedcounsellors within thecommunities that are reaching outto these people in need," she said."We have seen the devastationthat drought wreaks on farmingcommunities and we have to beahead of the game here."Last year, the Federal Governmentfroze the Mental Health NurseIncentive program, whichprovided one-on-one clinicalnursing support to regionalresidents with chronic mentalillness.Ms Fairleigh says it is a crucialscheme for rural areas whereaccess to front-line health servicesoften proves difficult."One of the things that they canhave access to are mental healthnurses, psychologists, socialworkers," she said."Sometimes they have to traveldistances to see these people, butnot as far as you would to see aspecialist."

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People with schizophrenia face more health risksNomee Walsh | ABC News 9 May 2013A mental health supportgroup says people withschizophrenia have theworst physical healthprofile in Australia.Australians withschizophrenia are 50 percent more likely to diefrom a heart attack, 20 percent more likely to getcancer and have a lifespanof 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 physicalhealth of those with schizophrenia has not improved in the last 100years."If it was any other group there would be screams about it in thestreet," chief executive Rob Ramjan said."It is the physical health issues that are killing them, not the mentalhealth illness."Mr Ramjan says schizophrenics have the highest type-2 diabetes rate ofany group of people in the world, which can increase with certain typesof medication."In the case of type-2 diabetes there appears to be some linkagebetween the two illnesses that leads to people with schizophreniahaving that higher rate."In other areas, people will have a disorder but they won't get thetreatment and there are two possible reason for that."One is that the health system because of the stigma associated withmental illness is not providing the treatment and the other is that theperson with schizophrenia may have impaired decision making."He believes the focus needs to move away from solely addressingmental health symptoms."So if somebody is complaining of a chest pain they might bedelusional, but unfortunately they might be having a heart attack," hesaid.

A guy that I used to case manage years ago had a motorcycleaccident and went to a large hospital. They saw on his

medical record that he has schizophrenia. He was left in thewaiting area for 11 hours. When they finally checked on himhe was dead. He'd had massive internal injuries. But because

of the diagnosis of mental illness he was not treated in theway that he should have been. So that barrier still exists and

it's a massive barrier to people getting appropriate andadequate treatment.

Rob RamjanThe fellowship says Australian governments are spending about half ofwhat they should be on mental health services. He also says Australiahas the worst record in OECD countries of assisting people with apsychiatric disorder back into employment.continues next page

News in Briefwww.ABC.net.au

13 June 2013Report questions effectivenessof mental health strategiesA report bya Newcastlemedicalresearcherhas raiseddoubtsabout theeffectiveness of treatmentprograms for people with a mentalillness, despite billions of dollarsbeing invested. Health economicsProfessor Christopher Doran fromthe Hunter Medical ResearchInstitute prepared the SaxInstitute review for the NSWMental Health Commission.The review shows there is littleevidence that the $10 billion spentin Australia every year is investedwisely in mental health programs.It found Australia is operating inan "information vacuum" when itcomes to developing mental healthprograms and more research isneeded.Professor Doran says to date theresearch into interventionstrategies for people with a mentalillness have focused on medicationand therapy rather than whatprograms might be effective inschools or the workplace. "I'vefound limited evidence ofstrategies around education andemployment programs and whenyou look at people slippingthrough the gaps there's hugeissues with productivity in termsof lost income and lost potential,"he said.Professor Doran says moreeffective strategies are needed todetect and treat childrensusceptible to a mental disordersuch as ADHD. "There's no followup information in terms of howeffective or what impact thismedication is having," he said."You need to demonstrate whenyou get return on investment tomake sure those scarce resourcesare allocated in their most efficientway."

Photo: ABC News

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continued from previous pageDespite the scale of the problem, Mr Ramjan says it is not intractable.He says it is scientifically established that treatment such as dentalhygiene improvement will reduce mental health symptoms, so moreeffort has to go into the physical health of people with mental healthproblems."It's the whole person that needs to be looked at. Not just treat thesymptoms, but treat the whole person. Assist the person on theirrecovery journey," he said."Having a group of people who have the worst health profile in thiscountry who can't get employment who are living in poverty leads to ahopeless situation."Mr Ramjan says community support for people with schizophrenia isalso important."People with schizophrenia, major mental illness, want a better qualityof life. They need access to the services that will help them get that," hesaid. T: 02 9879 2600F: 02 9879 2699The Old Gladesville HospitalBuilding 36, Digby RoadGladesville NSW 2111E: admin@sfnsw.org.auW: www.sfnsw.org.auWhat to Do When a Family Member Gets a MentalIllness

Natasha Tracy | Healthy Place | 3 May 2013A get questions from allsorts of family membersand friends of people withmental illnesses and,luckily, many of thesepeople want to help.The trouble is people feelintimidated by a diagnosisof mental illness. Theydon’t even know where tostart to help.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 theknowledge barrier. It’s completely understandable that friends andfamily won’t know much about a mental illness when it is firstdiagnosed. People have heard the words “bipolar” o “schizophrenia”but really have no accurate knowledge as to what these things are. Soit’s critical to learn.It’s essential to, quite frankly, consume as much information aspossible on the diagnosis. HealthyPlace is a great place to start thislearning. I have written hundreds of articles here that can beimmensely helpful when learning about a disorder.continues next page

My Say Survey

The My Say survey has beenextended until early July to giveparents of children with specialneeds more time to respond.Please do everything you can topromote this landmark survey toparents as well as to professionalswho work in this space. Theinformation they provide is vitaland will be used to plan the roll-out of free parenting supportacross QueenslandAll parents and caregivers ofchildren with a disability agedbetween 2 and 10 years inQueensland can fill out the survey.The survey will become availablefor parents in Victoria in 2013 andfor parents in New South Wales in2014.The survey has been developed forparents of children with: Intellectualdisability/developmentaldelay Autism Spectrum Disorder(including Autism, Asperger’sDisorder, PDD-NOS) Language delay/disorder Motor or sensory disability(such as Cerebral Palsy,hearing/visual impairment)Parent Survey Linkhttp://mysay.org.au/parents/ Theparent survey takes 20-30minutes to complete.Professional Survey Linkhttp://mysay.org.au/professionals/

Photo: Healthy Place

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continued from previous pageThis 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 theillness The types of treatments available and what those treatments arelikeIn other words, education allows you to put yourself in the shoes of theperson with the mental illness – at least a little.Families and Mental IllnessWe have a great blog here, Mental Illness in the Family, that Irecommend you check out, but basically, family is complicated at thebest of times and adding an illness into the mix isn’t about to makeanything 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 themand love them and no disease will ever change that Try to support the person with the mental illness in ways that theyrequest Try to keep other family drama out of the equation – if you canTalk to the Family Member with the Mental IllnessAnd possibly the number one thing you can do to help a family memberwith a mental illness is to talk to them. Open up a dialog. Start aconversation that makes it clear that the person with the mental illnessis not “crazy” and you feel the same way about them as you did beforethe diagnosis. And then ask the person with the mental illness whatthey need. I can tell you list of things that I think any person with amental illness would need, but the person who is the expert in his orher 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 withthem to these appointments. Keep track of medical records Offer to do the person’s laundry, clean, take out the garbage or doother 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 forno other reason, then just to ensure the person maintains outsidecontactAnd like I said, just be there, unconditionally. Most of us with a mentalillness 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 canalleviate 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

News in BriefPolice say refugees need morewelfare, mental health support

www.ABC.net.au/news/ 13 June 2013

Victorian police say a lack ofwelfare and mental health supportis contributing to violence andsubstance abuse among refugeecommunities in Melbourne'ssouth-eastern suburbs.Police have contributed to a lettersent by a group of generalpractitioners to Prime MinisterJulia Gillard.It calls on the Federal Governmentto urgently provide more healthresources to help asylum seekers.Victoria Police AssistantCommissioner Luke Cornelius sayshelp is desperately needed to stemthe problems in the community."We've identified a particulargroup in the community that are inneed of some assistance andsupport to help them deal withvery significant challenges thatwe're facing," he said."We're very keen to have thatsupport provided."Assistant Commissioner Corneliussays a lot of individuals have verysignificant mental healthchallenges that give rise tobehavioural problems."It's critical that appropriatesupport is made available to thoseindividuals so that they get thehelp and support they need," hesaid.

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Defence mental health boostABC News | 4 May 2013

Defence community welcomesmental health boostThe former commander of Australianforces in Afghanistan, John Cantwell,has welcomed extra funding to helpDefence Force personnel battling amental illness.The Defence white paper releasedyesterday includes an extra $25 millionto expand health cover, counsellingand post-discharge medicalassessments.Retired Major General Cantwell haswarned of a tidal wave of post-traumatic stress disorder cases asAustralian troops leave Afghanistan.He says he believes dealing with theDefence bureaucracy will still bedifficult for returning soldiers, but thefunding is a good start."I'm certainly more confident having this level of funding and this levelof public recognition of the issue in such an important defence-relateddocument is certainly cause for some satisfaction," he said."However the problem remains profound and I think there will still bequite a few difficulties for our veterans."A veterans counselling service will be extended to cover borderprotection staff and those responding to disaster zones.The Defence Force Welfare Association's David Jamison is happypeacetime personnel will get access. "There's an urgent need for thesepeople to be supported as well," he said.But concerns remain that services will not cope with demand fromtroops returning from Afghanistan. Former Defence chief Chris Barriesays it is a step in the right direction but "may not be enough".Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced extra funds at the launch ofthe first Defence white paper since 2009, outlining the department'sstrategic direction. "We need to do as a Government, as a DefenceForce, as a community, and as a nation, everything we can to ensureour wounded warriors are cared for and respected," he said."Not just those who suffer from physical wounds but those who sufferfrom mental wounds."The white paper says Australia will adopt a "long-term" goal of raisingDefence spending to 2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).Major General Cantwell says it is not enough and should be between2.5 and 3 per cent of GDP. "The level of funding is far too low and hasbeen for the last five years or more," he said. "The Government hasfailed really failed to step up to the mark. There are certainly risksassociated with such a low percentage of our GDP being deployed ondefence issues."Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the document comprised a list ofunfunded commitments.Coalition Defence spokesman David Johnston says the Opposition willrelease its own white paper within 18 months of taking office if it winsSeptember's election.

ExitWoundsBookReview'This is mystory, but it isalso the storyof thousandsof Australianveterans fromIraq, East Timor, Afghanistan andother conflicts who bare similaremotional scars. This is whatbecomes of those men and womenwe send off to war, pay littleattention to, then forget once theyare home.'As a country boy from Queensland,John Cantwell signed up to the armyas a private and rose to the rank ofmajor general. He was on the frontline in 1991 as Coalition forcesfitted bulldozer blades to tanks andburied alive Iraqi troops in theirtrenches. He fought in Baghdad in2006 and saw what a car bomb doesto a marketplace crowded withwomen and children. In 2010 hecommanded the Australian forces inAfghanistan when ten of his soldierswere killed. He returned toAustralia in 2011 to be consideredfor the job of chief of the AustralianArmy. Instead, he ended up in apsychiatric hospital.Exit Wounds is the compassionateand deeply human account of oneman's tour of the War on Terror, themoving story of life on a modernbattlefield: from the nightmare ofcheating death in a minefield, to thepoignancy of calling home whileunder rocket fire in Baghdad, to theutter despair of looking into the faceof a dead soldier before sending himhome to his mother. He has hiddenhis post traumatic stress disorderfor decades, fearing it will affect hiscareer.Australia has been at war for thepast twenty years and yet there hasbeen no stand-out account fromthese conflicts—Exit Wounds is it.Raw, candid and eye-opening, noone who reads this book will beunmoved, nor forget its imagery orwords.Random House Books AustraliaISBN: 9780522861785

Retired Major General CantwellPhoto: Aust Govt Dept of Defence

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Garry McDonald heads up anxiety campaignwww.ninemsn.com 6 May 2013Actor Garry McDonald is spearheading a $2 million anxiety awarenesscampaign after spending years battling the disorder while hamming itup during his comedic career. McDonald, best known for his charactersNorman Gunston and later Arthur Beare on Mother and Son, said healways thought anxiety was just part of his personality."I kind of thought that everyone experienced this, that I was a bit of awuss, and couldn't handle it," he said. The Logie-winning actor is nowan ambassador for the anxiety campaign by mental health charity andadvocacy group beyondblue.

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 Australianshave experienced an anxiety condition, but most are unable to identifyit."Anxiety has doubled the prevalence of depression, but knowledgeabout this is extraordinarily low," Ms Carnell said. She said manypeople put up with debilitating anxiety symptoms because likeMcDonald, 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 realcondition," Ms Carnell said. "They believed they should be able to suckit up, get on with it, pull up their socks."McDonald said he battled anxiety for 20 years before it culminated in amuch publicised nervous breakdown in 1993 while he was trying torevive Norman Gunston for a new series. "I hope this campaign willchange the way people understand anxiety," he said.

BeyondBlue

Our Get to know anxietycampaign has been informedby the stories and feedbackof people who haveexperienced anxiety, and forsome this may triggerfeelings and emotions inrelation to your ownexperience. Remember, thereis support and informationavailable. Talk it throughwith us by contacting thebeyondblue support service.

I Am AnxietyI am the ill ease you feel when

you walk into a crowdedroom. I am the hot and cold

flushes that confuse you whenyou're already confused

enough. I am the one thatraises the whip to your

already racing heart. I am thetightening of your chest. I amthe snowballing worries that

feel like they might become anavalanche and just bury you

in an instant. I am theobsessive, and I'm the

compulsive.

If you or someone close to youhas experienced symptoms likethese, visitwww.beyondblue.org.au or call1300 22 4636

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

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Townsville NAIDOC Week 2013

7 – 14 JULY 2013The theme for NAIDOC Week 2013 is We value the vision:Yirrkala Bark Petitions 1963.This year's theme proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of thepresentation of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions to the Federal Parliament.In August 1963, the Yolngu people of Yirrkala in northeast ArnhemLand sent two bark petitions – framed by traditional ochre paintings ofclan designs – to the Australian House of Representatives.The petitions protested the Commonwealth's granting of mining rightson land excised from Arnhem Land reserve and sought the recognitionby the Australian Parliament of the Yolngu peoples' traditional rightsand ownership of their lands.Asserting title to Yolngu country under Yolngu law, the petitions werethe first traditional documents recognised by the CommonwealthParliament and helped to shape the nation's acknowledgment ofAboriginal people and their land rights.We value the foresight, strength and determination of the Yolngupeople whose Bark Petitions set into motion a long process oflegislative and constitutional reforms for Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people.While appealing for the recognition of Yolngu rights to land, the BarkPetitions were a catalyst in advancing changes to the Constitution inthe 1967 referendum, the statutory acknowledgment of Aboriginalland rights by the Commonwealth in 1976, and the overturning of theobstacle of the concept of terra nullius by the High Court in the MaboCase in 1992 that recognised the traditional rights of the Meriampeople to their islands in the eastern Torres Strait.Today, we look to a future that better understands and celebrates theunique connection that Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander's shareto country, as we continue to build an Australia that reflects theachievements and furthers the aspirations of our people.If you would like to know more, read on for a comprehensiveinsight into the Petitions (http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/bark-petitions-indigenous-ar t)Townsville NAIDOC CommitteePO Box 1594, Townsville QLD 4810E: info@townsvillenaidoc.com.auW: www.townsvillenaidoc.com.au

National NAIDOC InformationE: info@naidoc.org.auW: www.naidoc.org.au

Townsville NAIDOCEvents

01 July2013 Coming of the Light

07 July2013 Townsville NAIDOCWeek (7- 14 July2013)

Sunday, 07 July 201307:30am - 01:00pmOfficial Launch of2013 TownsvilleNAIDOC Week

08 July2013 09:30am2013 TownsvillePolice DistrictNAIDOC FlagRaising Ceremony

10 July2013 07:00am - 09:00am2013 TownsvilleNAIDOC Breakfast

12 July2013 09:30am - 10:00am2013 TownsvilleNAIDOC March

11:30am - 04:30pmTownsville NAIDOCDeadly Day Out(Family Fun Day)

19 July2013 2013 TownsvilleNAIDOC Dinner

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Diversity – Range of DifferenceRebecca HamptonWe don’t realise that every day we step out our front doors and we arefaced with diversity. Australia is very culturally enriched, not with justour native people, but with many nationalities from across the world. Ifirst encountered diversity at a startling rate through the Mental IllnessFellowship Inc.Many years back I walked into the main office of this CommunityService Provider to seek help to fit back into the community afterhaving my stay in the Acute Mental Health Hospital. I met a lot ofpeople from all walks of life with a common aspect to me – Mentalillness issues. Mental illness does not discriminate. Just as hearingimpairment, blindness, learning disabilities (etc) do not discriminateirrespective of your cultural background.My background is very diverse, I also identify as Torres Strait Islanderand South Sea Islander. In saying that, I have had a very differentcultural upbringing to those who had a proper cultural upbringing.Even to this day, I do not understand my Torres Strait Islander andSouth Sea Islander culture.As a Peer Support Worker from the MIFNQ working in the NationalTobacco and Mental Illness ProjectI have quickly learnt that brainstorming ways to ‘educate’ andgather resources for such diversegroups is the norm.One such group struggled with allthe hand out resources we havealways used, these resourcehandouts mostly consist of reading,not so much looking and creatingdiscussion about what is in thehand out.We need more diagrams also, to explain the text that was essentiallythe learning material they needed to help them along their quit journeywith tobacco use. My supervisor (Project Officer) and I decided firstport of call was to contact the head office of Mental Illness FellowshipInc in South Australia, and see if they offered diagram resources alongwith reading resources for our participants.The NTMI Project is relatively new and no such resources have beenestablished to go along with the current resources. It was now up tome and my Supervisor to skim through our reading resources andestablish the most important factors that will aid our participants intheir 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 pass2. DEEP BREATHE - Breathe slowly and deeply, this can help yourelax3. DRINK WATER – This helps reduce the cravings and flush out thetoxins accumulated through smoking. If you like you can addlemon and cordial.4. DO SOMETHING ELSE –Take action, do something different, thishelps you to think of something elsecontinues next page

Helping people withmental illness to be

Group Support ProgramA supportive program

for tobacco smokers witha mental illness

Would you like toquit or cut down

tobacco?When:Every Tuesday starting on2 July 2013

What Time:10am – 12pmWhere:Uniting Care CommunityTraining Room276-280 Ross River RdAitkenvale 4814Join the Tobacco & MentalIllness teams peer supported10 week tobacco program andget information about whatoptions there are for peoplewho want to make changes.The group provides a positiveand supportive place to workon smoking and is for peoplewho are:

Just thinking about quitting. Wanting to cut back. Really keen to stop smoking.For more information contactRebecca on 0434 742 322 toregister, or email Rebecca attobaccocessation@mifnq.org.auor just turn up on the day.

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continued from previous pageFor DELAY we simply added a diagram of the clock and talked throughthe step with our participants. DEEP BREATHE, a simple picture of aperson mediating was enough for our participants to understand theconcept behind deep breathing.DRINK WATER, a diagram of a cup of water was added to the readingmaterial to show that grabbing a glass of water is not just a gooddistraction, but also a healthy one. DO SOMETHING ELSE, I decided ona diagram of a person head butting a soccer ball. This showed a healthydistraction.I created posters from scratch, many posters mostly covered theimportant aspects of quitting tobacco use and the benefits ourparticipants would receive in doing so. We have also found creatingpower point presentations to be useful, but only if we can get ourhands on the technology to show the presentations. DVDs are alsouseful.Group discussions seem to workwonders. One particular group wetravel to is of Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander people. I’ve havestated I am of Torres Strait Islanderand South Sea Islander back ground,but know little of my culture. I waspleasantly surprised on my firstvisit that one person picked upstraight away that I have Islander ‘inmy face’. I’ve learnt in this groupthat sharing stories and involvingeveryone else with their stories is a great way to talk about theirtobacco use and what we can all do together to address it. We haveused a lot of visual material over reading material and we find theydelight well in seeing their progress with their quit journey on theCarbon Monoxide monitor weekly. Using this machine first, opened updiscussion very quickly and gets the group interacting.I have discovered that Torres Strait Islander men in this group will notgive me eye contact, but still much prefer one on one discussion andsupport 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 backto “my people”. I have already gained my certificate that states I am aMental Health First Aider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Ilearnt through this training, cultural understanding in this field is amust.Through my work with the Mental Illness Fellowship, the NationalTobacco Mental Illness Project and studies in TAFE my overall goal isto become better equipped and resourceful to work with Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander people with Mental Health issues. I want tobridge the gap between the main stream mental health services and theservices required for those in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercommunities. I conclude this, diversity, doesn’t alone mean you are ofdifferent culture. Diversity is a range of difference...in all areas aswhole.

Did You Know?

11% of people are left handedunless food is mixed with salivayou can't taste itThe average person falls asleepin 7 minutes8% of people have an extra ribThe smallest bones in thehuman body are found in your earStewardesses is the longestword that is typed with only theleft handThat you burn more calorieseating celery than it contains (themore you eat the thinner youbecome)All the blinking in one dayequates to having your eyes closedfor 30 minutesYour foot has 26 bones in itThe average human braincontains around 78% waterYour brain uses between 20 -25% of the oxygen your breatheA 1/4 of your bones are in yourfeetYour tongue is the fastesthealing part of your bodyA 1 minute kiss burns 26caloriesYou burn more calories sleepingthan watching TVAn average person will spend25 years asleepThe most common mentalillnesses are anxiety anddepressionYour skin is the largest organmaking up the human bodyEnamel is the hardest substancein your bodyThe hyoid bone in your throat isthe only bone in your body notattached to any other

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Success Weight Loss ProgramMedical News Today | 25 March 2013

Successful Weight Loss Program For Patients With SeriousMental Illness

Through a program that teaches simple nutrition messages andinvolves both counselling and regular exercise classes, people withserious mental illness can make healthy behavioural changes andachieve significant weight loss, according to new Johns Hopkinsresearch.These weight loss amounts were similar to those in other successfulprograms studied with subjects in the general population - studies thatspecifically excluded people with serious mental illnesses, theresearchers say.Results of the new research, believed to be the first large study of itskind to involve people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder ormajor depression, suggest that a population many consider to beunable to engage in a behaviour management program can makesubstantial lifestyle changes to improve their health. People withserious mental illness often are overweight or obese and havemortality rates two to three times higher than that of the generalpopulation, primarily from obesity-related conditions. Many aresedentary and take several psychotropic medications, which includeweight gain as a side effect.Results of the research were published online in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association'sEpidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity andMetabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions (EPI/NPAM)."We sought to dispel the perception that lifestyle programs don't workin this population," says study leader Gail L. Daumit, M.D., M.H.S., anassociate professor of general internal medicine at the Johns HopkinsUniversity School of Medicine. "There's this really important need tofind ways to help this population be healthier and lose weight. Webrought a weight-loss program to them, tailored to the needs of peoplewith serious mental illness. And we were successful."Known as ACHIEVE (Randomized Trial of Achieving Healthy Lifestylesin Psychiatric Rehabilitation), the study enrolled 291 overweight orobese patients with serious mental illness. Some 144 were randomlyplaced in an intervention group, while 147 made up the control group.The intervention took place at 10 Baltimore area outpatient psychiatricrehabilitation day facilities that already offered vocational and skillstraining, case management and other services for people with mentalillness not well enough to work full time.

continues next page

News in Brief

Salvos plead for morefarm mental healthsupport in outback Qld

www.ABC.net.au/newsBy Kate Stephens - Posted 12 June 2013The Salvation Army's OutbackFlying Service says there needs tobe more long-term mental healthsupport for farmers inQueensland.Simon Steele flies to remotestations in the Gulf, north-westand Channel Country, helpinggraziers on their properties,offering chaplaincy support andoccasionally dropping foodparcels.Mr Steele says many are strugglingwith rising debt, droughtconditions and low cattle prices.He says financial struggles in thefarming sector is nothing new butbetter access to mental healthsupport would help."We always need more of that[mental health support] and Ithink that's the most importantpart because there's always goingto be financial debt and obviouslywe can't just change that easily butthe mental health side issomething that is worth a lot ingetting somebody to be able to getthrough," he said.He says most graziers are justtrying to deal with rising debt,hoping cattle prices will improve."It is hard for them because theyare feeling I guess alone in that thedebt is building up and we need toget through, to get to the otherside," he said."It just seems like everything isagainst them at the moment,especially as I said with thedrought."The dams aren't full and just sortof trying to hang out until the endof it and also until the cattle pricesrise."

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continued from previous pageThe researchers added a schedule of regular group and individualweight-management sessions, thrice-weekly exercise classes and aweekly weigh-in for the first six months of the trial. The sessions andweigh-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 sevenmore pounds than the control group. Nearly 38% of the interventiongroup lost 5% or more of their initial weight, as compared with 23% ofthe control group. More than 18% of those in the intervention arm ofthe 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. Thissuggests it took a while to make behavioural change, but once thesemodifications took hold, the changes yielded positive results, Daumitsays.Of the people in the study: 50% had schizophrenia, 22% had bipolar disorder; and 12% major depression.Many with serious mental illness,particularly schizophrenia, haveimpairments in memory and executivefunction, as well as residual psychiatric symptoms that impedelearning and adoption of new behaviours.What the study suggested, Daumit says, is that tailored programs canovercome these impediments.The average number of psychotropic medications study participantstook was three; the medications, often required for long-term symptomcontrol, are known to cause weight gain in part by stimulatingappetites and increased eating.Instead of asking participants to keep detailed food logs and countingevery calorie they consume - a practice common to other weight-lossprograms - Daumit's program instead focused on relatively simplemessages and goals, she says. They were encouraged to avoid junk foodand sugary beverages, monitor portion sizes and include more fruitsand vegetables in their diet. They had regular exercise at therehabilitation facilities as part of the study, and were encouraged toexercise 30 minutes on other days, too.Daumit says she thinks the weight-loss program could be adopted byother psychiatric rehabilitation facilities."This population is often stigmatized," she says. "This study's findingsshould help people think differently about people with serious mentalillness. Our results provide clear evidence that this population canmake healthy lifestyle changes and achieve weight loss”.

Study Leader:Gail L. Daumit, M.D., M.H.S.,Associate Professor of MedicineThe Johns Hopkins Hospital

News in Brief

A WEST Australian director ofmental health has beenappointed to head Queensland'snew Mental Health Commission.

News.com.au 10 June 2013Lesley vanSchoubroeckhas been anexecutive withWesternAustralia'smental healthagency sinceearly 2010.She previouslyspent seven years as a director ofWestern Australia's Department ofPremier and Cabinet and wasinstrumental in setting up WA'sMental Health Commission.Health Minister LawrenceSpringborg said Dr vanSchoubroeck would be chargedwith establishing the independentQueensland Mental HealthCommission when it starts on July1."She has worked extensively onpublic sector management andpolicy, and has engagedextensively with advocacygroups," he said in a statement onMonday."Most importantly, she will becentral to improving the systemthat supports people living with amental illness or who misusesubstances, as well as theirfamilies, carers and supportnetworks."As mental health commissioner,Dr van Schoubroeck will also havesupport from a new QueenslandMental Health and Drug AdvisoryCouncil.Last week's state budget allocated$3 million to establish the mentalhealth commission, which MrSpringborg said would play a rolein reducing suicide rates, and useearly intervention measures tohelp the vulnerable anddisadvantaged.

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Obsessive Compulsive DisorderMedical News Today | 4 June 2013

Surgery For Sufferers IsSafe And EffectiveAround half of people with anextreme form of obsessivecompulsive disorderresponded well to a type ofpsychosurgery that proved tobe safe and effective,according to researchpublished online in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, &Psychiatry.Researchers from Canada have now recommended physicians shouldconsider this approach in helping people with OCD who have notresponded to any other type of treatment.Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disease whichleads to anxiety-provoking thoughts (obsessions) causing repeated,time-consuming behaviors (compulsions) that might or might notprovide temporary relief. Around 1 to 2% of the population is thoughtto have OCD that is severe enough to disrupt their life.Standard treatments for the disorder are antidepressant medicationand/or psychotherapeutic help such as cognitive behavioural therapy,but other studies have shown that such treatment does not help relievesymptoms for between 20-30% of patients.Psychosurgery for OCD is sometimes carried out, but is rare and fewstudies have examined the benefits of this surgery.Researchers from the Department of Neurological Sciences atUniversité Laval, Quebec, therefore, decided they would study theefficacy and possible complications of one type of such surgery -bilateral anterior capsulotomy - in patients with severe OCD who hadnot responded to any other treatments over a long time period.Nineteen patients were studied who had a severe form of OCD that hadnot responded to drugs or psychotherapeutic treatment. All of thesepatients underwent psychosurgery in the form of bilateral capsulotomybetween 1997 and 2009.They were evaluated before the surgery and then periodicallyafterwards for two years as well as being contacted again at an averageof seven years after their operation to check on their progress.Using a tool called the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the researchers measured the patients' symptom severity. Apatient with an improvement rate of over 35% in the Y-BOCS score wasconsidered a responder, while a patient with a 25% improvement wasconsidered a partial responder.Their results showed that 36.8% of the patients responded fully to theprocedure and 10.5% were considered partial responders, meaningthat 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 fromtheir OCD, three were in remission (meaning their symptoms werereduced to a minimum level) and no deaths were reported. Only twopatients had permanent surgical complications.They concluded: "We are aware of the many ethical and sociopoliticalconsiderations related to psychosurgery, but we think that suchsurgery is appropriate under thoughtful regulation, particularly whenthe disorder is chronic, intractable to non-invasive treatmentmodalities and when surgery is the last therapeutic option."

Words of Wisdom fromthe Dali Lama"Follow the three R's: Respectfor self, respect for others and

responsibility for all youractions."

"Remember that not gettingwhat you want is sometimes a

wonderful stroke of luck

"Learn the rules so you knowhow to break them properly."

"Don't let a little disputeinjure a great friendship."

"When you realize you'vemade a mistake, take

immediate steps to correct it."

"Spend some time alone everyday."

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

values."

"Take into account that greatlove and great achievements

involve great risk."

"When you lose, don't lose thelesson."

In disagreements with lovedones, deal only with the

current situation. Don't bringup the past."

"Share your knowledge. It's away to achieve immortality."

Page 25 of 32

‘Man Up’ CampaignShelley Strachan | The Gympie Times | 7 June 2013

Men happy to 'man up' for mental health campaignTHE launch of Australia's Man Therapy campaign which urges men to"man up" and get help for problems like depression and anxiety wasvery relevant to the Gympie region where farmers and businessmenwere still grappling with the fallout of the flood disasters.Deputy Mayor Tony Perrett and a host of Gympie men backed the newcampaign yesterday, Cr Perrett saying he had seen for himself,particularly in the South Burnett, where men who had worked theirfarms for years were now trying to cope with the hardship and lossescaused by the floods."There are some really difficult situations in our rural areas wherethere have been some really heavy losses," he said.Backed by Beyondblue and Mental Health Minister Mark Butler, ManTherapy centres on Dr Brian Ironwood, a character that promote men'smental health by asking men to "take life by the balls".In Australia, one in eight men are likely to experience depression andone in five are likely to experience anxiety.While the rates are much lowerthan women, men are three timesmore likely to die by suicide thanwomen, with at least 1727 mendying from suicide in 2011.The advertisements asking men tolook out for their mates andsupport each other will appear ontelevision, radio, online and inprint media.The humorous initiative can alsobe viewed athttp://www.mantherapy.org.au."It is well known that Australian men do not have a good record ofattendance at doctors' surgery or discuss with their mates or lovedones any mental health problems or for that matter health matters,"Mayor Ron Dyne said.

Men’s ProgramsThe task of the beyondblueMen’s Team is to providenational leadership in the driveto reduce the impact ofdepression and anxiety in men.The team encourages men totake action against depressionand anxiety and to reducestigma through a collaborativeapproach to programs,knowledge building and policy. 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, dayor nightCall us 1300 22 4636W www.beyondblue.org.auWeb chat 4pm to 10pmFacebook beyondblueTwitter @beyondblueYouTube beyondblueofficial

You can’t underestimate the value of such support when life seems overwhelming.– David Gibson. Photo: Renee Pilcher

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continued from previous pageMr Gibson says he finds his man therapy at Apex."They cover all the fun elements of this program, from manaromatherapy at a barbecue, to community service at Santa Fair orcamping and music appreciation at the Gympie Muster to theadrenaline rush of gator racing," he said."In fact these guys are the gurus of man therapy in Gympie. "On aserious note, I believe this Man Therapy campaign is an importantimitative. I know that the Apex guys were there for me through somedifficult times and helped me realise that you should never takeyourself too seriously."You can't underestimate the value of such support when life seemsoverwhelming and I'd encourage anyone who is feeling down to look tothese ideas."Rural MH Workshops

Neroli Roocke | ABC Rural | 30 May 2013

Mental healthworkshops fordrought regionsThe QueenslandGovernment isplanning 40 mentalhealth workshops in itslatest droughtassistance package.Visiting Richmondtoday, AgricultureMinister John McVeighsays conditions have deteriorated since he was in the northwest regiontwo weeks ago."It's quite depressing to tell you the truth, the dry conditions havecontinued to take hold." He says the mental health support workshopswill be funded by Queensland Health across the 13 shires underdrought declarations. "Educating locals, councils and other people whocan assist in local communities about how to keep an eye out formental and psychological health issues and concerns because peopleare under enormous stress, there's no doubt about that."Leasehold land rent increases that should be happening this year havebeen frozen for properties in drought, resulting in a reduction of $1.2million in land rent income for the government. Properties wanting toinstall emergency water infrastructure will be offered a 50 per centrebate on what they spend up to $20,000. These measures come on topof the freight subsidies on offer for fodder and water cartage, openingsome national parks and reserves to grazing, and easing roadrestrictions for road trains shifting droughted livestock to Roma andEmerald.David Carter, who runs Wyangarie Station near Richmond, says he willfind some of the new measures useful. "The sum of a lot of small thingscan make a big difference - it hasn't got to be one overarching thingthat solves the problem, but all these little things add up to significanthelp.” "Everybody's under stress and under pressure. "Times like thisstresses your imagination and we become fretful, for want of a betterword, over the welfare of our stock." Mr Carter today showed thePremier Campbell Newman and Mr McVeigh a yard of weaners he'dremoved from their mothers earlier than he would like and explainedwhy that's done to give the cows a chance to survive.

Did you know?The most common illnessesexperienced by people with SMIinclude cardiovascular disorders,diabetes, metabolic syndrome,hypertension, respiratory illnessand obesity related diseases. Thesediseases occur at rates muchhigher than the general population,and contribute to the highmorbidity and mortality seen inpeople with SMI.These diseases not only occurmore frequently in people withSMI than the general population,but they also occur at an earlierage, are more severe, and lead toearlier death. For example: 31% of people withschizophrenia and coronaryheart disease 41% of people withschizophrenia and diabetes arediagnosed under the age of 55,compared with 30% of otherswith diabetes. After five years,19% of people with diabeteswho have schizophrenia havedied, compared with 9% ofpeople with no SMI. 21% of people withschizophrenia who have astroke are under 55, comparedwith 11% of others who have astroke. After five years, 28% ofpeople who have had a strokeand who also haveschizophrenia have died,compared with 12% of peoplewith no SMI. 23% of people withschizophrenia and respiratorydisease are diagnosed beforethe age of 55, compared with17% of others with respiratorydisease. After five years, 28% ofpeople with respiratory diseaseor chronic obstructivepulmonary disorder who alsohave schizophrenia have died,compared with 15% of peoplewith no SMI.

Stock at a water trough on Gipsy Plains, near CloncurryPhoto: Peter Lewis

Page 27 of 32

Graduates Taking Up Rural Jobs

More Allied Health Graduates Are Taking Up Rural JobsHospital & Healthcare News | 30 May, 2013

More than a third of allied health students who completed a ruralplacement are now working in rural and remote Australia,according a new survey by Services for Australian Rural andRemote Allied Health (SARRAH).A survey of 161 graduates who completed a Clinical PlacementScholarship between 2009 and 2012 found that 35 per cent of them arenow working in rural practice.The findings, which were collated via email and phone, are a strongindicator that exposure to rural practice as a student gives healthproviders a more positive outlook towards future careers in ruralregions.SARRAH CEO Rod Wellington said the survey also found that 73 percent 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 ofboth city and country backgrounds is a good thing for Australia,” MrWellington said.“We’ve known for a long time that rural students are more likely towork in a rural setting, but these findings show that city-based healthprofessionals will also relocate to the bush if they are given a taste ofrural practice while at university.“Once they graduate, young allied health professionals are having ahuge impact on rural patients in crucial areas of need such as aged care,mental health, early intervention and Aboriginal health. “It not onlyresults in rural patients getting access to more health services, but itgives 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 secondhighest rating of remoteness (*ASGC-RA 4) 45 are working in rural and remote areas other than where theycompleted 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 ofincentives with rural jobs and the cost of living away fromfamilies as two factors influencing their career choice.

Did you know People with severe mentalillness (SMI), such asschizophrenia and mooddisorders, have much higherrates of physical illness thanthe general population. Theyalso have physical healthproblems that often remainundetected or untreated. Upto 50% of people with SMIhave identified medicaldisorders which frequentlyexacerbate their psychiatriccondition. The presence of agreater number of physicalhealth problems can alsocontribute to more severepsychosis and depression.Poor physical health isassociated with poorermental health. Many health care systems donot adequately provide anintegrated approach forphysical and mental healthcare. Generally mentalhealth care is provided byone organisation andphysical health care from adifferent provider. Onecondition may be receivingadequate attention while theothers are not. Theconsequences of fragmentedor incomplete care are all toooften a lower life expectancyand a poorer quality of life. Cancer accounts for a largeproportion of deaths amongpeople with schizophrenia;indeed, the WorldFederation for MentalHealth has reported thatcancers, especially breastcancer and lung cancer, arethe second most commoncause of death in peoplewith schizophrenia. Thiscould be associated with thedifficulty they have withaccessing health care,including cancer screeningprogrammes.

Page 28 of 32

Art from Adversitywww.dailytelegraph.com.auANNE Naylor had no idea she had a talent for painting until after shewas diagnosed with bipolar disorder.The West Pennant Hills mum saiddiscovering her creativity hadbeen a positive aspect of herdiagnosis."The art is beautiful that has comeout of it," she said. "It just sprangfrom some creativity that wasthere and hadn't been expressedbefore."One day I looked around myhome and thought the artwork onmy walls is pretty boring and Iwould like to paint artworks formy whole house. (It came)completely from nowhere."Ms Naylor recently launched herbook, Art From Adversity: A Life

With Bipolar. It is partautobiography, part informationguide to bipolar disorder andmental health."My aim in writing the book is to say no one's normal and everyone hasgot something, whether it's a mental health issue, a child with adisability, a health problem," she said."The second message is that bipolar is not all bad. There's a perceptionit's only terrible … but, for a lot of people like me, there are some reallypositive 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 thestereotype as a person with a mental illness," she said."I work in the community andcontribute to society.""I think that some people think thatfor people with a mental illness it'svery obvious but it's not. It's just likehaving any other chronic, long-termillness that you have to manage."Ms Naylor said she had met a lot ofwonderful people as a result of herdiagnosis."I really appreciate my friends who Italk to and when things are difficultand I'm finding it hard, I say tomyself your life is great and you havegot a lovely family and plenty ofother people have much moredifficult things to deal with," she said.

Poem

Mushy BrainsOur brains are in a mush,Caused by a rush,Of treatments that go zap zapzap.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 sametreatment.They treat a lot of people,As well as folks who are highlyregal,Not knowing what we are infor.They tell us that we will beokay,After the zap-ba-dee-doo brainwaves,But that is not the truth.Instead of us being cured,We spew up after thetreatment,And our memory goes squishilysquashily blank.What do we do now, I ask?Do we yell at all the staff,For causing our beautifulmemory bank to be destroyed?Or do we sit around here,Let our lives go on,As if nothing really badhappened to us?Kathryn O’Neill

Author Anne Naylor.Picture Peter KellySource: News Limited

Page 29 of 32

Mi Networks AUSTRALIAMi Networks is our promise that wecan help connect you to informationand services you need. From themoment you walk in the door or pickup the phone, we will welcome you.We will listen and discuss your needs.Many of our staff and volunteers havesome understanding of what you areexperiencing, in part because they’veexperienced mental illness or havecared for someone living with mentalillness.Our PromiseA place you are welcome -- We promise to treat you like aperson, not a number. We will always have time to listen,question and discuss. We want to know how you are, what youneed and how we can help.Peer Support -- Many of our staff and volunteers have livedexperience: either living with mental illness or as the carers ofsomeone with mental illness. We are people with similarexperiences and we will have some understanding of what youare going through.Relevant Information -- We offer tailored and up-to-dateinformation to assist you, your family members, friends andcarers. If we don’t have the information you require, we will helpyou find it.Community Networks--We are linked into our local networksand have established strong and supportive workingrelationships with other services. We are connected to a broadrange of programs, supports and information.A National Network --We offer a range of one-on-one and groupsupport programs for you, your family members, friends andcarers across Australia. If we can’t assist you on-site at one of ourlocations, we will connect you with someone who can.Personalised Referral -- We will refer you to the services andsupports that best meet your needs. This may be a program weoffer or it may be provided by someone else. We will support youto find the best fit for you.For further information go to the MI Networks websitehttp://www.minetworks.org.au/ or call 1800 985 944

Supporting MIFNQThere are many ways that you cansupport us and the work we do atMIFNQ. If you haven’t done soalready, why not become amember. Membership is free andan application form is on the backpage or you can join online at ourwebsite.Volunteering is another way youcan make a valuable contribution.We always have lots ofopportunities for volunteers tomake a difference to our servicesand programs. You may like tovolunteer with administrationtasks, assist with our extensivelibrary, are a handyman or assistwith our program courses whichcan range from reading, music,cooking, arts and crafts and awhole lot more. Many of ourvolunteers find they can receive asmuch themselves as theygenerously give.

Partnerships/SponsorsYou might also consider becominga business partner or sponsor ofthe Fellowship. Our dedicated staffput in many hours of unpaid workto enable us to provide the bestservice we can in the community.Business partnerships allow uskeep the corporate servicesdepartment running effectivelyand efficiently while allowing us toplan for future growth and theever increasing demand forservices. And donating to MIFNQonline is easy.Online DonationsYou can make secure onlinedonations through the Give Nowwebsite through this linkhttp://www.givenow.com.au/mifnq.

Page 30 of 32

An Extraordinary LifeBack in the late 1970’s and early 80’s, 2 young members of Doreen’sextended family were diagnosed with a terrible illness. Not the sortof illness that usually brings families, friends and their communitiestogether, but the sort of illness that can bring shame, isolation andfear to ordinary families; an illness whose name at the time, wasrarely spoken because of the stigma attached.But Doreen was not like ordinary people. She knew that stigma wasbased on ignorance. She also knew that ignorance could bechallenged by knowledge, by information and by truth. So she wentin search of the knowledge. But this was in the days before Goggle,search engines and the internet. Knowledge of the kind she waslooking for was not easy to find, but what she did find in her searchwas a few other like-minded people living locally; Grace, Margaretand Debbie Herring, Jeanette Muir, John Drew, May Bligh. She evenfound 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 becameincorporated in 1986. This was an organization established by and for people and families living withschizophrenia; an organization that provided accurate, up to date information about schizophrenia andother mental illnesses. Doreen lobbied for funding to establish the first housing program for peoplewith mental illness in Queensland, right here in Townsville, even providing some of her own furnitureto turn houses into homes. She sourced books and education programs to raise awareness ofschizophrenia in the community and to help families and individuals manage the impact of mentalillness; she challenged ignorance and stigma by increasing knowledge and understanding; Through theSchizophrenia Fellowship, she lobbied for the establishment of a day therapy centre, run by the firstcommunity mental health team in Townsville. Again she and the Fellowship members raided theirhomes and wallets to help set it up; Doreen and the Fellowship members went to Sussex Street DayTherapy Centre every week to provide a home cooked meal for the delighted clients. Doreen helped theFellowship to gain funding to staff and run an information and drop in centre in North Ward, near theold Townsville hospital.Doreen was at various times, President, Secretary, and Committee member. Even Jim, her husband, wasroped in to be the Treasurer for a time. This was after all a family affair, all be it, an extended familyaffair.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. Shesupported any fund raising event, art show, community mental health forum and conference withnational and international guest speakers. Doreen remained involved and committed to the aims andobjectives 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 ofthousands of individuals and families whose lives are affected by schizophrenia and other mentalillnesses. On her work, on the foundations she helped build, sits the largest specialist non-governmentorganization outside the Brisbane metropolitan region in Queensland. An influential organization, withservices operating in Cairns, Townsville and Mackay and outreaching into rural and remote areasthroughout Queensland. The Mental Illness Fellowship NQ is a legacy of Doreen Wheeler’sextraordinary life.

Doreen Wheeler5 May 1927 – 4 May 2013

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Living Proof – Positive Stories of Mental IllnessMental Illness Fellowship NQ IncMIFNQ-Cairns Mental Health Carers’ Support HubMIFNQ-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 andcassettes for members to borrow. Feel free to come in and browse around.Library Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm

MIFNQ Office LocationsCAIRNS MACKAYSuite 7,129a Lake St, Cairns Q 4870 14-16 Wood St, Mackay Q 4740PO Box 816N Cairns Q 4870 PO Box 729 Mackay Q 4740P: (07) 4041 2543 P: (07) 4951 2955F: (07) 4041 2872 F: (07) 4953 0509E: cairns@mifnq.org.au E: mackay@mifnq.org.auTOWNSVILLE (Head Office) SUNSHINE COAST - Living Proof159 Kings Rd, Pimlico Q 4812PO Box 979 Hyde Park Q 4812 PO Box 5080 Nambour Q 4560P: (07) 4725 3664 P: (07) 5442 1651F: (07) 4725 3819 F: (07) 5442 1651E: townsville@mifnq.org.au E: coolum@mifnq.org.auFREE CALL: 1800 455 455

MIFNQ Management CommitteePresident Bob JamesVice-President (vacant)Secretary Jenny ChapmanTreasurer Sandra HubertCommittee Members Alf MusumeciTanya ParkDonella PicklesSandi Winner

Promoting Recovery Through Services in the Community

Page 32 of 32OFFICIAL USE ONLYReceived: ___________________Membership No: ___________Entered: ____________________Initials: _____________________

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

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

Individual Family OrganizationPlease select the category/categories which relate to you:

Family Member Friend Someone who experiences mental illness Health Professional Student Other _____________________________What Program/s are you currently enrolled in (if any):

Day to Day Living Early Psychosis MH First AidMental Illness Education Respite Well Ways

DONATIONS AND REQUESTSI 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 DETAILSName: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................Address: ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Phone Home: .......................................................... Work: .....................................................................................................Fax: .............................................................................. Mobile: ..................................................................................................Email: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................Email Consent (please sign) ...............................................................................................................................................................(This consent allows MIFNQ to contact you via electronic media)

Image Consent (please sign) ..............................................................................................................................................................(This consent allows MIFNQ to use your image on print and/or electronic media)

On completion return to:

Email:townsville@mifnq.org.au Fax:(07) 4725 3819 Post:REPLY PAID 979Membership AdministrationMental Illness Fellowship NQ IncPO Box 979HYDE PARK QLD 4812