Lived Experience Forum

[CherryBomb]

Did you know that National Mental Health Week is approaching?

Quite often when we think of mental health we automatically think of mental illness. When we do this we tend to focus on a cure. Of course, recovery is an important aspect of getting well, but like other 'physical' illnesses maintaining health - physical, psychological and emotional - is important too. 

So this year's National Mental Health Week's focus is on: Mental Health Begins with Me

I'm so delighted to share with you all that we got a few special events and guest speakers on the Forums during this week. So keep an eye out! 

Join us for  'Mental Health Begins with Me' - October 5 - 12. 

It doesn't matter if you have a mental illness, or care for someone who has a mental illness, having an interest in maintaining good health is impotant both for ourselves and the people we care for. 

So this week is about making a promise to yourself to care for YOU. Throughout the week we'll be setting Community Challenges to increase our mental health.

Look out for:

Monday - SANE's Mind and Body expert will be getting the ball rolling,  setting challenges to get you moving about and thinking about how to stay well.  

Tuesday - Topic Tuesday: In the Lived Experience Forum we will have mindfulness specialist and registered psychologist, Jordan, from Mindfulgym will be giving practical tools, advice and exercises to incorpoate mindfulness into your life. 6pm - 8pm AEST

Wednesday - Random acts of kindness challenge

Thursday -  Technology: sharing & rating apps that help our mental health

Friday - Wrap up

We would also love to hear your thoughts about ABC's Mental As... campaign running throughout the week.

Excitingly we will also be running a competition! More info soon!

I hope you can join us for a big Mental Health Week here in the forums!

[morningstar]

I'm not 'crazy' about the title of the ABC 'Mental as' campaign to support the Week. What do others think? Is it offensive or am I being over-sensitive?

[Alessandra1992]

I like it.coz I have immediately think of mental as anything and hope they play some of their music..plus you can debate normal as, crazy as, stupid as, loving as, awesome as..
I think the as bit is very current vernacular and mental, well it directs me to the mind/brain/thinking..

[tam63]

Regarding mental as on abc TV and radio, I hope they are not going to overwhelm viewers. I personally am really looking forward to q and a, and the coverage of Liverpool hospital later in the week. I saw compass yesterday, and was impressed yet again with Janet meagher. Pat McGorry was on abc news breakfast this am, commenting on cuts to mental health services in some states.

Personally, I find the title quite hip...

[Loopy]

 morningstar, It could possibly get in your face, but I was interviewed by a Hobart Journo and he was terrific, undstanding, disbelief that people live with the stuff they carry in the heads and most of all sympathetic. I not usually one that copes with sympathy, seeing that my PTSD was self inflicted to a degree. Would you believe that in Tasmania the Police Department have no organisation to help with their off casts.

[schultz]

Hi Sandy. I agree-i am reminded of Mental As Anything & it's interesting to see Reg Mombassa talk about his family & himself.

[Surf]

I'm not happy about the whole idea of "mental health begins with me" .Just because some marketing person realised that yes, Mental does in fact begin with ME... its really just not true. It begins with the governments policies, funding approach, affordable housing, employment, access and equity to welfare, education, services, humanitarian approaches. Yes ME/I have a lot to do with it, but I refuse to take total responsibility for my health issues when services, economics and government policy influence them so much. Surely this campaign is distracting us from whats really going on? the system breaking down? Make us all responsible for our recovery, of course it must be our mh issues if we cant get housing or work? We need to be pointing to the bigger picture! The only way that my MH starts with me is in being active to improve services and the environment and government with which we have to live. Stupid idea, it just promotes the idea that Mh happens in a vacuum.