news for November 2009 Insert story title here PHaMs LOOKOUT NEWSLETTER, NOVEMBER 2014 CONTENTS PHaMs news, partner agency schedule – 2 Walali Neighbourhood -3 Q & A summary – 4 Resilience and wellbeing - 5 Task of recovery Depression & quit smoking -6 Research, The power of TV – 7 November calendar - 8 Published by: Australian Red Cross PHaMs 14b Cambridge St Rockhampton QLD 4700 Tel: Wellbeing Festival 2014 was a wonderful day

Published by:Red Cross PHaMs 14b Cambridge Street, Rockhampton Tel: PHaMs News Partner Agencies These agencies visit the Walali Neighbourhood Schedule centre on a regular basis to provide service s Department of Human Services Every Tuesday, 1:15pm – 3:00pm Centrelink payments Centacare personal counsellor Every Friday, 10:30am – 2:30pm Trauma counselling Alcohol & Drug Federation Qld Every Thursday, 10:00am – 2:15pm Alcohol & Drug counselling Australian Red Cross PHaMs and the Walali Neighbourhood Centre facilitated a Q & A with a panel of professionals during Mental Health week. This wrapped up a hugely successful Mental Health Week in our community. This great day included “wear a crazy hat” for Mental Health awareness. The staff, volunteers and community members all got into the spirit by wearing their best crazy hats. There was also the cutting of the Walali Neighbourhood Centre’s fourth birthday cake. Happy Birthday Walali !

Walali Neighbourhood Centre News Fun & Fitness - Monday 10:30am at the South Rockhampton public pool. There is a small cover charge of $2.00. Participants are invited to meet at the Walali Neighbourhood Centre by 10:15am and a bus will transport to the Pool. Gym,- will be closed from 28 th October to 25 th November Personal training in the park with Carman is still available for those interested. Meeting at usual workout times at the Walali Neighbourhood Centre. Recovery Fellowship, - Mental health recovery peer conversations. Thursday 11:30am at the Walali Neighbourhood Centre Peer Group monthly meeting,- will meet next, December 4 th at the Walali Neighbourhood Centre. Start time is at 1:30pm. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Group, - meeting held at the Walali Neighbourhood Centre fortnightly. The next meeting will be held on 10 th November 2014, 4:00 – 5:00pm. This group is a women’s group. We will be commencing a men’s group in 2015 Anti Discrimination Commission Qld - The Walali Neighbourhood Centre will be hosting a community education session. Introduction to the Anti-Discrimination Act This course provides a basic introduction to the key elements of anti-discrimination legislation in Queensland. The session is interactive with a variety of visual and group activities and allows time for questions and discussion. Open to anyone with a interest or who may find this relevant to their current studies. Date and times will be posted soon. Fried rice Friday Monday swimming group Garden project Halloween, Cemetery tour

SUMMARY OF Q&A COMMUNITY FORUM The Community Forum was well attended with 50 guests plus the panel of front line workers, Indigenous Elders and other professionals. There was passionate discussion around individual and community issues. Amongst a good cross section of participants. The robust conversation lead to some real outcomes. The panel and participants have prioritised the following All panel members have agreed to come back and continue the discussion around priorities for the community and workshop pathways to make these a reality at a date to be negotiated. Timeline for this is to occur within 3 months (looking at February 2015 due to Christmas break). Aunty Judy Tatow and members of the panel and audience identified there is a need for supported accommodation or transitional housing ( 2 if possible) in the community for people leaving prison, IPU and rehabilitation facilities. Dr Rolfe advised he had been trying to obtain funding for a similar project since he was working within Rockhampton Mental Health Service and to date has been unsuccessful. Other discussion centred around developing a consortium of relevant service providers including the Police, Ambulance, Elder Groups and regional councils ( Rockhampton City Council are yet to be contacted). All of the service providers and panel members from organisations, under took to support this process. Early intervention was also identified by all who attended. Ideas were raised introducing education and awareness programs around social and emotional wellbeing challenges into schools, including upper primary school years. Red Cross will determine if “Talk out Loud” is available and will follow up with Education Queensland for their initial thoughts around this project. This forum was made possible by working in collaboration with Police, Helum Yumba Elders group, Centacare, Ozcare, CQID, CQML, Rockhampton Mental Health Service, CTC Youth Agency, Headspace, Suncare, Carers Queensland, Anglicare, Dept Queensland Housing and Public works, Excelcare, PHaMs participants, Walali Neighbourhood visitors and members of the community. I would like to thank all of the participants for your valuable input and look forward with anticipation and excitement to the future community forums and information sharing opportunities. Please feel free to contact me for further information on how you can be a part of the future Community Forums to have your say! Regards Lesley

Resilience & Wellbeing Wellbeing works It's important to understand that wellbeing is distinct from happiness, which can come and go, whereas wellbeing is a consistent state of wellness, satisfaction and contentment. In Australia, many of us work and strive to improve our wellbeing and quality of life, and that of our families. Elements that can contribute to a person's wellbeing are: Health. Personal relationships. Feelings of safety. Standard of living. Sense of achievement and purpose. Feeling part of the community. Future security. As a woman and individual working hard to stay on the road to a greater wellbeing. I believe the way we practice self-care has a direct effect on how emotionally healthy or unhealthy we can be. The following steps I found very helpful as I endeavour to practice daily self-care in my recovery. I am not my thoughts. Thoughts happen and it is up to me to train my brain to recognise that I don’t need to attach or act on each thought. In fact when I start playing out a story in my mind. I stop and ask myself, “is this true? Do I absolutely know it’s true? If I am entertaining a thought that isn’t real or is my own prediction of something that can’t be known, it’s often a projection of an underlying fear I might have. Through this, I am able to let an irrational thought go. Live my life as if everything is for the benefit of me. This means taking everything that comes my way, is for the greater good of me. Sometimes it is asking me to be vulnerable, assertive or patient. Whatever it is, I know it is here to help me grow as a person, and each experience I go through helps me to be stronger and more grounded in my recovery. Ask of help. We are not designed to live life as separate beings. I have my family, friends and peers that travel with me on this journey of recovery. If I’m stuck emotionally, spiritually, physically or mentally – the best gift I can give myself is admitting I am stuck and ask for help. My body. My vessel. I choose to eat healthy and naturally. Walking is my salvation, even if its for only 15mins. Daily reflection. When I put pen to paper, I am able to make sense of where I am and where I want to go. For some, daily reflection ma come in other forms, such as taking a photo, drawing or meditation. Visual reflection allows me to live in gratitude. Shelly Green Recovery Points Recovery is an everyday human experience. Recovery is a personal journey, but rarely taken alone. Recovery is living well. Recovery means being in control and connectedness.

Tasks of Recovery Developing a positive identity: the first task is to develop a positive identity outside of being a person with a mental illness. What is valuable as part of personal identity is different for everyone. This could involve family roles, personal strengths, work, artistic or physical strengths. Framing the ‘mental illness’: understanding the meaning of the illness and being able to put it in a ‘box’ as part of the person but not the whole person. Some people understand mental illness in medical terms, and others give it a different meaning (i.e. a spiritual or existential crisis). Self-managing the mental illness: viewing the illness as one of life’s challenges, taking responsibility for managing symptoms or problems, and seeking help from others when necessary Developing valued social roles: family, work or community roles provide a sense of meaning, purpose and identity Depression and quitting smoking Studies show that people with depression want to quit. When is the right time to quit? Chances are, there will never be a magic moment or ‘right time’ to quit, but there are some times that are better than others. If you have depression, it’s important to choose a time when you feel stable enough to make a plan and stick to it. Your doctor can assess our mental state and advise you about the right time to quit. Many people see quitting as a private battle between themselves and cigarettes, but getting help increases your chances of success. There are many options available depending on your needs. It’s a good idea to write up your plan – use the online tool at It’s a good idea to list all your reasons and number them in order of importance. Print out your list and stick it on your fridge or another handy space as a reminder. Knowing what situations make you want to smoke can help you plan how to deal with trigger situations when you’re quitting. Use the 4Ds Delay Deep breathe Drink water Do something Most cravings only last a few minutes Living with Depression or Bipolar Disorder As with other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma, people with mood disorders should see themselves as managers of their illness. Depression and bipolar disorder are treatable, but they are not yet curable. For many people, depression and bipolar disorder are chronic illnesses. If severe, depressive and/or manic episodes reappear at some point in your life, don’t panic. Your experience with previous episodes puts you one giant step ahead in the process of recognizing symptoms and getting help. By continuing your treatment plan, you can greatly reduce your chances of having symptoms recur. We are biological beings, to be sure, but you can’t put a person’s life experiences – fears, traumas, thoughts, emotions, dreams, and losses – under a microscope and diagnose them and call it a disease. ~Laurie Ahern

Research shows the power of TV. A number of studies in Australia and elsewhere in the world have shown a strong link between the portrayals of people with mental illness on the small screen, and public attitudes to people with lived experience of mental illness. A 2005 report by mental health organisation SANE Australia looked at consumers’ impressions and responses to TV and movie depictions of mental illness and suicide. The majority of people who participated in Make it Real! believed that inaccurate and stigmatising portrayals of people with mental health problems were far more common than informed representations, and that the examples had a lasting impact. This included reinforcing stereotypes and negative labels, and increasing the self-stigma for people living with mental illness. “I don’t know much about it [the portrayal of mental illness in TV dramas],” said one respondent. “Just what I see on TV, and they’re always psycho killers.” Another said: “They only care about creating a big drama to get ratings up, not how this affects us”. In the same year, a University of Melbourne study reviewed the research literature around fictional film and television portrayals of mental illness. This found that the portrayal of mental illness is “extensive and, predominantly, perpetuating myths and stereotypes”. The report says: “People with mental illness are most commonly shown as being violent and aggressive, but they are also frequently depicted as eccentrics, seductresses (in the case of women), self- obsessives, objects for scientific observation, simpletons and/ or failures.” The study also found that, perhaps contrary to popular opinion, entertainment media may have a greater influence on community attitudes towards mental illness than news media. Amy Visser, of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health, which manages Mindframe, says television drama plays an important role in influencing people’s attitudes. “There is a demonstrated link between negative portrayals of mental illness in the mass media and negative beliefs among people in the community,” says Amy." In short, this can lead to stigma and discrimination towards people living with a mental illness. It’s not so much the instance of these portrayals as the way in which they are presented that can influence outcomes for people who are vulnerable, and community understanding generally. ”While old stereotypes are being challenged more often, negative depictions of characters with mental illness are still all too common on Australian television screens “There are still many myths and misconceptions being perpetuated in the name of ‘drama’. Mental illness is often easy fodder for creating characters with bizarre and eccentric behaviours and the conflict that ensues, with little explanation as to if, how or why someone living with an illness would behave this way. However, increasingly these clichés are being challenged as writers seek out new and exciting stories.” By Rebecca Proffitt, Cate Hennessy LIKE MINDS, LIKE MINE: JULY 2014

3 rd Fun & 10.30am Swimming at the Sth side pool 1.00pm 4th Crafty Yarners 10.00am Daily living 1:30 5th Walali Centre Closed 6th Sew N 10:00am Recovery 11:30 Barista 1:00pm 7th CQID art project & Ozcare Homestay garden 10:00am Almost anything 1:00pm 10th Fun & 10.30am Swimming at the Sth side pool 1.00pm 11th Crafty Yarners 10.00am Daily living 1:30 12th 13th Sew N 10:00am Recovery 11:30 Barista 1:00pm 14 th CQID art project & Ozcare Homestay garden 10:00am Almost anything 1:00pm 17 h Fun & 10.30am Swimming at the Sth side pool 1.00pm 18 th Crafty Yarners 10.00am Daily living 1:30 19 th 20 th Sew N 10:00am Recovery 11:30 Barista 1:00pm 21 th CQID art project & Ozcare Homestay garden 10:00am Almost anything 1:00pm 24th Fun & 10.30am Swimming at the Sth side pool 1.00pm 25th Crafty Yarners 10.00am 11:00am Daily living 1:30pm 26th27th Sew N 10:00am 11:00 Barista 1:00pm 28 th CQID art project & Ozcare Homestay garden 10:00am Almost anything 1:00pm MondayTuesday Wednesd ayThursdayFriday Walali Neighbourhood Centre 14b Cambridge St, Rockhampton Ph.: November 2014