MEDIA ALERT: The world’s leading psychologists will present research-based psychological insightsGlobal Psychology conference in Melbourne on some of the most pressing problems affecting society (11 to 16 July)

The world’s leading psychologists will present research-based psychological insights into some of the most pressing problems affecting society globally and locally, including genocide, terrorism, refugees, climate change, gambling and disasters/trauma at the 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) when it kicks off this Sunday.

ICAP will bring together over 3000 psychologists from over 60 countries in Melbourne, including keynote presentations from some of the leading minds in applied psychology. Key topics include refugees, climate change, genocide, trauma/disaster, hoarding, eating disorders, traffic and workplace psychology.
We’ve attached a conference overview media alert detailing hot topics, speakers and interview opportunities.

For more information, backgrounders and interviews, please contact me on (03) 9600 00006 / 0421 852 501 or emilyl

Kind regards,
Emily Lehmann
Fenton Communications
(03) 9600 0006

MA_APS_ICAP_July ConferenceOverviewFF.pdf

Mental Health isn’t a prority for Kevin Rudd…is he nuts! Mendoza resignation disappointing but not surprising: Greens

Image via Wikipedia

Mendoza resignation disappointing but not surprising: Greens

Image via Wikipedia

The Australian Greens say John Mendoza’s resignation as the Prime Minister’s main mental health advisor is disappointing but not surprising given the Government’s ongoing failure to adequately invest in mental health services.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson for Mental Health understands John Mendoza’s frustration with the Government.

“It is an indictment on the Federal Government that John Mendoza’s expertise has been lost. I share his deep concern about the Government’s continued lack of investment in the area of mental health,” Senator Siewert said today.

“Experts say that $5 billion of new funding is needed to bring our mental health services up to scratch and yet the Government has fallen short of this investment,” said Senator Siewert.

“The Australian Greens have been consistently calling on the Government increase it’s investment in mental health and we’ve put forward a number of key initiatives which would see this occur.

“The Government missed an opportunity in its health reform package by failing to adequate address mental health. They need to go back and fix this as a matter of urgency.

“The Government can no longer ignore the growing mental health crisis in Australian,” Senator Siewert concluded.

<<Mendoza resignation disappointing but not surprising- Greens – MEDIA RELEASE 20062010.doc>>

Chris Redman

Media Officer
Senator Rachel Siewert – Australian Greens Senator for WA

P: (08) 9228 3277 | www.greensmps.org.au

image.jpg

Related articles by Zemanta

• MentalHealthSocial : Social Network for Mental Health Discussions (socialmedia.globalthoughtz.com)

Australian Mental Health at a critical stage, you can make a difference today and tomorrow wherever you are – WA: will Premier Barnett stand up for mental health?

Mental ill health is the leading killer of Australians under 45 and the leading cause of disability for all Australians.

Premier Barnettt, PM Rudd

But with the biggest health reforms in decades up for negotiation on Monday, mental ill health may be forgotten – unless we act now.

In just 48 hours, the Prime Minister and the leaders of every Australian state and territory will sit down in Canberra to negotiate a new plan for healthcare across the nation.

In their offices across Australia, our state Premiers and territory Chief Ministers are working all weekend in preparation for Monday’s meeting. They are deciding where to push hard, and where to compromise.

We’ve found the office fax number for WA Premier, Colin Barnett

We all want to see reform of our hospitals. But tackling mental health will require more than increasing the number of beds in our hospitals, or changing the source of health funding. More of the same won’t work.

There are solutions. Here’s just one example: there are 30 Government run Headspace centres across Australia. An extra $100million a year would expand capacity in these centres and build an extra 60 across the nation. This alone would double the number of young Australians receiving treatment for mental ill health.

On Monday, the PM will need every Premier on board, so here in WA, Colin Barnett will have huge influence. These decisions are being made in his office right now – let’s fill it with faxes asking him not to come home without mental health care reform:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/healthreform&id=1033

There must be no health reform without mental health reform. Together we can make sure this silent disease, which half of us will experience in our lifetime, is on the agenda at Monday’s crucial meeting of all levels of Australian Government.

Thanks for all that you do,
TheGetUp team

PS –

We’ve joined forces with Australian of the year, mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry to call for mental health reform.

Already, tens of thousands of GetUp members have petitioned the Prime Minister and raised $85,000 for the campaign to put our message on TV.

Now it is our state Premiers who hold the keys to reform – click here contact yours now.

3 amazing people on twitter joined me on Perth’s 6pr.com.au 882 6pr last weekend – Poet & activist Lesley Dewar, Advocate and #mhsm convenor Amy Kiel and Steve Andrews about his black dog ride this Sunday

Perth Poet & Activist Lesley Dewar uses the net to share and promote creative people and activist causes – and she’s having a ball!

follow Lesley on twitter by clicking here

visit her website by clicking here

Kansas City (Mo) Mental Health Advocate and #mhsm convenor Amy Kiel is amazing – join us 1000pm Eastern US time Tuesday, 1000am West Australian time to share and gather info, resources and inspiration from people around the globe.

click here to follow Amy on twitter

Please visit Amy’s blog by clicking here

From the South West of W. Australia Steve Andrews talks about about his black dog ride this Sunday, he’s even getting the State Health Minister to saddle up on a donated BMW to raise awareness of depression and raise funds for Busselton advocates LAMP

Click here to follow Steve

please visit Steve’s site by clicking here

NAMI Raises Voice For Mental Health – let’s talk lobbying and effective campaigning

Well done @NAMI for your work ( see story below )

A Healthy Blog » NAMI Raises Voice For Mental Health.

Tuesday night (USA) Wednesday morning (W. Australia) we plan to talk lobbying and effective campaigning – share success stories, and adopt the Greens strategy of thinking globally and acting locally.

please follow @MHSMchat

MHSM is Mental Health Social Media and we are mostly people who’ve travelled the rocky road and hope to light the way for others.

please follow @MHSMchat

Please follow our #mhsm convenor Amy at @MHSMchat

please follow @MHSMchat

We are also planning to meet via Skype conference call in the near future and set up a global clearing house for resources on brain health, healing and recovery.

please follow @MHSMchat

Anyone who derives income from providing MH services is asked to declare that as they join, and any other potential conflicts of interest or bias need to be on the table too.

please follow @MHSMchat

Many #mhsm crew are doing amazing work already, the chat is about us sharing, not re-inventing the wheel and forging effective networks for effective change.

please follow @MHSMchat

There has never been a better time for those of us who’ve been or are ill to have our voices heard and to effect much needed change and public education.

please follow @MHSMchat

As a local colleague says ” nothing about us without us”

please follow @MHSMchat

Geeks, bloggers, journalists and sponsors are especially welcome, because right now a very few are doing a lot more than might be good for them, so please help lighten the load if you can.

please follow @MHSMchat

more tomorrow

cheers and thanks

tony ( @perthtones )

click here for more from this blog on mental health, including resources and audio

Related articles  by Zemanta

• Mental health beds closed over psychiatrist shortage (ctv.ca)
• Mental health system fails times two. (depressionmarathon.blogspot.com)
• Harriet Shetler, Co-Founder of NAMI (psychcentral.com)
• Sound Mental Health to Present at International Mental Health Conference (eon.businesswire.com)

Those abused in state care abandoned by the W.A. and Federal Governments as the UK apologises

The Peak Child Abuse group ASCA today tweeted the news of  British PM Gordon Brown’s apology to Australian child migrants acknoweldging it’s crucial to healing

~

please click the blue link for the UK angle

“ http://bit.ly/aoM64h via @ASCAORG > urgent action needed 4 #redress 2 “

~

Labor and Liberal have failed at federal and state levels to discover a modicum of compassion.

~

Kevin Rudd was on twitter today congratulating the aussie girl who won olympic gold in the ski aerials, saying gee we’ll have to set up a new ski facility won’t we.

~

I had the temerity to reply on twitter

” @KevinRuddPM So if I win Gold at the Olympics, you cold fund some community mental health facilities – I’m starting training now Kevin! ”

~

Taxpayer’s money is used to stage boxing matches (btw I MC martial arts and support boxing ) build footy stadia, freshen up our dullsville foreshore and there’s always lots of taxcash when it comes to self promoting “government” commercials.

For WA’s Barnett/Buswell and the previous Labor wombats to halve compensation for victims of abuse in state care is disgusting.

~

Meanwhile, mainstream media is so tabloid and dollar driven that these issues are skimmed over or ignored, but gee my colleagues like to have a mass debate over daylight saving or shopping hours – day and night!

~

Nevertheless I am an eternal optimist ( sometimes a bit jaded ) and have high hopes for activism and advocacy on the net through media like this blog and on twitter.

~

So please join in, add a comment, ask a few questions of your local “member” and raise your voice for those who’ve already died as well as those currently in dire need.

~

The state government, meanwhile has announced that victims who are expected to die before christmas will get their meagre share of the halved compo package earlier than the others – really, it’s in the letter

Letter from Redress – click the image to visit the Govt website

It IS life or death – and for far too many of us.

tony

Help and info for people dealing with depression,panic,schizophrenia and other mental health issues – Consumer Organisation CoMHWA’s Update and good news (please forward to your networks)

West Australians now have an authentic voice on mental health issues, please share the brochure below with your contacts and join/support this vital work.

I will be hosting a mental health forum at the end of March at the Wembley Convention Centre focussed on providing info on free and useful treatment and management approaches for those affected by mental illness.

Parts of the forum will be videod to share with people who are house-bound or living outside the city.

If you have a friend or loved one affected by depression,anxiety, panic or bipolar, come along to find out how much there is that can be done to save lives and improve life quality.

cheers
tony

Information Circular No 2 February 2010 A West Australian Based Mental Health Consumer Organisation CoMHWA Consumers of Mental Health WA (Inc) Mental Illness is a pause…not the end! GREAT NEWS!! Lotterywest Grant Received It is with delight that we advise members and our supporters of CoMHWA that we have been successful in receiving a positive result from our grant application to Lotterywest. We have received funding to the value of $17, 024.00 for: § Computer equipment § Governance training for the management committee § Professional strategic and business planning This is very exciting as it means it is possible for us to demonstrate to potential funding bodies a strong plan for the future so as to secure ongoing funding. The idea of having an independent Strategic Planning specialist work with us to do a Strategic Plan means we can make professional plans for the future that work toward making CoMHWA a comprehensive and vital consumer run organisation. § In doing our Strategic Plan our planning specialist will first read and consider carefully the results of the consultations with consumers undertaken over the last several years. Much of this consultation feedback informed the current CoMHWA objectives. We feel this review is important as part of the process of setting plans for the future. § In doing our Strategic Plan we will meet with members and other consumers in the community so people can have an opportunity to have input into the strategic plan (stay tuned for more details). § In carrying out our Strategic Plan we will demonstrate our ability to be a powerful representative voice for mental health consumers in WA. In the meantime we ask people to keep cheering for us and please remember that if we work together amazing things can happen. Other steps are being planned and we will keep you up to date. CoMHWA currently We remain an unfunded organisation and it has been up to a small group of dedicated people over several years to get this far. We all are unpaid and each volunteers time and knowledge to build a WA based mental health consumer organisation carries out our mission and objectives (for more on CoMHWA’s objectives and values click). We would like to assure our members and supporters that we are working really hard behind the scenes and forging ahead. We are proud of our efforts and excited that they have been fruitful thanks to the support of our members, Richmond Fellowship WA, WAAMH, and Lotterywest who are behind us all the way. If any members want to get involved and help, we welcome your expertise or if anyone in the community would like to join in please feel welcome to become a member (membership forms downloadable from our webpage). Our hope is that with a professional strategic plan and business plan we can then secure additional funding to employ someone who will carry out some of the business of the organisation and look for recurrent funding. We wish you all well. Kind Regards on behalf of the CoMHWA Management Committee More Info on CoMHWA ** Please see our latest newsletters online CoMHWA (Inc) invites new members Contact us today or see our application forms and newsletters online Contact Consumers of Mental Health WA (Inc) C/- PO Box 682, BENTLEY, WA 6982 Ph: 9350 8824 (message) Email: comhwa_inc Webpage link from: www.rfwa.org.au Direct link <click here> ABN: 95581286940

Consumers of Mental Health WA (Inc) CoMHWA

‘mental illness is a pause…not the end’

C/- PO Box 682

BENTLEY WA 6982

(08) 9350 8824 (message)

Webpage Link from: www.rfwa.org.au

Email: comhwa_inc

CoMHWA_Information Circular No 2_Print version.pdf

10 Common Myths About Clinical Depression – guest post

Image via Wikipedia

10 Common Myths About Clinical Depression

Almost every mental illness ends up accompanied by a barrage of myths, misunderstandings, and misconceptions that cloud the minds of the populace and ultimately produces muddied opinions of the true threat.

Unfortunately, one of the most marginalized and ridiculed conditions is also one of the most common. An estimated 17 million Americans suffer from some form of clinical depression a year, most of whom end up never seeking psychological assistance due to feeling undermined and discouraged by the perceptions of society at large.

Because those suffering from depression run a much higher risk of committing suicide or acts of self-mutilation than their comparatively healthier peers, it is absolutely integral to understand the complexities and widespread influence of the disease.

Only by making an earnest effort to combat these negative and patently false perceptions can the depressed begin to realize that no shame or weakness lay in their situation, thereby removing many of the stigmas and reservations still undeservedly attached to entering into therapy.

click the link below for the

10 Common Myths About Clinical Depression.

from Angela Petersen  at  http://onlinepsychologydegrees.org

HELP AUSTRALIAN ADULT SURVIVORS TO UNTANGLE THE KNOT OF CHILD ABUSE & Win tickets to the Big Apple by supporting ‘FORGET ME KNOT DAY’- Friday 13th November

HELP AUSTRALIAN ADULT SURVIVORS TO UNTANGLE THE KNOT OF CHILD ABUSE & Win tickets to the Big Apple by supporting ‘FORGET ME KNOT DAY’- Friday 13th November

ASCA Knot Day Pin

MEDIA RELEASE

Win tickets to the Big Apple by supporting

‘FORGET ME KNOT DAY’- Friday 13th November

HELP AUSTRALIAN ADULT SURVIVORS

TO UNTANGLE THE KNOT OF CHILD ABUSE

26th October 2009: Participants in the inaugural Forget-me-knot Day celebrations, on Friday 13th November, could win two tickets to fly to New York to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

Part of an International Week For Prevention of Child Abuse, Forget-me-knot Dayhas been established by Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA) to encourage Australians to show their support for the two million+ adult Australians[i] personally affected by childhood abuse, as.

The Symbol:

The knot in ‘Forget me knot’ Day symbolises the ‘tangle’ of childhood abuse, which in most cases is a lifelong challenge for the survivor to unravel. As a society, we forget that abused children grow up – and for many adulthood is when they are first able to confront the issue of abuse and begin to heal the emotional scars. Unfortunately, the shame around abuse can prevent adult survivors disclosing and others from reaching out to them.

The impact of child abuse is not just felt by the children. The adults they become, their families, their partners and their community are all impacted by this tragedy. More than eight million Australian community members are directly affected by child abuse. In a population of 22 million, this is a staggering figure.

The Competition:

As part of the ‘Forget me knot’ Day campaign,ASCA invites all Australians to submit photographs of any object tied in a blue tangled knot to go in the draw to win a trip for two to New York, including two economy airfares, two nights’ accommodation and free entry to the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, New York. The competition is active now and entries close midnight on Friday 6th November. Submissions can be made online at www.asca.org.au/competition. The competition winner will be announced on Forget-me-knot Day, Friday 13th November.

ASCA Chair Dr Cathy Kezelman said “We chose the knot to help explain the struggle or ‘tangle’ survivors encounter as they live with and attempt to overcome the damage inflicted by childhood abuse. As a society we can find the trauma of childhood abuse difficult to comprehend; so it is often ignored, left unspoken and unaddressed. To help engage people in this very real issue, we chose a public art competition to encourage thinking, discussion and debate about a challenge faced by more than two million adult Australians. Artists, creative thinkers and even laypeople can often explore and connect with complex issues through art and a trip to New York is a wonderful incentive to encourage people to engage in this discussion. I look forward to seeing the results.”

Forget-Me-Knot Day Campaign Components:

Through a range of activities including a national petition, a photographic competition, a ceremony of connection which involves the unravelling of a mammoth knot on an iconic Sydney building, ASCA’s ‘Forget-me-knot Day’ raises awareness of this struggle, and gives all Australians an opportunity to donate, and help adult survivors to reconnect with their community. Details can be found here www.asca.org.au/forgetmeknot

People can also order the official blue tangled knots pins from the ASCA website www.asca.org.au/forgetmeknot and donate to help survivors overcome their trauma and reconnect with their community.

The Solution:

With the right help and support, survivors can find their way through the tangle of child abuse and find a sense of health and wellbeing and re-engage positively in their communities. Listening, understanding and supporting are critical to the healing process. ASCA is a core part of the solution, delivering evidence-based workshops to adult survivors of child abuse, and workshops for health practitioners to inform treatment of survivors of child abuse around Australia.

Media Contact: Amanda McGregor ph: (02) 9492 1004 mb: 0411 222 311

About ASCA: (www.asca.org.au) (www.asca.org.au/forgetmeknot)

ASCA is a charity which focuses exclusively on advancing the needs of the more than 2 million Australian adults surviving child abuse. ASCA was formed in 1995 and its current activities encompass: a 1300 information/support line – 1300 657 380, website, newsletters for survivors and health professionals, workshops for survivors and their supporters, education and training programs for health care professionals and frontline workers. ASCA is currently developing a national network of services and practitioners with the experience and expertise to specifically address survivors’ needs. ASCA is the key national Australian organization to support adults who have experienced all forms of child abuse and neglect, and receives no ongoing government funding.

(attached: Image of Forget Me Knot Day Pin)

Amanda McGregor

Mental Health Minister to address noon rally, can’t say what staff cuts have & will be made – Alison Xamon MLC Media Release

Alison Xamon MLC

MEMBER FOR THE EAST METROPOLITAN REGION

P.O. BOX 104, MAYLANDS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6931
PHONE (08) 9275 7474 – FAX (08) 9275 7574

The W.A. Mental Health Minister has told Parliament he doesn’t know what cuts to staff and services have been made in his portfolio as those behind the cuts of at last 13%,Troy Buswell and Colin Barnett, talk shopping hours.
mp3 audio cut 3 lays out the spin and distraction being put out by the Premier & Treasurer and runs 20 secs

Greens MLC Alison Xamon last night asked the Minister what cuts to staff and resources had been made and what cuts are coming. The reply was to the effect that it would take “some time” to provide answers.
mp3 audio Alison on his reaction and runs 25 secs

Ms Xamon also moved an Urgency Motion, supported by the Opposition, calling on the Government to spell out its plans for the sector.
mp3 Audio Ms Xamon explaining that the Mental Health Minister has little Idea what his Premier and Treasurer have done and have planned – runs 23 secs

Organisers of the midday rally to overturn the dedly cuts say they’ve been approached by the Minister, asking if he can speak to them as they deliver a petition to the Lower House.
mp3 Audio Alison on people in the public and private sector being fed up with spin and lack of answers to urgent questions – runs 22 secs

It will be worthwhile sending reporters and cameras to the midday rally to see what happens, and to interview the Auditor General who’s due to issue a report on the prformance of the Mental Health Sector around 1pm.

mp3 audio  Alison lashing the rush to make cuts before the AG’s report is handed down, and the lack of consultation with stakeholders, staff, service providers and those who use mental health services – runs 13 secs

There will be people from public and private groups like, the HSU, WAAMH, MHC, COMIC, RUAH etc, as well as the Minister, Shadow Minister, Alison Xamon, Many of my dear 6PR listeners and Twitter friends will be there too because this is life or death for many west australians and the damage will be almost impossible to undo.

IF YOU CAN’T MAKE THE NOON RALLY

please call talkback radio TODAY ( 6PR 922 11 882 )   You can also email Colin Barnett at wa-government@dpc.wa.gov.au or  Treasurer Troy Buswell at Minister.Buswell@dpc.wa.gov.au or call the Premier’s office today on 9222 9475, Troy Buswell’s office is 9222 9111  ( contact details are from the public WA Government website )

In W. Australia – Some die waiting for a meagre measure of justice after being abused in State Care – a small vigil at Parliament today- Media Alison Xamon

Alison Xamon –

MLC for East Metropolitan

News release  (Tuesday October 13 )

Alison Xamon MLC for East Metropolitan ( Greens )

Alison Xamon has been working closely with victims of state abuse for some time and laments the dwindling number of victims able to keep a monthly vigil at State Parliament.

The MLC for East Metropolitan says the halving of a meagre ex-gratia payment, and ongoing delays in paying even that have caused hardship and heartache that add more insult to awful injury.

“At midday today  a small group of our most vulnerable people will gather as they do each month to ask the Government for a small measure of justice that has been denied for decades and then cut in half.”

They are the last few members of the Redress activists keeping a monthly vigil, those West Australians who were officially acknowledged to have been abused while in State care, and many more who were removed from families her and abroad against their will or without consent of parents.

They will gather outside state Parliament at Midday in the faint hope that the Barnett Government will re-instate the full amount of compensation awarded to them, and ensure no more victims die waiting for the mostly inadequate funds

Only a few months ago a 50 year old woman eligible for Redress, but still waiting for its meagre justice, died ( click here for the ABC story of one victim who died just 2 months ago…still waiting )The money would have helped pay for her funeral, but even that late comfort was denied to her.

The Greens MLC asks “How many more people will die waiting – waiting for the full amount of Redress funds to be re-instated – waiting again once money’s been allocated for it to actually be paid.”

Alison is asking media to speak to the bravehearts at parliament today and hear how the Government’s funding cut and payment dlay are affecting people in our community.

Audio -

Cut 1   The Greens Alison Xamon says some of those waiting for payment were hoping to use it to travel to the family they were taken from al those years ago, and they are tiring of waiting for justice.      AlisonXamonRedress1-17secs-click blue link for short mp3 audio

Cut 2  Alison Xamon, who’s worked fro some tim with victims to get some measure of justic says those still waiting include a host of people originally from the UK as well as Indigenous Australians.    click this link for mp3 audio

Cut 3 The MLC for east metropolitan Alison Xamon says these people have been through enough, and the heartless State Government must overturn the funding cuts and remove ongoing delays to payments.    Click for mp3 audio AlisonXamonRedress3-17secs

Perth Mental Health Rally midday Wednesday 14th Oct at State Parliament, please copy and sign petition below – hear Greens MH spokesperson Alison Xamon on a tragic MH Week in WA

Email from Ingrid Bentsen Background to the issue

The State Government is proposing budget to Mental Health of between 10-15%

Where people can find a petition to sign

Copy of petition attached, When completed, they need to be returned to PO box  3167 Carlisle South WA 6101on or before 12th October OR BRING THEM TO THE RALLY

3. And about the Parliament house action

ALL interested parties Consumers carers providers encouraged to attend the official hand over of the petition at

Parliament house MIDDAY 14th October.

No permits for a march have been applied for however the gathering of a large number of people at Parliament house along with media coverage should send the message loud and clear.

The intention is to show the state government we are not invisible we will not be treated like the poor cousin regarding adequate funding and we will be a strong voice for those who have none!

The media will be there and some placards available hopefully making it easier to get our message out:

• INCREASE FUNDING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

• REJECT PROPOSED CUTS

Click blue link for mp3 audio of Greens MLC Alison Xamon on a tragic Mental Health week in Perth

PETITION OPPOSING THE PROPOSED FUNDING CUTS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

TO THE HONOURABLE THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.

We, the undersigned, are concerned about the effect that any proposed funding cuts will have on consumers of the mental health services, their carers, families, members of the community, as well as the providers of mental health services in Western Australia

Of major concern are any cuts in relation to the much needed recovery programs, which are known to prevent re hospitalisation.

We are also concerned of the affect any proposed cuts would have on service providers, many of whom are already under funded and understaffed

We urge the State Government to oppose any such proposal and ensure that those involved in mental health will not have their health and lifestyles compromised

Secondly, we strongly urge the Legislative Assembly propose an increase in funding to raise staffing levels to a safe and effective standard

We now ask that the Legislative Assembly take every appropriate action to ensure the above.

NAME	ADDRESS	SIGNATURE

Please clearly mark envelope petition and return to Sound Psychiatric Information Network C/O

P/O Box 3167 Carlisle SOUTH WA 6101

West Australian Government “celebrates” Mental Health week with demands for spending cuts totalling 13%

Mental Health services told to cut budgets by a total of 13 %

Media Release Tuesday October 6th – Day 2 of Mental Health Week

The Barnett Government calls on Mental Health Services to cut spending by 13 per cent.

Mental Health Week

Greens Mental Health Spokesperson Alison Xamon ( MLC for East Metro http://alisonxamon.org.au ) has exposed a tragic travesty on day two of “Mental Health Week” in W.A. where Treasurer Troy Buswell is not just applying the 3% spending cut imposed across all sectors, but cutting even more deeply into MH services.

Mental Health Week

Private and public service providers as well as NGOs and consumer groups say the extra 10 per cent is due to an overspend by the “General” Health Department.

Mental Health Week

They are reluctant to speak to the media because history shows time and again that Government employees who blow the whistle are punished ,while overstretched community groups stand to lose the meagre funding they receive while delivering life and death, front-line services.

Mental Health Week

It appears the Mental Health sector is being punished for the alleged “sins” of General Health, but so far there’s no word from Colin Barnett’s Government explaining why the demandss are being made and why it’s being done without the community being informed.

Mental Health Week WEAK

One of WA’s leading advocates, Margaret Cook had this to say about the shameful revelations;

” This is a travesty!!! We have for too long put up with this kind of cut backs and treatment of the mental health services while the community has no idea what is really happening.

Mental Health Week WEAK

Due to people with mental illness remaining the shameful silent voices. It is time we remain silent no more it is not only we who are experiencing these cutbacks but the whole community.

Mental Health Week WEAK

Staff also they have jobs and family to support also and love their jobs some whom have been in them many years and dedicated their lives to them.

There are many others our children services mental health services have had drastic cuts, and don’t believe that will not impact future generations it will.

Mental Health Week WEAK

We see this daily our children being exposed to troubled parents who are traumatised by serving overseas in wars created by Zealots who our governments think they can end  century old persuasion.

Mental Health Week WEAK

This is but just one example of a government policy that ends up as a useless costly long term problem that Governments on both sides of politics have created.

Cheers Margaret Margaret Cook Mental Health Consumer Advocate/Educator

To Know The Road Ahead Ask Those Coming Back

COMIC WA Convenor Children of Mentally Ill Consumers   “

Listen to some of the news grabs from Greens MLC Alison XAMON

Alison Xamon MH frontline services mp3

Alison Xamon MH reconsider mp3

Alison Xamon MH kicking the needymp3

Alison Xamon MH no fat to cutmp3

Alison Xamon MH critical servicemp3

Alison Xamon MH call to actionmp3

Perth Workshop for families with 1 or more people living with mental llness, you are not alone :

Registration form and more detail – click here

Click the pic to visit COMIC WA – There is great support for families available.

Mental Health Forum in Perth Tuesday September 29 on plans for the coming decade – be part of the change in Western Australia September

Thank you to all the West Australians who took part in recent workshops hosted by Price Waterhouse Cooper to inform the powers that be about the urgent need for change in practice and process.

Join those steering the information process on Tuesday September 29 to hear about what happens from here. Please see the brochure below this post for details of the forum and share with your contacts.

The recent confirmation of Australia‘s suicide rate as not falling in ten years clearly shows that Governments and Service Providers have failed tragically.

No group has been failed more miserably than the First Australians, city or regional, who are suffering and dying at rates that higher than many third world countries ( don’t get me started on how little impact the Government and resource industry’s meagre efforts have had on their welfare despite making Billions from sacred land )

The deadly toll of stigma, misdiagnosis, over-drugging, ignorance,vested interests and plain inertia can’t even be measured because of the failed unwritten media rule of not reporting on suicide ( except if it’s a ratings boosting celebrity suicide )

The silence is deadly, and even offensive, as the media still gives oxygen to suicide kits and tragically wrong advice from the man known as Dr Death – under the guise of “covering” the Euthenasia debate.

A Perth woman with mental illness died horribly in Mexico after following his advice on “dignified death”, leaving her young children orphaned and a hole in the hearts of her family and community, including her since departed sister who was a dear friend of mine and the 6PR Perth radio talkback family.

Click Pic for Perthnow.com.au story

Big Pharma’s huge profits from human suffering features in brilliant doco and awesome new novel, listen to Producer Kevin Miller and author Pamela Glasner

click the blue link for audio

Pamela Glasner & Kevin Miller talking with Tony Serve

Pamela Glasner author "Finding Emaus"

Kevin P Miller Producer of "Generation Rx "

Pamela’s Novel “Finding Emmaus” Out Oct 1 Pre-order now

Kevin Miller’s Documentary trailer – DVD available now

Media ban on reporting Suicide – a deadly mistake ( see also abc story on 60 minutes being gagged )

Image by Aaron Edwards via Flickr

The ongoing silence in the media about suicide is being challenged by 60 minutes and supported by website advocacy group Beyond Blue (see abc.net.au story here)

As a long time advocate for mental health and suicide prevention I support a change in the deadly silence.

The only real debate is the nature of change to reportage and education.

Image via Wikipedia

It is particularly galling to hear cries of ” let’s protect potential suicides by not mentioning it” even as the media continues to almost champion the activities of the Euthenasia proponent known as Dr Death with tragic consequences.

And in simple terms we can ask ” well how’s that working for ya?” as yet another school community is wracked by unwell youngsters taking their own lives. Their being “protected” from truthful reporting of the issues didn’t work out so well.

Stigma is deadly, and it thrives in a vacuum of i

Image by ashley.adcox via Flickr

nformation such as we have surrounding suicide. It’s time for the so-called ” sane” people in Government, Bureacracy and Services to “get over it” and stop perpetrating a culture of deadly denial.

Related articles by Zemanta

• U.S. Suicide Help Calls Rising (blisstree.com)
• Alberta schools should take part in suicide prevention day, judge says (cbc.ca)
• Taped suicide prevention PSA (cbssports.com)
• Walkin’ After Midnight: The AFSP’s Annual Overnnight Walk (chicagoist.com)

Fact and Fiction – Big Pharma busted again as new novel highlights the tragedy of prescription drugs

Just weeks away from the launch of Pamela Glasner’s novel “Finding Emmaus” and one of the book’s underlying themes is being echoed in reality.

The historic fantasy is also a meticulously researched commentary on the “treatment” of people deemed to be mentally ill, especially the effect on real people of efforts by Big Pharma to sell more drugs.

Enjoy this short video on “Finding Emmaus” and read below how in REALITY, Big Pharma gets busted for using Ghost writers to lobby lawmakers considering crucial health reforms in the US.

From the nytimes.com By NATASHA SINGER

Published: August 4, 2009

Newly unveiled court documents show that ghostwriters paid by a pharmaceutical company played a major role in producing 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women, suggesting that the level of hidden industry influence on medical literature is broader than previously known.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/health/research/05ghost.html?_r=1

Meanwhile, the use of anti-depressants has doubled in a decade in the USA, while the number of people seeking psychiatric treatment is falling.

A study quoted in the USA Today article below suggests that doctors with little or no up to date specialist knowledge are increasingly writing scripts for SSRI and other heavily promoted drugs.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-03-antidepressants_N.htm?csp=34

Any specialist will tell you that even at their best the SSRI and other medications are at best only a bandaid, and far too often lead to suicidal ideation, especially in the first two weeks of use.

Many advocacy groups are now being heard in their pleas for balanced, consumer informed resources to be made available at all doctors rooms, everywhere.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Buddhists May Help Biotechies Solve Big Mental Health Woes, Says Merck Vet Ben Shapiro (xconomy.com)
• Tamoxifen and Antidepressants Don’t Mix (health.usnews.com)
• Antidepressant failed to help autistic children, caused side-effects: study (cbc.ca)
• New study reveals that antidepressants are not created equal (nationalpost.com)
• The myth of the chemical cure and the lie of serotonin imbalance (seroxatsecrets.wordpress.com)

A big swag of useful info, news,updates,reports and media Australian Policy Online Weekly Briefing – 30 July 2009 – please let me know if you’d like the APO or others like WACOSS blogged regularly :)

New commentary

Chewing the fat

29 July, 2009 | How many of the government’s health policies have been implemented? Angela Beaton and Lesley Russell look at the record

Preventable hospitalisation: the US initiative

28 July, 2009 | Re-admissions to hospital are a costly failure in the hospital system, here and in the US, writes Lesley Russell

Indonesia’s Australian connection

27 July, 2009 | The tragic Jakarta bombings should not distract our attention from the good news coming out of Indonesia, argues Hal Hill on our partner website, INSIDE STORY

New research

Creative Economy

A fistful of festivals

Lynden Barber | Meanjin
30 July, 2009 | It sometimes appears that not only every major capital city, but every café at the end of every street of every godforsaken one-horse town has a film festival — or soon will have.

Effective corporate tax reform in the global innovation economy

Rob Atkinson | Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
26 July, 2009 | This US report examines the issue of corporate tax reform and lays out six key principles for policymakers to consider as well as specific policy recommendations for crafting an innovation-based corporate tax code.

Disability arts sector consultation report

Andi Sebastian, Jacqueline Chant | Arts SA
23 July, 2009 | In late 2008, Arts SA funded a sector-wide consultation to determine the service needs of the disability and arts sector and to identify the most appropriate model for the delivery of these services

Should copyright of academic works be abolished?

Steven Shavell | Berkman Center for Internet and Society
27 July, 2009 | The conventional rationale for copyright of written works, that copyright is needed to foster their creation, is seemingly of limited applicability to the academic domain.

The world of e-portfolios

Allison Miller | Knowledge Tree, Australian Flexible Learning Framework
30 July, 2009 | This article argues that as we move deeper into a digital age, e-portfolios will be a key method for demonstrating existing skills.

Reconceptualising ‘time’ and ‘space’ in the era of electronic media and communications

Panayiota Tsatsou | PLATFORM: Journal of Media and Communication
23 July, 2009 | This paper examines to what extent electronic media and communications have contributed to currently changing concepts of time and space and how crucial their role is in experiencing temporality, spatiality and mobility.

Use of electronic media and communications: Early childhood to teenage years

Australian Communications and Media Authority
23 July, 2009 | This report provides a comprehensive snapshot of young people’s use of electronic media from early childhood through to teenage years, and parents’ views about that media use.

The impact of the crisis on ICTs and their role in the recovery

OECD Directorate of Science, Technology and Industry | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
30 July, 2009 | A sudden upturn in global sales of information and communications technology (ICT) goods in May and June suggests the ICT industry may have reached a turning point and be on the road to recovery, according to this OECD report.

An implosion of knowledge

Humphrey McQueen | Meanjin
30 July, 2009 | This articles argues that the privileging of access to data above its application means that the debate over whether libraries are in the book business or the information business is diverting us from the thought that they should be in the knowledge business

Economics

Retail trade industry profile

Jocelyn Pech, Lucy Nelms, Kelvin Yuen, Thomas Bolton | Australian Fair Pay Commission
24 July, 2009 | This report examines the structural and workforce profile of the Retail trade industry, an industry that employs a relatively large proportion of low-skilled and low-paid employees.

Power, mobility and diaspora in the global city

Dale Leorke, Saskia Sassen | PLATFORM: Journal of Media and Communication
23 July, 2009 | While globalisation has given rise to the global financial market, cross-border activities, digital networks with global span, and international organisations such as the UN and WTO that operate independent of nation-states, these remain materially embedded at the local, national level.

Young people with poor labour force attachment

Jocelyn Pech, Anne McNevin, Lucy Nelms | Australian Fair Pay Commission
24 July, 2009 | Drawing on labour force data and previous research findings, this report charts recent trends in a number of indicators, including the population of young people not fully engaged in employment and/or education.

IT modernisation: An exercise in alignment

Dan Briody | Economist Intelligence Unit
23 July, 2009 | This report, based on interviews and a global survey of 170 senior executives, concludes that while firms recognise the importance of modernising IT systems, they do not always implement such projects effectively.

Education

Numeracy, maths and learning difficulties

Anne Bayetto | Curriculum Leadership
25 July, 2009 | This article describes a program where postgraduate education students at Flinders University are helping to support young people who struggle with mathematics.

A new federalism in Australian education, 2009

Jack Keating | Education Foundation, Foundation for Young Australians
27 July, 2009 | This report proposes a national reform agenda for Australian schooling.

Childhood Education and Care, Australia

Australian Bureau of Statistics
30 July, 2009 | Seven out of ten young children attended a preschool or a preschool program in 2008.

Identifying and teaching children and young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties

Jim Rose | Department for Children, Schools and Families
25 July, 2009 | This UK report focuses on the identification of dyslexia among students and the possible intervention approaches that can be made by teachers and parents.

Environment & Planning

Climate change discussions and negotiations: a calendar

Nina Markovic, Nick Fuller | Parliamentary Library
26 July, 2009 | This background note will be updated to include any new developments on the formal negotiations are taking place within the meetings and working groups that have been established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol framework.

A quiet revolution: City governments tackle global warming

Stephen Jones | Australian Review of Public Affairs
26 July, 2009 | While Australia’s federal and state leaders have been stuck discussing the introduction of the emissions trading scheme, some of our local governments have been trying to do something about the impact of human activity on global warming.

Health

Oral health impacts among children by dental visiting treatment needs

Jason Armfield | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
24 July, 2009 | This report provides information on the oral health impacts experienced by Australian children during the period 2004-06.

Why public hospitals are overcrowded: ten points for policymakers

Jeremy Sammut | Centre for Independent Studies
28 July, 2009 | The three-hundred page reform ‘blue print’ from the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission has endorsed a range of health reform measures that will not solve the hospital crisis in this country, argues Jeremy Sammut.

Indigenous

Staying strong on the outside: improving the post-release experience of Indigenous young adults

Robyn Gilbert, Anna Wilson | Indigenous justice clearinghouse
27 July, 2009 | This research brief draws on international research to identify current understandings of good practice in prisoner reentry generally as well as issues particular to Indigenous prisoner reentry.

Bridges and barriers – addressing Indigenous incarceration and health

National Indigenous Alcohol and Drug Committee | Australian National Council on Drugs
24 July, 2009 | This report argues that the strong links between substance misuse and Indigenous incarceration highlight an urgent need for government to address this disturbing problem.

International

Force 2030: China drives Australia toward its first strategic missile system

Ron Huisken | Nautilus Institute
24 July, 2009 | This essay argues that the strikingly different dimension of Australia’s recent Defence White Paper, stems from a disjointed, inconclusive but unmistakably alarmist assessment of China’s potential impact on order and stability in East Asia.

Middle East outlook and energy security in the Asia-Pacific region

Leanne Piggott | Australian Strategic Policy Institute
24 July, 2009 | This report explores the issue of energy security in the context of a growing dependence of the energy-hungry Asian economies on Middle Eastern supplies.

China: stumbling through the Pacific

Fergus Hanson | Lowy Institute for International Policy
26 July, 2009 | This paper suggests that China’s Pacific aid-giving is unpredictable, secretive and is mired in a vicious cycle of short-termism that is a legacy of its long-running diplomatic battle with Taiwan.

Beyond the nuclear issue: North Korea and non-traditional security challenges

Jeffrey Robertson | Parliamentary Library
26 July, 2009 | Since September 2008 North Korea has undertaken a series of measures to demonstrate the health of Kim Jong-Il, yet at the same time has demonstrated signs that succession plans may be underway.

New voices 2009: Networked

Angela Evans | Lowy Institute for International Policy
27 July, 2009 | This report is an overview of the Lowy institute’s recent conference on the ways in which network relationships, structures, and technologies affect different parts of our world.

Justice

Intimate partner abuse of women in a Central Queensland mining region

Heather Nancarrow, Stewart Lockie, Sanjay Sharma | Australian Institute of Criminology
25 July, 2009 | Perceptions about the mining industry and the rapid growth of mining communities in Australia has led to concerns that these communities are prone to higher rates of intimate partner violence than the general community.

Suspended sentences in Tasmania: key research findings

Australian Institute of Criminology
27 July, 2009 | While offenders given suspended sentences were less likely to be reconvicted, the imposition of these, rather than non-custodial sentences, on first time offenders may have serious repercussions if they are subsequently reconvicted.

Politics

State of denial

Richard Denniss | The Australia Institute
27 July, 2009 | While the Commonwealth will receive a windfall of more than $10 billion per year in revenue from auctioning pollution permits, state and local governments will transfer more than $2 billion a year to the Commonwealth Government.

A fair-weather friend: Australia’s relationship with a climate-changed Pacific

Louise Collett | The Australia Institute
27 July, 2009 | Climate change will bring significant challenges to the island nations of the Pacific. This paper examines Australia’s attitudes to climate change in the region under the two most recent federal governments.

Putting the politics back into Politics: Young people and democracy in Australia

James Arvanitakis, Siobhan Marren | The Whitlam Institute
27 July, 2009 | Young people are changing the way they engage with politics and Politics is going to have to change as a consequence.

Social Policy

Just scraping by? Conversations with Tasmanians living on low incomes

Social Policy and Research Team | Tasmanian Council of Social Service
24 July, 2009 | The voices of low income Tasmanians are reproduced in this report talking in their own words about the daily struggle to make ends meet on inadequate incomes and with limited access to health care and other services.

Managing in a downturn

Centre for Social Impact
24 July, 2009 | This report is the first comprehensive research to assess the effect of the economic downturn on Australian charities and nonprofit organisations.

Compendium of social inclusion indicators

Australian Social Inclusion Board
28 July, 2009 | Developed by the Board to generate discussion and debate on the question of how to measure disadvantage and social exclusion, these indicators are first steps towards comprehensive performance measurement and evaluation of social inclusion in Australia.

A healthier future for all Australians – final report

National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission | National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission
27 July, 2009 | The Federal Government’s health review has called for a major shake-up of the national health system, with the Commonwealth taking over the funding of most services.

New audio

Who stopped the music?

25 July, 2009 | The parlous state of music in public schools means not only are our children missing an important dimension in life, but they miss out on something that promotes brain function and social skills.

Video killed the video star

27 July, 2009 | If everyone is a producer, what role will video play in our lives in the future?

New video

2 live 2 deadly

23 July, 2009 | This video documents the historical struggle of Indigenous radio in Sydney.

Libraries of the future

30 July, 2009 | This UK documentary showcases interviews with leaders from JISC, Oxford University and LSE as well as students and academics who discuss what the library of the future will look like.

New jobs

Lecturer in Asian Studies

The Australian National University 26 July, 2009 | The Faculty of Asian Studies, College of Asia and the Pacific, wishes to appoint an outstanding scholar to lead in the coordination and teaching of its undergraduate and graduate foundational Asian Studies courses.

PhD Scholarship – MARCS Auditory Laboratories

University of Western Sydney 26 July, 2009 | MARCS Auditory Laboratories is undertaking a wide range of projects as part of a prestigious $3.4M ARC/NHMRC “Thinking Systems” grant to develop a ‘thinking head’. This is a breakthrough system that can learn from humans and will lead to advances in everything from hearing aids to mobile phones and video games. UWS is leading a consortium of Australian universities to develop the groundbreaking project including RMIT, Macquarie, Flinders and University of Canberra, with international input from the Technical University of Denmark,

Postgraduate scholarship in Chinese film and media studies

University of Sydney, School of Media and Communications 26 July, 2009 |

An ARC funded scholarship is available for a full-time Masters candidate who is undertaking research in a topic pertaining to Chinese Film and Media Studies (with a special focus on posters of the Cultural Revolution and /or film representations of contemporary Chinese history/memory)

Analyst, Credit team, Stakeholder Group

Australian Securities and Investments Commission 24 July, 2009 | The Credit team is building from the ground up.

Manager, Government Relations

NRMA Insurance 23 July, 2009 | A new position is now available for a strategic, Corporate Affairs professional to influence government policy in areas that impact on the business profitability, sustainability and reputation of NRMA Insurance.

New submissions

Collaborative and challenge-led innovation

01 March, 2010 |

New events

five: fashion musing & Innovation: Management, Policy and Practice launch

LOCATION:	The Glasshouse QUT, Creative Industries Precinct, Z2, Level 4, Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove
ORGANISED BY:	CCI – ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation

20 August, 2009 | Please join us for the joint launch of two new titles. five: fashion musing and Innovation: Management, Policy and Practice a special edition on Innovation in the Creative Industries.

Official Launch of the Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit and ‘So, what?’ Lecture with Professor Patrick Dodson

LOCATION:

20 August, 2009 | You are warmly invited to the Official Launch of The Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit in conjunction with the So, what? public lecture with Professor Patrick Dodson

Green Building and Design Conference 2009 – Green Materials

LOCATION:	Melbourne Convention Centre
ORGANISED BY:	Centre for Design, RMIT University

09 September, 2009 | Attendance in-person or online

Learning Technologies Conference

LOCATION:

Mooloolaba Campus of Sunshine Coast TAFE, 34 Lady Musgrave Drive, Mountain Creek Qld

19 November, 2009 | The objective of the two day 2009 Learning Technologies conference is to challenge and extend your thinking about the ways educators can use learning technologies to challenge, inspire, motivate, and encourage learners.

New books

After the crunch

30 July, 2009 | In this 100-page book, 42 artists, entrepreneurs, commentators, analysts, policy-makers, policy-sceptics, academics, financiers – and citizens – set out their hopes and fears for the future.

Beethoven or Britney : The great divide in music education

25 July, 2009 | Most children have little or no access to quality music teaching. And nothing is being done about it.

Innovation policy in the creative industries

30 July, 2009 | This special issue of Innovation: Management, Practice and Policy will explore some empirical and analytic connections between creative industries and innovation policy. Seven papers are presented. The first four are empirical, providing analysis of large and/or detailed data sets on creative industries businesses and occupations to discern their contribution to innovation. The next three papers focus on comparative and historical policy analysis, connecting creative industries policy (broadly considered, including media, arts and cultural policy) and innovation policy.

five: fashion musing

30 July, 2009 | Visually beautiful, the book explores fashion theory, practice and pedagogy through five key themes – mind, heart,hand, eyes and body.

New guide

Children and privacy complaints – a guide for parents and guardians

26 July, 2009 | This Privacy Victoria information sheet outlines the privacy rights of children under Victorian law.

New websites

Open video conference

27 July, 2009 | As internet video matures, we face a crossroads: will technology and public policy support a more participatory culture or will online video become a glorified TV-on-demand service?

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to APO emails at http://apo.org.au/user/register | To unsubscribe: http://apo.org.au/subscriptions/unsubscribe | Please feel free to share this email and any of its contents with anyone who might be interested.

West Australian Mental Health Review – vital meetings July 20, 21 for families and those from diverse backgrounds

Please ignore the WASP-only Pic THIS IS ABOUT ETHNIC DIVERSITY & MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health Consumer advocacy group for Western Australia to be more effective because of YOUR involvement

please share, DIGG and circulate this info

click here to download the info as a PDF to share     -  CoMHWA Information

CoMHWA Information

Nearly 9 in 10 Aussies stressed out: Lifeline ABC News Article link.

It’s time we spoke up about mental health as  a PRIORITY.

The old idea that depression affects 1 in 5 is CLEARLY under-estimating the epidemic of mental illness.

We in the media are banned from covering  suicides despite the toll being greater than road trauma, and air-time being given to dangerous quacks like “DR Death” Nietschke.

see the ABC item below for a WAKE UP call

Nearly 9 in 10 Aussies stressed out: Lifeline

Monday, July 13, 2009

Almost nine in 10 Australians are stressed and many say work is to blame, according to a national poll commissioned by Lifeline Australia.

The annual survey released today reveals 41 per cent of Australians are experiencing unhealthy levels of stress, and a whopping 87 per cent of the nation is experiencing some degree of stress.

To view on a PC/Mac please use this link

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/13/2624400.htm

To view on a mobile please use this link

http://m.abc.net.au/browse?page=11144&articleid=2624400&cat=Justin
from @perthtones’ iPhone

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Politics of Personality Disorder (themoderatevoice.com)
• Rising unemployment linked to more murders (ctv.ca)
• The Battle Against Military Suicides: One Is Too Many (abcnews.go.com)

Fighting Depression on 2 wheels – West Australian man & motorbike prepping for BLACK DOG RIDE – to raise awareness, reduce stigma & suicide

BLACK DOG RIDE

Steve Andrews, from Busselton WA, will embark on a solo motorbike trip around Australia on 26th July 2009 to raise community awareness about depression, one of the most common of all mental health problems

Currently, it is estimated that:

• around one million adults are living with depression each year in Australia.

• in addition 100,000 young people suffer from depression and the number is growing

• one in five people people experience depression at some stage of their lives.

The devastating impact of depression has been experienced first hand by Steve, who has lost his mother and two close friends to suicide following long battles with depression.
Many people, including Winston Churchill, have referred to depression as their ‘black dog’ and as such, Steve has named this project the Black Dog Ride http://www.blackdogride.com.au/ .

As he travels around the country on Highway 1, he will combine his passion for motorbikes and a long held dream of riding around Australia with a growing desire to raise awareness about the impact of depression and the resources available to fight it.

Steve will also be raising money for the Suicide Call Back Service run by Crisis Support Services. The Suicide Call Back Service http://www.suicidecallbackservice.com.au/ is a free, nationwide telephone service that offers short to medium term support for people at risk of suicide, their carers, and those bereaved by suicide.

How can you help?

1. Take a moment out of your busy life to visit the website www.blackdogride.com.au , learn a little more about the project and raise your own awareness of depression and what we can do to beat it.
2. Make a donation to support the Suicide Call Back Service. Every dollar is appreciated and your support saves lives.
3. Most importantly, do your bit to raise awareness by forwarding this email to your family, friends and associates. Remember, chances are that 1 in 5 of the people in your contacts file will suffer from depression at some time during their life. You are unlikely to know who it will be so please forward this email to your complete address book.

Steve Andrews firmly believes that by being more aware of depression and by talking about it we can break down the stigma attached to mental illness and really make a difference for people suffering from this debilitating condition and for those at risk of suicide.

The ride starts from the Goose Cafe at the Busselton Jetty , 9.30 Sunday morning 26 July. Come on down and wave Steve off on his epic journey.

Thank you.
Black Dog Ride
www.blackdogride.com.au

PWC Mental Health Survey

The two further workshops are as follows.
CAMHS Consumers and Carers on Monday 20/7/09 Citywest Lotteries House, 2 Delhi St West Perth. 10-12.00
CALD Consumers and Carers Tuesday 21/7/09 Same address. 13.00-15.00

Register at mentalhealthsurvey@au.pwc.com or call 9238 3126.

Cheers
Ken Steele

for Amy, Nora and all who’ll be in Chicago this weekend in the Overnight Walk for suicide prevention – see theovernight.org and support these people please

http://www.theovernight.org/

Gerry & The Pacemakers – You’ll Never Walk Alone

click here for an interview with Amy Kiel on surviving clinical depression and living with chronic pain – Amy is amazing.

Please follow Amy on twitter @abeeliever and fellow walker Nora @noralmt as they walk to remember those who died and reduce the death toll from PREVENTABLE/TREATABLE mental illness.

Amy Kiel @Abeeliever

A major way we can all help is to reduce the deadly stigma surrounding mental illness – you can do that by supporting brave people like Amy who take huge risks to speak up about their experence.

At last some good news on suicide – Mental Health programs save lives.

There is new hope for people in poor mental health as Australia’s suicide rate falls by almost half in ten years. see abc.net.au/lateline story below.

The good news is tempered by serious problems in dispensing opiates recently revealed in W.A. and the lingering, deadly stigma of being mentally unwell.

But isn’t it great and encouraging that the death toll is finally falling.

And please check this link for a preview of some amazing stories and useful first hand advice from those who are unwell and hear the voices of their children. http://mentalmedia.wordpress.com/

the very welcome abc item follows…

Reaching out for help as Australian suicides fall

By John Stewart for Lateline

Posted 3 hours 28 minutes ago
Updated 3 hours 15 minutes ago

Despair: But Australian youth suicide rates have tumbled in the past decade (ABC News: Giulio Saggin, file photo)

//

• Related Link: Reach Out website

During the past decade the suicide rate among young Australians has almost halved.

It is an extraordinary public health achievement, but one which has received little publicity.

Experts say a massive public education campaign and improvement in the treatment of depression are the key reasons for the success.

But with bad economic times upon us, psychologists are warning the suicide rate may begin to rise.

Doug Millen, a 20-year-old university student based in Melbourne, is studying hard and his life is back on track.

But during his final years at high school he suffered from depression and did not know who to turn to.

“I did what young people do and I jumped on the internet and Google for some kind of help,” he said.

He found a website called Reach Out, which had been set up to prevent youth suicide and help young people suffering from depression.

“When I was feeling like I wouldn’t achieve in year 12 and trying to figure out my sexuality, Reach Out was great because it was there when I needed it,” he said.

“It’s completely anonymous and I didn’t have to talk to anyone.”

The online advantage

The Reach Out website now gets 130,000 visits per month from young people.

The website’s managers say being online is a big advantage.

“For a young person who suspects things are not OK, they might not know who to turn to or be afraid to talk to someone about it because they are afraid they will be judged,” project manager Anna McKenzie said.

“So to be able to simply go online, Google something and have a look without anyone needing to know, that’s really invaluable and that’s what a lot of young people are doing at Reachout.”

The Reach Out website was set up 10 years ago when Australia had one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the western world.

But that rate has seen a massive decline in the decade since 1997.

Professor Ian Hickie from Sydney University says suicide rates have fallen internationally, but Australia has benefited from one of the best public health campaigns in recent times.

“In general, a period of strong economic growth and a period of increased awareness around mental health problems and a need to focus on suicide reduction has contributed in most developed countries throughout that time,” he said.

“Additionally in Australia there have been extra efforts in the medical world to treat depression, identify problems and respond appropriately, but also, in Australia, a tremendous community response.”

The Howard government‘s tightening of gun laws after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre also contributed to the decline in suicides, especially among young men.

“After the new gun laws were introduced, the rate of gun suicide dropped twice as fast,” Sydney University’s associate professor Philip Alpers said.

“If you reduce the availability of firearms, especially to impulsive young men, then the number of people dying by gunshot reduces.”

But suicide rates in many Aboriginal communities are still high and despite the overall drop in the suicide rate, reports of depression and anxiety are on the rise.

More than 12 million prescriptions for anti-depressants are filled in Australia each year.

“We’ve just had a national survey of mental health in Australia, rates of illness are as high as they ever were,” Professor Hickie said.

“The good thing is that rates of suicide have gone down so we haven’t yet dealt with the underlying problem, but we have got better at dealing with one of the worst outcomes.

“The greater availability of anti-depressants is also believed to have played a role in lowering the suicide rate, but prescribing the drugs to young people is controversial.”

Experts are concerned that if more jobs are lost, the suicide rate may begin to rise.

It is a trend that has already started overseas and workers at Reachout fear that stressful times may be ahead, especially for young Australians trying to find their first job.

For more information, head to the Reach Out website.

Tags: community-and-society, suicide, youth-issues, australia

Amy & Tony talking about thriving after surviving major clinical depression

Image via CrunchBase

Here’s two people talking.

Amy Kiel @Abeeliever

Amy and Tony

22 min 22 sec  download,share,digg us,

we’re you yours !    =D

I’ll post details and links soon, including info on how anyone can record & produce quality interviews with anyone anywhere on things close to their heart.

If anyone has input on providing some visuals, slideshow,etc…we’ll youtube it.

We spoke live, Skype to phone, and the only editing I did was cutting a few seconds where we lost the link and adding a few little things for you.

To life…and the cool fools in the twitterverse =D @perthtones

My Twitter is @perthtones follow me for links to amazing folk and info

© 2009 Amy Kiel & Tony Serve    This audio is free to copy and share as long as it’s not for commercial advantage.

Stigma and shame leads to tragedy for mentally ill people “sane” people need to “get over it” :*)

An important event in Perth W.A. to discuss ways to reduce shame & stigma

shame kills - help reduce stigma & visit http://www.comicwa.org/

I interviewed Dr Alun Jones using Skype & Call Recorder on  a MacBook.   ( see above for related local forum info)

You are welcome to listen to, download, or better still, link to the audio below. ( click the blue link and the blue link it goes to )

Dr Alun Jones speaks to Tony Serve on the stigma of Mental Illness          *Recorded March 24 2009 for COMIC.org    23 mins 44 secs

Comments, feedback and guest posts on mental health are very welcome –

{ especially you ” Abeeliever”   and all the twitter folk }

Phone or Skype calls are welcome to my auto-recorder which has up to 10 minutes time for your comments, stories, questions.

Skype perthtones or phone +61 8 94672264

Meanwhile…think of the Children

It’s common sense that an ill parent will have an affect on the entire family, but all too often around the world, the children of people being treated are left out in several ways.

There are further complications because it is often the case that genes determining aspects of mental health are shared by some family members

Follow this link to coverage of new research on affected families and suggestions for professionals on more effective, holistic treatments.

The “shame” of presenting yourself to Mental Health professionals

An important event in Perth W.A. to discuss ways to reduce shame & stigma

shame can kill - help us reduce stigma

Meanwhile

It’s common sense that an ill parent will have an affect on the entire family, but all too often around the world, the children of people being treated are left out in several ways.

There are further complications because it is often the case that genes determining aspects of mental health are shared by some family members

Follow this link to coverage of new research on affected families and suggestions for professionals on more effective, holistic treatments.

Crazy poll on drug abuse – do drugs make you crazy or do you have to be crazy to use them

Does substance abuse cause mental illness, or do the ill simply reach for anything to feel better? Click here to vote   ( note –  tongue firmly in cheek on this poll )

The UK has upgraded it’s rating for Cannabis so it’s classed as a jailable offence to have it, despite top medical advisors warning against the move see here for BBC story   ( yeah good one Britain  - who needs dope when you can kill yourself a lot quicker with cigarettes, booze and prescribed anti-depressant meds )

A few highly publicised bits of “research” in recent years have us believing that cannabis will make you schizophrenic and increase chances of paranoia, anxiety and depression. They are dangerous part-truths.

For men, about 1 in 5,000 develop psychoses according to another recent BBC report, but the greater reality is that people with mental illness will reach for any substance, legal or illegal, to ease their pain.  We advocates deal daily with hurting folk who self-medicate.

What is REALLY crazy is that research also shows that adolescents smoking tobacco raise their risk of depression later in life, but ciggies are legal across the planet.

Meanwhile an important related issue is the deadly stigma attached to mental illness -

I addressed a meeting recently and suggested that

” no-one in their right mind abuses drugs “

Imagine my surprise when a voice was raised in indignation along these lines;

” hey wait a minnit, I have friends who are junkies – how dare you say they are mentally ill.”

It’s enough to drive you nuts!

Meanwhile click here for a radio interview with a key australian advocate on “schizophrenia” as understanding grows that hearing voices and other psychotic episodes are not schizoid.

For help for those hearing voices and for info on debunking “schizophrenia” go to http://www.intervoiceonline.org/

 Finally I never advocate illegal drug use, whether you’re sane or silly. ( I also don’t advise you to use anti-depressants, dexamphetamines,ritalin, SSRI’s, Alcohol or tobacco.)