HEALTHY WORK HEALTHY LIVING TIP SHEET
Mental Health Awareness and Support
Mental health can be defined as a state of emotional and anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and
psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use specific phobias.
his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in Mood disorders, also called affective disorders, involve
society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life. persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly
Mental health conditions directly affect one in five Australians happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme
at some stage in their lives, it is even more common among sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression,
young adults, affecting up to 25% of this age group. bipolar disorder, and cyclothymic disorder.
Mental health conditions do not discriminate by age, race or Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and
ethnicity, and they often strike when a person is in the prime thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic
of his or her life. The spectrum of disorders runs from mild disorders are hallucinations -- the experience of images
to severe and, like any medical condition, many factors can or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices -- and
trigger illness, including: delusions, which are false fixed beliefs that the person
• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary.
• Life experiences, such as trauma, workload, stress or Eating disorders involve extreme emotions, attitudes, and
abuse behaviours involving weight and food, including anorexia
nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.
• Family history of mental health issues
Impulse control and addiction disorders People with
What causes a Mental Health Condition? impulse control disorders are unable to resist urges,
or impulses, to perform acts that could be harmful to
There is some evidence that mental health issues can be
themselves or others. Examples include: pyromania (starting
caused by a combination of biological factors that create a
fires), kleptomania (stealing), and addictions such as
vulnerability. Genetics play a part, but people can develop a
compulsive gambling. Often, people with these disorders
mental health issue with no family history at all. We know that
become so involved with the objects of their addiction that
chemical changes occur that affect functioning of the brain
they begin to ignore responsibilities and relationships.
(both dopamine and serotonin are involved).
Personality disorders People with personality disorders have
People who are vulnerable to mental health conditions may
extreme and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to
experience symptoms that escalate in response to stress,
the person. In addition, the person’s patterns of thinking and
social change or drugs.
behaviour significantly differ from the expectations of society
What are Mental Health Conditions? and are so rigid that they interfere with the person’s normal
functioning. Examples include antisocial personality disorder,
Mental health conditions include a range of disorders that
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and paranoid
affect the way a person thinks, feels and acts. Some of the
personality disorder.
more prevalent include:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) People with OCD
Anxiety disorders People with anxiety disorders respond to
are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them
objects or situations with fear, as well as with physical signs
to perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing thoughts
of anxiety or panic, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating.
are called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions.
An anxiety disorder can be diagnosed if the person’s
response is not appropriate for the situation, if the person Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) PTSD is a condition
cannot control the response, or if the anxiety interferes with that can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event.
normal functioning. Anxiety disorders include generalised People with PTSD often have lasting and frightening thoughts
and memories of the event, and tend to be emotionally numb.
Converge International is your Employee
Assistance Program (EAP) provider. To make
an appointment or speak to a consultant:
call:
1300 687 327
HEALTHY WORK HEALTHY LIVING TIP SHEET Page 2
Mental Health Awareness and Support
What about Treatment and Recovery? Developing a positive attitude will help you to provide better
The good news is that there is a range of treatments, health support for a friend or family member with a mental health
professionals and services available to help address mental issue. It will help if you:
health conditions. There are also many things that people • Find out as much as you can about mental health,
with these conditions can do to help themselves. treatment and what services are available in your area
The reality is, depression and anxiety are unlikely to • Recognise and accept that symptoms may come and
simply go away on their own. If ignored and left untreated, go, and may vary in severity. Varying levels of support
depression and anxiety can go on for months, sometimes will be required at different times
years, and can have many negative effects on a person’s • Develop a sense of balance between your own needs
life. Every person needs to find the treatment that’s right for and the needs of the person you are supporting
them.
It can take time, strength and patience to find a treatment Limitations to dealing with Mental Health Concerns
that works. After seeking appropriate advice, try a treatment You should decide what level of support you are realistically
you’re comfortable with that works for most people. If you able to provide. Explain this to the friend or relative with the
do not recover quickly enough, or experience problems with mental health concerns, as well as the health professionals
the treatment, discuss this with your health professional and involved in their care (for example, the psychiatrist or case
consider trying another approach. manager). This will ensure that the type of support you are
unable to provide can be arranged in another way.
How to know if someone is developing a
Discuss options for support with health professionals and
Mental Health Condition?
other family members and friends to ensure continuity of
Early warning signs differ from person to person, but some care when you are unable provide support.
common signs are when a person’s behaviour changes
(either suddenly or gradually) and he or she becomes Common reactions to Mental Health Concerns
unusually suspicious, anxious, depressed, irritable or angry.
The distress associated with having a mental health
The person may experience mood swings, sleeplessness,
concern may lead to feelings of guilt, anger or shame.
loss of motivation and energy, changes in eating patterns,
Acknowledging these feelings is the first step towards
and memory loss.
resolving them. It is important to understand that no one is
Family and friends will notice changes in a person’s to blame for it.
behaviour, often with a disruption to a person’s work or
study and to a person’s energy levels and sociability. These Planning to cope with a Mental Health Issue
symptoms can sometimes be a reaction to life events or It is important to encourage a sense of structure in the life of
changes, especially for people in adolescence, but if in a person severely affected by mental health issues. You can
doubt, seek advice from a health service, GP, BeyondBlue develop plans to cope on a day-to-day basis, such as:
or other mental health support service. Early intervention is • Develop predictable routines – for example, regular
the key. times to get up and eat. Introduce gradual changes to
prevent boredom
Supporting someone with a Mental Health Issue • Break tasks into small steps – for example, discuss
with the person what steps would help them with daily
Family and friends should not ignore signs and changes in
self-care
mental health. Early treatment can lead to a better outcome.
Encourage the person to see a doctor for an assessment. If • Try to overcome a lack of motivation – for example,
a family member is affected, you should decide what level encourage and include the person in activities
of support and care you are realistically able to provide. • Allow the person to make decisions – even though
• Encourage the person to see a doctor, EAP consultant it can sometimes be difficult for them to do this and
or mental health practitioner or psychologist for an they may keep changing their mind. Try to resist the
assessment temptation to make the decision for them.
• Make an appointment with a GP, EAP consultant or
mental health practitioner for yourself, to discuss your
concerns and find out what can be done (if the person
References:
refuses to see a doctor).
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia - www.mifa.org.au
Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria - www.mifellowship.org
Mental Health Services Website - www.health.vic.gov.au/
mentalhealth
Mental Health Council of Australia - www.mhca.com.au
SANE Australia - www.sane.org
BeyondBlue - www.beyondblue.org.au
