This Week's Mental Health Stories
Stop working! Just go home on time today
Northern Star | 18 November 2015
Daylight savings means if you go home on time, you can kick that soccer ball around, try out that recipe, paint that portrait, or if you sensible, clean that bathroom. That's what Go Home on Time Day is all about, making sure you are aware of the importances of a healthy work-life balance.
Young military veterans turn to drugs to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder, Senate inquiry hears
ABC | 18 November 2015
Young Australian military veterans struggling with mental illness after active service are increasingly turning to the drug ice to cope, a Senate inquiry will hear today.
Wearing This Bracelet Could Lower Your Stress Levels
Buzzfeed | 18 November 2015
Can this bracelet help you meditate and focus? The company that makes it, Caeden, sure hopes so.
NSW paramedics claim safety is at risk because police refuse to escort mental health patients
News.com.au | 17 November 2015
They are the people you call when you urgently need medical help - and the ones you trust to get you safely to hospital. But sometimes it’s not just the patients that need help. According to figures from NSW Ambulance, paramedics were assaulted 174 times last year - an average of three times a week.
Morgan’s big ride for youth mental health
Daily Examiner | 17 November 2015
He rode through rain, pain and around a track more than 700 times, but Morgan Pilley couldn’t be happier to ride non-stop on a bike for 24-hours.
Research shows friendships are important for mental health
3AW | 17 November 2015
Despite all the ways to stay "connected" in the modern age, middle-aged men still find it hard to maintain friendships. Rhett Corker from the Movember Foundation told Tom Elliott research says friendships are important for mental health.
Could a runny nose make you depressed? Hay fever sufferers may be four times more likely to develop the mental illness
Daily Mail | 17 November 2015
Hay fever sufferers may be four times more likely to develop severe depression, according to new research. But it's not just a runny nose and itchy eyes that triggers mood slumps.
Before Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson began taking down opponents in the the ring as a wrestler, he fought a very different battle behind closed doors.
Upworthy | 17 November 2015
Decades ago, after being dealt significant career setbacks as an athlete, Johnson found himself battling depression.
NDIS priority of welfare budget: Morrison
9 News | 17 November 2015
Treasurer Scott Morrison remains committed to the national disability insurance scheme but warns spending across the welfare system needs to be controlled to pay for it. "The NDIS should be the first dollar we spend in social services," he told Melbourne's 3AW radio on Tuesday.
Geelong mental health researcher Dr Michael Berk wins 2015 Colvin Prize
Geelong Advertiser | 17 November 2015
A Geelong mental health researcher has been honoured with an international award for his work treating psychiatric disorders.
Employers embrace mental health first-aid courses for workers
The Age | 16 November 2015
More employers are beginning to embrace the mental health of their employees. Many are training their workers in how to recognise the signs of mental health problems and how to intervene helpfully – just as they would if someone had a heart attack on the job.
Grafton nurse takes mental health crisis into her own hands
Daily Examiner | 16 November 2015
When did it get so bad? When did being a kid become so hard; so full of stress and pressure? When did it become the norm to have 10-year-old children presenting themselves to doctors and nurses with depression and mental health issues? For Grafton nurse Cherie Power, these questions don’t need answers. They just need fixing.
Builders scaffold on mental health issues
Business Times | 16 November 2015
The state’s construction sector has developed a unique initiative aimed the minimising the prevalence and effects of depression and substance abuse. Statistics show workers in the male-dominated construction industry are than twice as likely as the general population to take their own lives.
Kerryn Baird talks about her battle with postnatal depression
Sydney Morning Herald | 16 November 2015
Kerryn Baird, the wife of NSW Premier Mike Baird, opens up about her struggle with postnatal depression while looking after their healthy baby girl. Premier Mike Baird is willing to admit he was a "complete schmuck" who had his priorities wrong. But he does so only in the hope it will prevent new fathers from making the same mistakes he did.
Depression increases with age: study
9 News | 16 November 2015
People get more depressed after the age of 65, says an English study using data on older Australians. It's the first to show depressive symptoms continue to increase throughout old age, says lead researcher Dr Helena Chui from the University of Bradford.
Mental health ‘system’ in need of reform: report
The Australian | 14 November 2015
Expectation is building that significant reform in mental healthcare is imminent. Millions of Australians know only too well there is a huge disconnect between unprecedented levels of mental health awareness and unacceptably poor levels of access and quality of care.
International experts meet to devise protocol on mental illness triggered by disasters
AM, ABC Radio National | 14 November 2015
An international group of mental health professionals has been meeting in Sydney to devise a new protocol for dealing with mental illness triggered by natural and man-made disasters. Professor David Forbes from the Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health at Melbourne University is co-convenor of the meeting.
Those with Severe Mental Illness Rarely Tested for Diabetes Despite High Risk (USA)
Psych Central | 14 November 2015
Despite the fact that individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) are two to three times more likely to have type II diabetes than the general population, low-income patients on Medicaid are rarely screened for it, according to a new study led by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
The mental health challenge requires significant attention and research
The Conversation | 13 November 2015
We are making progress in understanding some of the most elusive and debilitating conditions of modern times – the mental illnesses that account for almost a quarter of the health-related disability worldwide. Turning technological breakthroughs such as brain imaging, genetic profiling and digital communication platforms into real advances in prevention and care now requires high-quality collaboration and partnerships. The University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney are pooling resources to tackle this significant challenge together.
How Technology Can Improve Your Mental Health
Lifehacker | 13 November 2015
In the information age, it’s pretty appealing to push something fluffy like wellness to the bottom of the pile. After all, there are real things that need doing, like, right now, and that iPhone full of deadlines and business emails will not stop buzzing. But what if technology didn’t have to be a barrier to looking after our mental health? What if the two could work together, and create a new way of experiencing the world for every single person on it?
‘Empathy gaps’ causing trauma in community mental health care
In Daily | 13 November 2015
Failed, traumatised, stigmatised and often left feeling worse off than when they started. That’s the reality faced by some mental health patients under Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) because of a perceived lack of empathy and understanding among some of the workers meant to be helping them, according to a new study from Flinders University.
Teachers mental health under the microscope
ABC | 13 November 2015
Two Hunter research institutions are the first beneficiaries of a new Teachers Health Foundation.
Fierce rivals UNSW and University of Sydney team up to improve mental health
Sydney Morning Herald | 13 November 2015
Two of Sydney's top universities will no longer compete but collaborate to tackle one of Australia's most devastating health problems - mental illness and addiction. In a first, Sydney University and UNSW Australia on Thursday announced a partnership across an entire field of research, affecting hundreds of researchers and staff, multiple faculties and research institutions.
Engineering company promotes awareness on mental health
Safety Culture | 12 November 2015
G&S Engineering released the ‘I Know Someone’ video to its 1000 employees in July 2015, together with a toolkit as part of their #HANDSUP – end the stigma, change lives campaign. The video and toolkit offers tips, support and information for workers to take care of their own mental health and support others.
Pseudo-Therapy Apps: The Fad Diet Of Mental Health
Tech Crunch | 12 November 2015
Psychotherapy takes work - it’s not a quick fix. In many ways, it is analogous to physical exercise. Just like finding a workout that’s effective for you, finding a psychotherapist can be a laborious process. And even after a psychotherapist or an effective workout is found, you must invest time and energy into the process.
Can video games combat mental illness stigma?
Phys Org | 12 November 2015
Mental illness is a complex, nuanced subject that many forms of entertainment have tried to faithfully portray. Movies such as Silver Linings Playbook and TV series like Showtime' Homeland have succeeded to varying degrees, but many attempts fall into clichés that perpetuate misinformation. Despite some mishaps like Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, where those who suffer from mental illness are seen as defective, video games are a powerful vehicle for exploring this topic in a new and enlightening ways.
What to do if you think your friend has a mental illness
BBC Newsbeat | 13 November 2015
The NHS says one in four of us will experience some kind of mental health problem in our lifetime. One of the hardest aspects can be talking about it in the first place or having a conversation with friends and family.
Working mothers need more mental health support
HCA Mag | 12 November 2015
A new report has concluded that working mothers need better access to support services early in their child’s life, as many struggle with the pressure to juggle work and family life. Researchers from La Trobe University found that stress and ill health was being cause by a lack of access to support.
FIFO mental health committee head 'dismayed' at Barnett Pilbara work camp decision
ABC | 11 November 2015
The head of a parliamentary committee that investigated the mental health effects of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work has expressed dismay at WA Premier Colin Barnett's decision to extend the lease of BHP Billiton's work camp outside Newman.
Treatment Attitudes Affected By Depression Stigma: Study
Huffington Post | 11 November 2015
A new study has shown patients prescribed anti-depressants are ambivalent about them even if they work as part of their treatment because of social stigmas attached to the prescribed drugs. The study conducted by Monash University and the University of Westminster compared data on 103 patient experiences of anti-depressants in the UK and Australia.
Workplace stress as unhealthy as second-hand smoke
The Health Report, ABC Radio National | 11 November 2015
A new study has identified the workplace as a major cause of psychological and physical ill-health. From long hours to economic insecurity, our jobs could literally be killing us. So what practices lead to a healthy workplace?
Call to rethink maternal depression
9 News | 11 November 2015
Mothers with depression four years after birth are three times more likely to have children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Disease Theory of ‘Mental Illness’ Tied To Pessimism About Recovery
Mad in America | 10 November 2015
Researchers recently completed a first of its kind, large-scale international survey of attitudes about mental health and they were surprised by the results. According to their analysis published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders, people in developed countries, like the United States, are more likely to assume that ‘mental illnesses’ are similar to physical illnesses and biological or genetic in origin, but they are also much less likely to think that individuals can overcome these challenges and make a full recovery.
Stressed? Meditation or some quiet time alone may help… if only you can find the time!
The Conversation | 10 November 2015
I think most people would share my view that life is not always as relaxing as you might like it to be (with or without kids). I wouldn’t often consider myself stressed, but if I had to place myself on a stress spectrum, I would be a fair distance from the relaxed and clear-minded end of things.
Is a ‘culture of entitlement’ driving absenteeism?
HCA Mag | 9 November 2015
Australians seem to be pulling fewer sickies, with statistics showing that absenteeism has reached a seven year low of 8.6 days a year for each worker. However, employers believe that employees still have an “entitlement mentality” which is contributing to a “sickie culture” that had a price tag of almost $3,000 per employee last year.
Disclaimer: The articles presented in this list are intended to provide a snapshot into mental health related media coverage. It is not exhaustive, and does not necessarily reflect the views or position of Mental Health Australia.
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