Unions Organise Mental Health Training to Help Australian Truck Drivers
The truck driving industry is a very male dominated industry. Professional truck drivers face a higher risk than other Australians of developing depression. ABC News reports as many as 1 in 5 truck drivers in Australia are experiencing mental health issues. In a recent survey of over 4000 drivers, 918 of them said they had…
Reading Books & Keeping An Active Mind Can Boost Mental Health
From a very young age parents, teachers and adults encourage children to read because reading educates and has been known to develop and improve vocabulary, grammar and reasoning power. Reading promotes deep thinking while increasing understanding and imagination. In all schools reading has long been considered the foundation of all education. While reading is relaxing,…
The Growing Number Of Homeless People in Australia
Most of us whip out our warm winter clothing, put our heaters on, and enjoy warm meals and hot drinks under a blanket to snuggle up with a good book or to watch a movie in our creature comforts when the temperature drops during the cold winter months. For many people who are living on…
Aboriginal Children Being Scarred by Process
The landmark ‘Bringing Them Home’ report on ‘The Stolen Generations’ was delivered in Federal Parliament in 1997. The Report detailed the damage caused to Indigenous Australia when their children were forcibly removed from their families by the government to be placed elsewhere for education. Aboriginal Children living in ‘Out Of Home Care’ has risen significantly…
Mental Health of The Australian Police Force
ABC News reported how changes are impacting on the mental health of Australian Police. On the 29th May police officer Brett Forde was shot dead by gunman Rick Maddison who fired at police in an overnight standoff. In a separate incident, Sergeant Brendan Poustie was hit by a car while he was jogging and soon…
How Forgiveness is tied to our own Mental Health
Most of us have done things in the past or have had things done to us that we’d rather not think about. These recurring images and thoughts can bring about mixed emotions. Numbing the pain with addictions and substance abuse in order to forget will just make us repeat or ‘groundhog day’ until the…
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Animals and pets have long being thought to bring out the best in us. Guide dogs have been and used for years to assist the blind giving them mobility. Now in Australia and abroad some mental health professionals are using animals as part of their therapy. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) involves the use of animals as a form…
Healthy Minds Are Just As Important As Healthy Bodies
Have you ever wondered why school kids get so much homework? Teachers are onto the fact that repetition and revision is necessary to remember what we are trying to learn. The body and the mind need regular workouts. Memory improves with repetition every day just like our fitness levels do when we exercise our bodies.…
Churches Addressing Mental Health Issues Offer Grace & Hope
Churches can become trained to recognise mental illness and be better equipped to extend God’s grace and hope to those who are mentally unwell.
7 Challenging Activities For Seniors
Problem solving or doing something new that stimulates thinking processes is good for the mind. Seniors need challenging activities to help keep them mentally agile so that seniors keep their minds sharp, active and alert in old age. Below are 5 activities for seniors to consider taking part in. Computers – Learn computer basics like,…
Grant Hackett’s Family, Addictions & Mental Health
Almost 17 years after winning Olympic Gold Grant Hackett made news headlines for very different reasons. According to the Courier Mail report that mother Margaret & older brother Craig Hackett attempted a family intervention for Grant’s erratic behaviour. Later the family called the police after the former swimming champion disappeared. His Father Neville issued a public…
Distracting yourself from an Addiction
Addictions can be tricky to deal with. The desire to return to the familiar and comfortable can creep in suddenly having us running back to our old habits if we aren’t careful. We need to have some plan of action in place to keep our minds occupied and focused on other things. Distraction is a…
Fat Shaming the Overweight & Obese Just Makes Things Worse
All of us want to look good, live long lives, feel great and look fit. Those of us that manage our weight with healthy eating and regular exercise recognise that the responsibility for our own personal health and the way we look to others rests on our own shoulders. Obese people are usually ashamed of…
9 Tips For A Better Mental Health Approach
Daily routines are important to Mental health and wellbeing. There are many things we can do to benefit and improve our mental health. Studies show that 1 in 5 persons in our community will be affected by a mental health problem during their lifetime. 1. Pray & Read Your Bible In all we do we…
A Biblical Perspective On Mental Illness & The Role Of The Church
The bible is the greatest resource a Christian can possess for spiritual growth. According to the bible, after the fall of man, all human beings are affected by sin. We use to live in the perfect human and spiritual condition in the presence of God which the bible discribes as, “The Garden of Eden.” Sin separates…
Extending Grace To Those With Mental Health Problems
Mental health problems can affect people from any nation, profession or faith. One in five persons will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime. Many of us are impacted by a mental illness. An article recently published by Finder.com.au titled, “Mental Health Problems Plague Australia’s Entertainment Industry” revealed that a study conducted by Entertainment…
A Prayer For Those Living With Mental Illness
Amy Simpson shares a heartfelt prayer asking us to join in prayer with her for those whose lives are impacted by mental illness. “..Mental illness is one of those things people don’t know that much about unless they need to, either because they’re mental health professionals or because their lives have been shaken by their…
Look After Yourself & Say ‘No’ Confidently
Most of us want to be helpful to others, but being that person who everyone calls on for help can be exhausting. Our first and foremost responsibility is to ourselves. By taking care of our own health we become enabled to help others. Our inability to say, “no” can have dire consequences on our mental…
Does Mental Illness Mean I’m Not A Christian?
Mental illness can affect anyone. Many Christians have wondered about their faith and where they stand with God after being diagnosed with a mental illness. Amy Simpson, tackles the subject as she answers questions about mental illness and Christianity in her post, ‘Does Mental Illness Mean I’m Not a Christian?’ I receive a lot of…
Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA)
Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA) is a serious condition, commonly known to affect patients who suffer from heart failure. Heart Failure is the heart’s inability to pump blood and oxygen around the body is often cause by stiffened, damage heart chambers. Central Sleep Apnoea is listed in the DMS-5. According to SNORE Australia approximately 4% of the…
A Snapshot of Australia’s Mental Health & Wellbeing
Good mental health is fundamental to our overall life satisfaction and wellbeing. Over the last three years, the number of Australians experiencing a mental or behavioural condition has increased by over 1 million people – with over 4 million Australians (17.5%) now reporting this. Anxiety related problems and mood (affective) disorders are the most commonly…
How Bullying Affected My Mental Health
Being bullied isn’t just something that kids get over with a snap of the fingers or a flick of the mental switch. Ultimately bullying is extreme rejection and the impact it has on young minds can linger for a lifetime. Charlie Kaplan explains how the effects of being bullied at school continued to affect her…
Words Fail Me – A Christian Poem
WORDS FAIL ME – A CHRISTIAN POEM Chris Thomas’ poem poses some serious questions as he self examines his faith. As Christians we need to ask ourselves these questions: What if God suddenly appeared before me? What would I do? What would I say? Words Fail Me What would I do what would I say,…
Australian Kids Seek Counselling Help
According to the Huffington Post, statistics show that Australian youth are reaching out for Mental Health Help more frequently now than in the previous years. Kids Help Line Insights Report shows that since 1996 there’s been a 626 percent increase in calls from young Australians seeking help for problems such as self-harm and for their…
