Mental Health Awareness

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S H I T L T A A E H H W AL T N E M

Being mentally healthy doesn’t just mean that you don’t have a mental health problem. If you’re in good mental health, you can: • Make the most of your potential • Cope with life • Play a full part in your family, workplace and community.

Some people call mental health ‘emotional health’ or ‘well-being’ and it’s just as important as good physical health.

Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have times when we feel down or stressed or frightened. Most of the time those feelings pass.

Sometimes, however they develop into a more serious problem and that could happen to any one of us. Everyone is different. You may bounce back from a setback while someone else may feel weighed down by it for a long time.

Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life.

What are Mental Health Problems?

Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious 2

long-term conditions. The majority of people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on.

Mental health problems are usually defined and classified to enable professionals to refer people for appropriate care and treatment. But some diagnoses are controversial and there is

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Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have times when we feel down or stressed or frightened.

much concern in the mental health field that people are too often treated according to or described by their label. This can have a profound effect on their quality of life. Nevertheless, diagnosis remains the most usual way of dividing and classifying symptoms into groups.

Most mental health symptoms have traditionally been divided into groups called either ‘neurotic’ or ‘psychotic’ symptoms.

‘Neurotic’ covers those symptoms which can be regarded as severe forms of ‘normal’ emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or panic.

Conditions formerly referred to as ‘neurosis’ are now more frequently called ‘common mental health problems.’

Less common are ‘psychotic’ symptoms, which interfere with a person’s perception of reality, and may include hallucinations such as seeing, hearing, smelling or feeling things that no one else can.

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LIVING WITH

DEPRESS

Depression is a common mental disorder that causes people to experience depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration.

Depression is different from feeling down or sad.

Unhappiness is something which everyone feels at one time or another, usually due to a particular cause. A person suffering from depression will experience intense emotions of 4

anxiety, hopelessness, negativity and helplessness, and the feelings stay with them instead of going away.

Depression can happen to anyone. Many successful and famous people who seem to have everything going for them battle with this problem.

Depression also affects people of every age.

Half of the people who have depression will only experience it once but for the other half it will happen again. The length of time that it takes to recover ranges from around six months to a year or more. Living with depression is difficult for those who suffer from it and for their family, friends, and colleagues.

• Loss of self-confidence.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Not being able to enjoy things that are usually pleasurable.

• Feeling anxious all the time.

• Avoiding your close friends and family.

• Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

• Sleeping problems.

• Very strong feelings of guilt.

• Finding it hard to function at work/college/school.

• Loss of appetite.

• Thinking about suicide and death.

• Self-harm If you experience four or more of these symptoms for most of the day - every day for more than two weeks, you should seek help from your GP

• Tiredness and loss of energy.

• Constant Sadness.

LIVING WITH DEPR

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

SION “

Many successful and famous people who seem to have everything going for them battle with this problem.

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RESSION IS DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM IT 5

Who Can Help Me? Taking the First Step

The first step in treating a mental disorder is recognizing that something is not right. The second step is getting help. These two steps may in fact be the hardest part of the entire healing process. Once you seek help from a qualified health care provider, a correct diagnosis can be made and proper treatment can be given to help you get back on track Early recognition and treatment of a mental illness will offer the greatest chance of recovery and the earlier you seek help the greater the chance that recurrences can be prevented.

Where to Go for Mental Health Help

Once you decide to seek help for your mental health, start with your doctor. He or she can evaluate you to make sure that medication or another illness is not the cause of your symptoms. If the symptoms are not caused by an underlying physical illness, your doctor will likely refer you to a mental health care professional -- someone trained in treating mental health issues.

Who Treats Mental Illness?

Health care providers in many different environments and specialities are trained to identify the presence of a mental disorder, including:

Primary Care Physician: Doctors are primarily skilled in medical health care but do have some training in treating mental or psychiatric problems. Physicians will recommend specialised care for patients

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with more than mild symptoms of a mental illness.

Physician Assistant (PA): These caregivers are trained to identify symptoms of mental illness in patients and have some training in treating mental or psychiatric disorders under the supervision of a physician.

Nurse Practitioner: These people are registered nurses (RNs) with added nursing training and some training in treating mental or psychiatric problems.

Many patients see PAs or nurse practitioners instead of a doctor in rural or underserved areas.

Psychiatrist: These are medical doctors (MDs) who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental or psychiatric illnesses. Psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe drugs as part

of their treatment regimen and are also trained in psychotherapy, a form of “talking� therapy.

Psychologist: These are doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) experts in psychology and are trained in counselling, psychotherapy, and psychological testing.

Social worker: These are specialists who often help to provide counselling services and social service needs to disadvantaged individuals and those with a psychiatric illness. Social workers are trained to recognize mental illness and conduct psychotherapy

Psychiatric nurse specialists: These are registered nurses (RNs) who are educated in psychiatric nursing and specialise in treating mental or psychiatric illnesses.

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Who Has Used Crystal Meth - And Why? If you’ve listened to the news lately, you might think that Australia is overrun with uncontrollably violent people on crystal methamphetamine. This may be true of those in crisis, but the bigger picture of meth use is much more varied.

Australia has one of the highest rates of illicit methamphetamine use in the world and the highest use among developed nations. Around 2.5% of Australians over 14 years (around half a million people) have used methamphetamine over the past year, compared with around 9%

which can be swallowed, snorted or injected; a smaller proportion use the crystalline form, which is usually injected or smoked. All forms of methamphetamine have a similar chemical makeup but crystal meth is much more potent.

employment. This may surprise some people, because of the unhelpful stereotypes that are perpetuated of the “down and out” illicit drug user.

Who uses meth?

Users of methamphetamine come from across the spectrum of society but a number of groups have higher than average rates of use. Very few people under the age of 20 use the drug, but those aged between 20 and 29 years

Around 2.5% of Australian’s over 14 years have used methamphetamine in the last 12 months.

who have used cannabis and more than 4% who have used ecstasy.

Methamphetamine comes in a number of forms, mainly powder/pills (speed), crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth or ice) and a sticky paste (base).

The majority of users favour the lower-potency powder or pill form, 8

have the highest rates of use at around 6%, though this actually decreased from 7.3% between 2007 and 2010.

As with most illicit drugs, men tend to use at higher rates than women and those in paid employment tend to use at higher rates than those not in paid

However, the majority of people who use illicit drugs do not use regularly or in large quantities.

A relatively small proportion (for methamphetamine, around 10-

15%) of users go on to become dependent and need treatment.

Some industry groups have higher than average use as well.

These include hospitality (6.1%), construction (5.5%), media and telecommunications (5%), mining (4.4%) and finance (4.0%). Gay men and men who have sex with men are also reported to have a higher-than-average rate of use, as are sex workers. There have been recent reports of increases in use of crystal methamphetamine, but it is unclear whether existing users are switching to the more potent form or new users are taking up the drug.

Short-term highs

Methamphetamine dramatically increases the level of dopamine, which regulates many systems in the brain, including feeling pleasure, motor control and cognitive processes such as attention and working memory.

Dopamine is released any time we do something that feels good, but methamphetamine makes the brain release up to 1,000 times the normal level of dopamine. Very little else, including other drugs, releases so much dopamine, and over such a long period of time, as methamphetamine.

With short term use, the brain’s dopamine reserves are emptied, and users of methamphetamine may feel tired and irritable for a few days while the stores build up again.

Long-term lows

After regular use, the brain’s dopamine system effectively wears out, and over time the brain stops being able to produce enough dopamine on its own.

When a person stops after a long period of use, they may feel depressed and lack motivation because they are unable to produce any more dopamine – at least for a while. They may also have strong cravings for sugary

or starchy food because they are unable to get pleasure from anything else.

Meth changes the brain and, consequently, behaviour.

Methamphetamine also releases high doses of another brain chemical, noradrenaline, activating the “fight or flight” system. People using high doses can be anxious, jumpy and hypervigilant (flight) or suspicious and aggressive (fight).

Other effects occur in the frontal area of the brain that controls thinking, planning and decision-making, personality and appropriate social behaviour.

The prefrontal cortex takes the information from the emotional centre of the brain and decides whether to act on it or not.

By disrupting dopamine activity, methamphetamine reduces the influence of the thinking parts of the brain, enabling the emotional parts of the brain to go unchecked.

Road to recovery

As a result of the effect of these chemicals on the brain when intoxicated on methamphetamine, users can be anxious, hypervigilant, aggressive and show signs of psychosis.

If someone is intoxicated on methamphetamine, telling them to calm down, or trying to restrain them is not a good idea – they may be scared and paranoid because of the drug effects. Try to calmly get them to a quiet place with reduced stimuli, but don’t put yourself in danger.

After long periods of regular use, changes to the dopamine system can mean users appear flat, unmotivated, and have such strong cravings that relapse is hard to avoid.

Understanding that the recovery process may be long and difficult because of these brain changes can assist long-term users to stick to their treatment program and can assist their family and friends to be patient.

Although the brain eventually recovers, these brain changes can last for months or years after stopping use, which is one of the reasons that recovery can take a long time, with many relapses along the way. It can take 12 months or more for a methamphetamine user to start to feel “normal” again.

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Many people use drugs, but not everyone becomes addicted.

Why? Part of the reason comes down to how you take a drug. Are you smoking, injecting, snorting or swallowing it? That dictates how much drug gets into the brain, how fast, and how often brain levels of drug rise and fall. These are pharmacokinetic variables, and they reflect how your body absorbs and distributes a drug.

For instance, if you smoke a joint, brain levels of cannabis will both rise and decline much faster than if you had eaten the same amount of cannabis in a brownie.

And a rapid rise and fall in brain levels of a drug is more likely to lead to addiction. That is why a substance can lead to addiction in one form (like nicotine in cigarettes) but can treat addiction in another (like the nicotine patch).

I am a professor of pharmacology, and I have been studying the role of pharmacokinetics in addiction for years. Studying these variables can help us understand the brain changes that lead to addiction.

And by identifying these changes, we might be able to design ways of reversing them.

How fast and how often a drug gets to your brain can predict addiction

Addiction happens when a drug causes brain changes that lead a person to seek and take drugs compulsively. For the most part, researchers tend to focus on how much of a drug it takes to cause

these brain changes.

But in predicting the risk of addiction, how fast and how often drugs get to the brain can be more important than how much.

Researchers have used rats to investigate this issue, finding that both the speed with which a drug reaches the brain and how often brain levels rise and fall during intoxication have a huge influence on addiction.

One series of studies carried out in part in my laboratory shows that rats taking rapid injections of a drug (cocaine, in this instance) develop a stronger desire for it.

In these studies, rats voluntarily pressed a small lever to take intravenous injections of cocaine daily. For some rats, each dose was injected quickly, in five seconds.

This brings cocaine to the brain about as fast as smoking it. For other rats, cocaine was injected over 90 seconds, which gets it to the brain about as fast as snorting.

Compared to the rats taking slower injections, the rats taking rapid injections developed an excessive desire to obtain cocaine.

After a long abstinence period, they were also more likely to resume pressing on the cocaine lever when given an opportunity to do so, which mimics relapse after abstinence. Importantly, differences between the two groups of rats were seen even when they had taken the same total number of drug injections.

Why are cigarettes addictive, but not the nicotine patch?

Other studies on rats suggest that how often brain levels of a drug rise and fall can better predict addiction than how much drug is taken.

To investigate, researchers tested how intermittent

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drug use compares with continuous drug use. One group of rats took intravenous injections of cocaine intermittently each day.

This produces spikes and dips in brain levels of the drug. Another group took cocaine pretty much continuously, which produces high and stable brain levels.

The continuous group consumed four to five times more cocaine each day than the intermittent group. But later, the intermittent group showed that compared to the continuous group, they were willing to press on the drug lever much more often to obtain even very small amounts of cocaine. In other words, the intermittent group was willing to “pay” much more to get the drug.

In this context, consider the cigarette smoker versus the person using nicotine skin patches. The puff-by-puff inhalation of cigarette smoke produces intermittent spikes in brain levels of nicotine.

The patch produces continuous levels of nicotine. Smoking cigarettes can be addictive; using nicotine patches usually isn’t.

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Pharmacokinetics change the effects drugs have on the brain

Drugs engage the same brain circuits as other rewards, such as food, water and sex.

When we encounter rewards, groups of neurons release the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain like the nucleus accumbens, which is part of the brain’s reward circuit. Dopamine acts as a call to attention and action. It tells us “Something important has just happened. Stay near it, and pay attention to learn how to make it happen again.”

The nucleus accumbens, highlighted in red, on an MRI scan. Geoff B Hall via Wikimedia Commons A dopamine spike makes the event that caused it seem

attractive. When a drug like cocaine reaches the brain rapidly, as when it is smoked or injected rather than snorted, it produces a faster increase in dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. This can make

others with greater ease.

This can be a benefit. But at the same time, alcohol activates bitter taste receptors and also makes you feel dizzy. You could override both of these defenses if you really wanted

the drug seem more desirable, and could be part of the reason that addiction is more likely when drug levels in the brain rise rapidly.

to, but both can also protect you from drinking too much.

Two recent events in our human history challenge these protective mechanisms: the availability of purer drugs and the use of direct routes of drug administration, like injection. These developments allow us to get drugs into our brains faster and in a more spiking pattern – both of which increase the risk of addiction.

Knowing this, we could manipulate pharmacokinetic variables to change how fast drug levels

What does this mean for addiction?

The only surefire way to protect yourself from addiction is not to take drugs. But humans have experimented with drugs for hundreds of generations, and they will continue to do so because drugs activate the brain’s reward circuit.

The brain has protective mechanisms that regulate drug intake to minimize costs and maximize benefits.

For example, alcohol can make you feel brave and allow you to interact with

in the brain rise and fall, and transform the effects of drugs.

Manipulating these variables could make some drugs become more addictive, but it could also make some drugs go from being addictive to actually being therapeutic.

We are already using some of these principles to treat addiction.

Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction. Both drugs activate the brain’s reward circuit, but oral methadone produces slowly rising drug levels in the brain, which allows it to act as a medical treatment for heroin addiction.

At the moment, researchers are studying the possibility of using oral amphetamine to treat cocaine addiction. When amphetamine is taken orally, drug levels rise in a slow and stable way. The idea is that by producing a low level of activity in the brain’s reward circuit, oral amphetamine could reduce cocaine use.

Wherever these ideas lead us, the available evidence already suggests that if we as addiction researchers ignore pharmacokinetics, we do so at our peril.

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These are some of the physical things that might happen: • Rapid or irregular heartbeat • Fast breathing • Weakened / tense muscles • Sweating • Churning stomach / loose bowels • Dizziness • Dry mouth Possible psychological effects, which can include: • Insomnia • Lack of concentration • Feeling irritable • Feeling depressed • Lacking self-confidence 12

Causes Of Anxiety Feelings of anxiety can be caused by lots of things and vary according to what you’re worried about and how you act when you feel apprehensive.

Just knowing what makes you anxious can be the first steps to managing anxiety.

Getting help for anxiety Anxiety can affect all of us every now and then. Most people get through passing moments of anxiety with no lasting effect.

People experiencing anxiety in their everyday lives often find the personal resources to cope through simple remedies.

Talking it through Although it can be difficult to open up about feeling anxious, it can be helpful to talk to friends, family or someone who has had a similar experience Face your fear By breaking the cycle of constantly avoiding situations

Anxiety is a type of fear usually associated with the thought of a threat or something going wrong in the future, but can also arise from something happening right now.

Around 1 in 6 people will experience a mental health problem like anxiety each year, which has steadily increased over the past 20 years. It is also likely that individuals do not seek help for significant levels of anxiety, meaning many remain without diagnosis or treatment.

Signs and Symptoms

Life is full of potential stressful events and it is normal to feel anxious about everyday things. There can be a single trigger or event that raises anxiety levels, but generally it could be a number of things that increase anxiety levels, including exams, work deadlines, how we see ourselves, or whether we feel safe.

Anxiety has a strong effect on us because it’s one of our natural survival responses. It causes our mind and body to speed up to prepare us to respond to an emergency. that make you anxious, you are less likely to stop doing the things you want, or need, to do.

The chances are the reality of the situation won’t be as bad as you expect, making you better equipped to manage and reduce your anxiety.

Relax Learning relaxation techniques can help you calm feelings of anxiety. Practices like yoga, meditation will relax your breathing and help you manage the way you feel about stressful experiences.

Know yourself Make a note of when you feel anxious, what happens and the potential triggers. By acknowledging these and arming yourself with tips to deal with these triggers, you will be better prepared.

Exercise Even small increases in physical activity levels can trigger brain chemicals that improve your mood, wellbeing and stress levels. This can act as a prevention and treatment for anxiety.

Healthy eating Eat lots of fruit and vegetables and try to avoid too much sugar, a sharp dip in blood sugar levels can give you anxious feelings.

Caffeine can also increase anxiety levels so try to avoid drinking too much.

Talking to someone If you feel anxious all the time, for several weeks or if it feels like your anxiety is taking over your life, then it’s a good idea to ask for help 13

Good Nutrition Is Essential For Our Mental Health

One of the most obvious factors in the development of major trends in mental health is the role of nutrition. The body of evidence linking diet and mental health is growing at a rapid pace.

As well as its impact on short and long-term mental health, food plays an important contributing role in the development, management and prevention of specific mental health problems such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease.

A balanced mood and feelings of wellbeing can be protected by ensuring that our diet provides adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, essential fats, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and water.

While a healthy diet can help recovery, it should sit alongside other treatments recommended by your doctor.

Eat Regular Meals

Eat regular meals throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and

vegetables a day.

Missing meals, especially breakfast, leads to low blood sugar and this causes low mood, irritability and fatigue

Refined Foods

Eat fewer high sugar foods and more wholegrain cereals, nuts, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables.

Sugary foods are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream.

This may cause an initial ‘high’ or surge of energy that soon wears off as the body increases its insulin production, leaving you feeling tired and low.

Drink Water

Not drinking enough fluid has significant implications for mental health. The early effects of even mild dehydration can affect our feelings and behaviour. Water is the best fuel for our Mind and Body.

Good Foods = Good Mental Health 14

Exercise

1. Exercise Regularly

Exercise leads to the release of endorphins – feel-good chemicals in the brain that help us to relax and to feel happy. Exercise is particularly important for people with depression as it also gives structure and purpose to the day. Outdoor exercise that exposes us to sunlight is especially valuable as it affects the pineal gland and directly boosts mood.

There is no need to join a gym – walking is the easiest, cheapest and best form of exercise and it can be built up as your fitness level increases.

Swimming is good for people with joint problems who find weight-bearing exercise difficult.

Whatever kind of exercise you choose, start with 20 minutes at least three times a week and increase this as your fitness improves.

2. Yoga Helps With Anxiety And Depression.

Consisting of activities such as relaxation, meditation, socialization, and exercise, yoga has been proven helpful in reducing your anxiety and depression. Yoga is able to accomplish this by helping regulate a person’s stress response system. With its ability to lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as improve respiration, yoga provides you with the means to deal with and resolve anxiety and depression without resorting to expensive medications.

3. Meditation

The term meditation refers to a broad variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation and build internal energy. Meditation aims at effortlessly sustained single-pointed concentration which is meant to enable its practitioner to enjoy an indestructible sense of well-being while engaging in any life activity.

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Enjoying mental health means having a sense of wellbeing, being able to function during everyday life and feeling confident to rise to a challenge when the opportunity arises. Just like your physical health, there are actions you can take to increase your mental health. Boost your wellbeing and stay mentally healthy by following a few simple steps.

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1. Connect with others.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life. The quality of our personal relationships has a great effect on our wellbeing.

Putting time and effort into building strong relationships can bring great rewards.

2. Take time to enjoy. Set aside time for activities, hobbies and projects you enjoy. Let yourself be spontaneous and– do whatever takes your fancy.

3. Participate and share interests. Join a club or group of people who share your interests. Being part of a group of people with a common interest provides a sense of belonging and is good for your mental health.

4. Contribute to your community. Volunteer your time for a cause or issue that you care about. Help out a neighbour, work in a community garden or do something nice for a friend. There are many great ways to contribute that can help

you feel good about yourself and your place in the world. An effort to improve the lives of others is sure to improve your life too.

5. Take care of yourself. Be active and eat well – these help maintain a healthy body.

Physical and mental health are closely linked; it’s easier to feel good about life if your body feels good. Combine physical activity with a balanced diet to nourish your body and mind and keep you feeling good, inside and out.

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6. Challenge yourself.

Learn a new skill or take on a challenge to meet a goal.

You could take on something different at work; commit to a fitness goal or learn to cook a new recipe. Learning improves your mental fitness, while striving to meet your own goals builds skills and confidence and gives you a sense of progress and achievement.

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7. Deal with stress. Be aware of what triggers your stress and how you react. You may be able to avoid some of the triggers and learn to prepare for or manage others. Stress is a part of life and affects people in different ways. It only becomes a problem when it makes you feel uncomfortable or distressed. A balanced lifestyle can help you manage

stress better. If you have trouble winding down, you may find that relaxation breathing, yoga or meditation can help.

8. Rest and refresh.

Get plenty of sleep. Sleep restores both your mind and body. However, feelings of fatigue can still set in if you feel constantly rushed and overwhelmed when you are awake. Allow yourself some

unfocused time each day to refresh; for example, daydream or simply watch the clouds go by for a while. It’s OK to add ‘do nothing’ to your to-do list!

9. Notice the here and now.

Take a moment to notice each of your senses each day. Simply ‘be’ in the moment. It’s easy to be caught up thinking about the past or planning for the future instead of experiencing

the present. Practising mindfulness, by focusing your attention on being in the moment, is a good way to do this. Making a conscious effort to be aware of your inner and outer world is important for your mental health.

10. Ask for help. This can be as simple as asking a friend to babysit while you have some time out or speaking

to your doctor (GP) about where to find a counsellor or community mental health service. Everyone’s life journey has bumpy bits and the people around you can help. If you don’t get the help you need first off, keep asking until you do.

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Even if you know someone well, it might be difficult to pick up on these signs. Symptoms of mental health conditions are often passed off as something else or attributed to certain life stages, stressful events, hormones or personality traits.

As many as one in five people will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime, so it’s quite likely you’ll need to support someone you care about through a mental health issue at some point. Often people dealing with a mental illness feel alone and cut off from their family and friends, so they’ll need your help.

If a friend or family member is showing signs of a mental health problem or reaching out to 20

you for help, offer support by: • Finding out if the person is getting the care that he or she needs and wants—if not, connect him or her to help • Expressing your concern and support • Reminding your friend or family member that help is available and that mental health problems can be treated • Asking questions, listening to ideas, and being responsive when the topic of mental health problems come up • Reassuring your friend or family member that you care about him or her • Offering to help your friend or family member with everyday tasks

• Including your friend or family member in your plans—continue to invite him or her without being overbearing, even if your friend or family member resists your invitations • Educating other people so they understand the facts about mental health problems and do not discriminate • Treating people with mental health problems with respect, compassion and empathy

With so much information about mental health online why not take the first step now; use the website search, to find quality information about understanding mental illness and how to help those that have mental illness.

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DATES TO REMEMBER Nati

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May 3rd May 3-9 May 15-21 July 24th July 30th August 1-7 September September September 10th

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May

L Fam iLies Week

15 -

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RU OK Day International Day of Peace World Mental Health Day Mental Health Month Mental Health Week National Others Week Movember National psychology Week Post Natal Depression Awareness Week Social Inclusion Week

DOGS

More than any other animal, dogs have evolved to become acutely attuned to humans and our behaviour and emotions.

While dogs are able to understand many of the words we use, they’re even better at interpreting our tone of voice, body language, and gestures. And like any good human friend, a loyal dog will look into your eyes to gauge

your emotional state and try to understand what you’re thinking and feeling

While most dog owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with canine companions, many remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of playing with or snuggling up to a furry friend.

It’s only recently that studies have begun to scientifically explore the benefits of the human-animal bond.

Pets & Mental Health

CATS

Research shows that cats can have a positive impact on your mental health.

They provide a great source of comfort, companionship and motivation for their owners and help reduce anxiety and stress.

This concept has also been referred to as ‘purr therapy.’

Cats are not just great company, low maintenance and independent; they are also very good for you. Experts say “Looking after a pet can bring structure to your day, reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness and act as a link to other people.”

In 2011 more than 600

cat owners took part in a study to see what effect a cat had on their lives. Half of those people described themselves as having a mental health problem. The results highlighted some of the benefits of feline ownership: • 87% of cat owners feel that the animals have a positive impact on their wellbeing • 76% find that coping with everyday life is easier thanks to the animals • Stroking a cat is a calming and helpful activity.

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The Effects

Of

ALCOHOL

1. Alcohol alters your brain chemistry.

Our brains rely on a delicate balance of chemicals and processes. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it can disrupt that balance, affecting our thoughts, feelings and actions – and sometimes our long-term mental health. This is partly down to ‘neurotransmitters’, chemicals that help to transmit signals from one nerve (or neuron) in the brain to another.

The relaxed feeling you can get when you have that first drink is due to the chemical changes alcohol has caused in your brain. For many of us, a drink can help us feel more confident and less anxious.

That’s because it’s starting to depress the part of the brain we associate with inhibition.

But, as you drink more, more of the brain starts to be affected. It doesn’t matter what mood you’re in to start with, when high levels of alcohol are involved, instead of pleasurable effects increasing, it is possible that a negative emotional response will take over. You could become angry, aggressive, anxious or depressed.

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If you drink heavily and regularly you’re likely to develop some symptoms of depression.

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2. Alcohol depression = a vicious cycle.

If you drink heavily and regularly you’re likely to develop some symptoms of depression. It’s that good old brain chemistry at work again. Regular drinking lowers the levels of serotonin in your brain – a chemical that helps to regulate your mood.

People who experience anxiety or depression are twice as likely to be heavy or problem drinkers. For some people, the anxiety or depression came first and they’ve reached for alcohol to try to relieve it. For others, drinking came first, so it may be a root cause of their anxieties.

Drinking heavily can also affect your relationships with your partner, family and friends. It can impact on your performance at work. These issues can also contribute to depression.

3. Limit your alcohol intake.

Because the body uses important nutrients to process alcohol, people who experience depression should consider avoiding alcohol until they have recovered.

Even then, because of alcohol’s depressant effects, they should consider drinking only small amounts – no more than once a week.

If you do want to drink alcohol, try not to exceed the recommended safe limits – two units a day for women and three units for men.

1 unit = 1 small glass wine (8 % ABV) ½ pint beer or lager (3.5 % ABV) 1 single measure spirits (40 % ABV) 1 small glass sherry or port (20 % ABV) NB. % ABV is the strength of the alcoholic content. If the % ABV is higher than the examples listed above, then the drink contains more units of alcohol

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