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Category Archives: Media
theMHS Envisioning 2050
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Excerpt from Mental Health Australia Weekly Update
The Promise Documentary
Directed by Jye Currie, a new documentary, titled The Promise, is being featured at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival on 28 July at Cinema Nova, on Lygon Street in Melbourne.
At its core, The Promise delves into the depths of hope and human resilience, offering an intimate exploration of the challenges faced by those affected by suicide. Through the courageous journey of Craig Hamilton and the poignant stories of survivors and loving families, the film offers a raw and unfiltered look at the impact of suicide on individuals and communities alike.
The documentary is described as a journey of discovery, understanding, and hope. Through powerful interviews with leading researchers and health experts, the film provides valuable insights into the complex factors contributing to suicide and the strategies for prevention.
A media release is attached. Mental Health Australia has no affiliation with the production.
SANE – Stigma Watch July 2024
Excerpt from Andrew Leigh’s May Report 2024
How Social Media Fuels Teen AnxietyOver the past fifteen years, the mental wellbeing of young Australians has become much worse. In a two-minute video, I look at the evidence on how social media and smartphones affect teen mental health, offering seven key facts and four solutions (click to view). And if you’re curious about the emerging debate, check out my review of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, recently published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. |
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Australians for Mental Health
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In a very blunt and powerful open letter to the Australian people — particularly politicians and other decision-makers — Vanessa charts what it is like to love a child with complex mental health needs. You can read Vanessa’s letter in full here. “The health system, their executives and our own Ministers likes to say that he “fell through the cracks”. This is not true. This is a system that is designed to fail. Designed to push somebody onto another public service so that they do not have to address the issues at hand” she writes. “We have endured accusations of domestic violence simply because our son needed us to restrain him during neurological episodes, an act necessary to prevent self-harm. We’ve witnessed the havoc wrought by potent medications, rendering our home unsafe for all. Like Cauchi’s family we’ve hidden sharp objects, transforming our household into a battleground where safety is a fleeting illusion.” “Amidst the despair, I would like to think there’s a glimmer of hope—a call to action for greater empathy, for a society that sees beyond the surface and acknowledges the humanity in us all. It’s a call to recognise that behind every headline lies a story, a struggle, a life worth fighting for.” These are stories that need to be heard: that’s the only way change will be possible. In coming forward, Vanessa is taking a stand for her family, and we stand with her. If you have experience trying to access the mental health system, either for yourself or someone you love, and would be willing to work with me to engage politicians with our stories, I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be holding a Zoom call next Tuesday evening, 7 May at 5:30pm Sydney time. If you’d like to join in please RSVP here. If you’d like to be involved but can’t make that time, please let me know by clicking here. Chris Gambian |
Mental Health Day October 2023
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Department of Health Warning on Ayurvedic medicines
Ayurvedic medicines
The Department of Health has been notified that some Ayurvedic medicines for sale in grocery stores in Victoria contain ingredients – including lead – that are scheduled poisons.
The Victorian Department of Health also continues to receive notifications of cases of lead poisoning caused by the ingestion of Ayurvedic medications that are contaminated with lead and imported from overseas.
Advice for public
- An ‘AUST R’ or ‘AUST L’ number on the packaging of products indicates that they are approved for supply by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
- Anyone who is using Ayurvedic medicines purchased or imported from overseas or purchased in Victoria where the product does not have this number should stop consuming the product immediately.
Advice for Clinicians
- Anyone taking unapproved medicines with potential symptoms of lead poisoning should be screened for lead toxicity.
- These incidents are a timely reminder about the value of asking patients if they use complementary medicines and where they purchase the products from.
- For advice when poisoning or suspecting poisoning occurs contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
SANE Newsletter 24 May 2023
More than 24 million people worldwide live with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. But despite this statistic, community awareness around the condition is still low and stigma still remains. |
This week, we are sharing stories from people with lived experiences of schizophrenia, like Hanna, one of SANE’s peer ambassadors, to encourage people to take a moment to ‘walk in another person’s shoes’ and challenge the stereotypes that still exist.We are encouraging other people in our network to share their stories and find ways to raise awareness. |
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Click here to read more about Hannah’s story |
Click here to read the complete SANE newsletter: https://saneaustralia.cmail20.com/t/t-e-zwsz-jtuyyktuki-r/
News from Mental Health Australia Weekly Update April 2023
New specialist mental health and addiction serviceA new statewide specialist service opened this week for Victorians with co-occurring mental health and substance addiction issues. Turning Point, Australia’s leading addiction treatment and research centre, led the design and delivery of the Hamilton Centre and will lead a clinical network that will support the Hamilton Centre’s functions across the state. |
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