Acknowledgement of Country

We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the custodians of the land on which we live and work, and pay our respects to Traditional Owners, Elders, emerging leaders and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Course Overview

Session 1: mental health problems Session 2: Helping a friend in a mental health crisis Session 3: Helping a friend who is developing a mental health problem

Session one overview

- What is mental health? - Mental health problems - Impact on young people - Appropriate help

What is mental health

Mental health continuum

What is a "healthy mind"

Discussion

Helpful/Unhelpful thinking

Unhelpful: she doesn't like me Helpful: she doesn't know me Discussion

Mental health problem is when

- There is a major change from the person’s normal way of thinking, feeling or behaving - The change interferes with the person’s ability to get on with life - The interference does not go away quicky. It lasts longer than normal emotions or reactions would be expected to.

Different types of mental health problems

Depressive disorders Anxiety disorders Eating disorders Psychotic disorders Alcohol and other drug use disorders

Depressive disorders

Define

Anxiety disorders

define

Eating disorders

define

Psychotic disorders

define

Alcohol and other drug use disorders

define

Mental health problems in young people

28 young people, 4 blue. 1 in 7

Impact of mental health problems

Having a mental health problem during adolescence can impact on: - Physical maturity - Social development - Development of self and identity - Finishing school and starting at work, uni or tafe

Vid one: Talking abt it pt1 “what was it like to live with a mental health problem” Ally, 17

- Started feeling unwell and upset at year 8 - Started self harming in year 9 - Signs and symptoms family and friends picked up on was self harming, told her friend. The friend tried to talk her out of it but she still did it - Sleep patterns messed up, tired all the time, missed school - Fights with friends, doing things weren’t normal for her, kept to herself - Became very insecure, thought friends were talking abt her - Pushed them away, just wanted to be on her own and not bother anyone else - Started blaming herself for things - Before unwell: talking to friends, go out with them, arts and craft and get the family together - People thought something was wrong but didn’t know what/how to approach - It covered all areas of her life (social/work/personal), took over everything - She noticed something was wrong but thought nothing needed to change, thought it was normal

Vid one: Talking abt it pt1 “what was it like to live with a mental health problem” Luke, 17

- Year 9 broke up w girlfriend, felt had nothing left after relationship - No support at home - Still went to parties and sports on the weekends - Couldn’t concretrate in class - Never did more to harm himself, just didn’t do anything (unmotivated and tired) - Knew something was wrong, confided in friends who just thought he was sad and having troubles at home. Told diff friends bits and pieces, no one knew the whole story - Understood he had depression and anxiety - Mum noticed he wasn’t spending time w friends or enjoying life

Appropriate help

There are many different types of help Where could you seek help? Activity

Levels of help

Supportive people and self help Talking therapies Medical treatments

Seeking help from a professional, the who the what the how patch

Patch, clinical psychologist, headspace clinic: - Yp see him for whole range, difficulties in their life that they can’t manage on their own. - Personal problems w emotions or thoughts, diagnosable mental illness - What does a session involve: 45-1 hr, see them weekly at the start - Mental health treatment plan from GP, bulk billing usually or gap fee - Talking therapy - Information is private except for duty of care circumstances

Seeking help from a professional, the who the what the how Marie

Marie, school counsellor - Trouble w their friends or may be concerned about their friends, bullying, problems at home, stress or anxiety, to have a chat to someone - What does a session involve: work during period of school day. 1st session talk abt confidentiality, risk of harm, then start chatting abt what they have come to see them for - Free to see them at school - Teachers and parents can see that they have seen you, but not what for - Try to have an informal chat, they can bring a friend or a parent with them

Seeking help from a professional, the who the what the how (Amit)

Amit, psychiatrist, public mental health service: - Referred from school, hospital or GP - People see him if their difficulties are more complex or need further assessment to see what is going on for their mental health - What does a session involve: vary from 30 mins to 1 hr, longer for one off. Focus on understanding what has led them to this point, looking at whether their difficulties would benefit from medication - How can a yp get in touch: present to GP or to health centre, who would do an assessment and refer onwards to a psychiatrist/psychologist - Payment varies depending on the referral, may be a gap fee - Tries to create safe space by listening and not judging or blaming - If they don’t get on well, someone else they can get on with, go and find someone else

Why is it important to get help early

discussion

Helping your friends

You can play a really important role in helping your friends mental health first aid will teach you how you can do these things for your friends

Session two

Helping a friend in a mental health crisis

Review of session one:

What ere the key things we learned in session one?

Session two overview:

Helping a friend in a mental health crisis - Mental health first aid - Mental health crises - Using the teen MHFA action plan to help a friend in crisis

Mental health first aid:

Mental health first aid is the help you can give a friend with a mental health problem, or a friend in a mental health crisis, until a responsible adult can take over

Mental health first aid does teach you how to:

- Recognise warning signs of a mental health crisis - Offer and provide support - Guide a friend towards seeking appropriate help

Mental health first aid does NOT teach you how to:

- Diagnose a mental health problem - Provide therapy - Look after your friend on your own while they get better

Responsible and trusted adult:

- Parent - Caregiver - Teacher - Adult family member or family friend - Mental health professional - Youth worker - Community leader

Mental health crisis is when:

Is when a person is at increased risk of harm to themselves or to others The most urgent need for your help will be when a friend is experiencing a mental health crisis.

Mental health crisis situations include:

- Having thoughts of suicide - Engaging in self-injury - Being very intoxicated with alcohol or other drugs - Experiencing bullying or abuse

Mental health first aid

Look for warning signs Ask how they are Listen up Help them connect with an adult Your friendship is important

Look for warning signs

What might your see if your friend.. - Was thinking about suicide? - Was injuring themselves? - Was very intoxicated? - Was being bullied or abused?

Ask how they are

Approach your friend immediately Keep yourself safe Ask how they are: - What might you say? - How might you say it?

Listen up

- Believe what they are telling you - If they are having trouble talking o Give them lots of time o Don’t force it

Help them connect with an adult

A responsible and trusted adult should always be involved How can you make this happen?

What if they wont tell an adult?

- Never agree to keep a crisis a secret - You may need to tell an adult without your friend’s consent Your friends life and health are more important than their confidentiality

Your friendship is important

During a crisis: - Never leave a friend in crisis on their own - Try to stay with them until an adult arrives - Its okay to walk away if you’re feeling unsafe After a crisis: - Touch base to check how they are - Ask how you can help them feel better - Be honest about what your limits are

Mates

- Missed school and footy - Cans all over room - Not engaging w friend - None of this crap matters - Doesn’t care that he was broken up with - Shouts at matt - Gaming, doesn’t look up from screen when speaking - Didn’t come to training - Says to ash “everything is his fault, he will never be good enough” - Sent her a weird text “such is life” ned kelly’s last words - When they first got together he had heaps of energy, changed this year. Started to go quiet when sister moved out and mum got new job, - Cousin killed themselves last year and he struggled after - Ash offers to go see him, matt said he could ask him for you - Matt is concerned after text and looks into depression symptoms online, looks up warning signs of suicide - Matt goes to Josh’s house, blaring music - Brought him uni forms - Josh doesn’t care abt uni, angry outburst - Matt asks about the text and josh yells and leaves the room - Matt apologieses, for not speaking more after cousin passes - “are you alright” “does it look like I’m ok” “should I be worried about you” “idk what do you mean worried about” - “josh are you thinking about killing yourself, you can tell me mate” - “maybe,yeah” “I’m so sorry, we will get through this, we will tell someone” - “you can’t tell anyone, they’ll think I’m schitzo” “no one can help” - “what if we speak to your mum or sister” - Matt offers to give her a call, tells her. Stay with josh until I get there, she wants to speak to him. - They sit together outside the house

Helping someone who is suicidal

If you think your friend is having thoughts of suicide, ask them directly: - Are you thinking of killing yourself? - Are you thinking about suicide? If they say no, believe them If they say yes: - Take them seriously - Stay with them until an adult arrives

Mental Health Crises

Suicidal thoughts and behaviours Intoxication Bullying/Abuse Non-suicidal Self-injury

Helping someone who is unconscious

Recovery position: - Passed out, knocked out, blacked out or slipping in and out of consciousness, even if briefly - Position of the head most important to prevent choking/blocked airway - Call triple zero 000 or 112 from mobile

Session three:

helping a friend who is developing a mental health problem

Only a mental health professional can be considered a responsible and trusted adult

FALSE

A mental health crisis means that a person is at increased risk of harm

TRUE

The Teen MHFA Action Plan consists of four actions

FALSE

Asking someone about suicide won’t put the idea in their head

TRUE

If someone is talking about suicide, then they aren’t really serious about it

FALSE

If someone is unconscious, you should leave them in whatever position you found them in

FALSE

Session three overview

Helping a friend who is developing a mental health problem: - Act early - Using the teen MHDA action plan to help a friend developing a mental health problem - Helpful links and resources - Finishing up

Talking abt it Pt 2: what friends knew and how they helped (Ally)

Ally: - Told friends she was cutting, their reaction was that they were blown away, upsetting to them, didn’t understand why - Said please don’t tell anyway I will deal on my own, they didn’t know where to turn and didn’t want to go against her wishes - A single friend she approached w anything, trusts her and wouldn’t tell anyone but would listen. It felt good tot talk and be listened to - A couple of friends approached the school counsellor and then the counsellor approached her - Family was brought in, pointed in the right direction (gp, referred to counsellor) - Initially felt nervous knowing her friends had reached out to the counsellor, angry and upset bc they went against what she had said. Difficult decision and they talked and felt it was the best thing for her - Felt good talking to school counsellor bc they took the step she couldn’t to start with , thankful for what her friends did for her - She kenw that what she was thinking before wasn’t true, it was a weight lifted

Talking abt it Pt 2: what friends knew and how they helped (Luke)

Luke: - A lot of friends were anxious around me and worried I would start crying - I just wantd answers and wasn’t finding them, not getting help I needed, lost control - Friends didn’t like hanging around me too much bc I wasn’t fun to be around - One friend said maybe you need to go see a school counsellor, he said he knew they would be able to help - Friends were the backbone of what he had, lucky to have support - He remembered first time saying hi and then bursting into tears, gradually working through it over the first weeks, hard talking for the first time - A year and a half in the counsellor wanted him to speak to a gp abt anti-depressants/further help. There was a lot of things out of his scope and he wanted him to get more support

Mental Health Problem is when:

- There is a major change in a person’s normal way of thinking, feeling or behaving - The change interferes with the person’s ability to get on with life - The interference does not go away quickly and lasts longer than normal emotions or reactions would be expected to

Act early

We want young people who are developing mental health problems to get help early, to help them: - Get better quicker - Stop the negative impacts of mental health problems on their life - Avoid mental health crisis situations If you think a friend is becoming unwell, use the Teen MHFA action plan to provide mental health first aid.

Teen MHFA Action Plan

Look for warning signs Ask how they are Listen Up Help them connect with an adult Your Friendship is important

Look for warning signs

If a friend was developing a mental health problem, what changes might you see in: - Thoughts? - Feelings? - Behaviours?

Ask how they are

Approach your friend at a good time - What might you say? - How might you say it? If they’re not ready to talk: - Don’t push it - Try again another time

Listen up

- What makes a good listener? - How can you tell when someone isn’t really listening? - Pay attention to body language – not just what they say, but how they say it.

Help them connect to an adult:

- This will help your friend get better quickly - Consider who might be the best adult to talk to - How can you make this happen? If they do want to tell an adult: - Make a plan together - Offer to go with them - Check in later to see how it went If they don’t want to tell: - Ask what they are worried about - Talk about why an adult might be helpful

Your friendship is important

- What does it mean to be a good friend? - You are not responsible for your friend getting better, but you can still be supportive - Don’t engage in risky activities together

Talking abt it pt 3: what helped to get better.. what friends can do to help others Ally

Ally: - She wished her friends knew that something was wrong and they could approach someone else to support her - Approach someone, the school counsellor/teacher/her own family. I know it is hard but if youre really concerned you should - My advice is to approach someone and tell them what is going on. Theyre there to listen and they do care - Knowing people cared and people were there to help is what she was looking for bc she couldn’t care for herself - Being checked in on and reassured by parents - Friends helped by staying around and being there, understanding if she needs time alone - She sought online support, for when she was feeling down and couldn’t access her usual counsellor - Now she wants to help others who have gone through what she has gone through, finishing yr 12 through open access, participates in youth activities, youth ambassador through reach.out.

Talking abt it pt 3: what helped to get better.. what friends can do to help others Luke

Luke: - Wish my friends knew what to say. Wish they knew he was still the same guy but just going through something - You don’t have to hide these feelings - Make sure your friends have someone, making sure theyre cared for, letting them know you’re there for them. Good to have a friend there when you go see a counsellor - Main thing my friend did was that he was there and he would always be there no matter what - Making your friends know they can be listned to,, comfortable space, don’t label - Having family support is what I needed, major steps in becoming well again - Seek help, you’re not going to be less of a person if you see a counsellor or are on antidepressants. You cant hold everything in. - Still has ups and downs, at a stage where he is happy to tell his story and help others - Now knows he could have been happier earlier, but happy w where things are at - Excited planning for the future, for life to start

Helpful links and resources

- Websites and helplines deisgened specifically for young people - Local numbers – write them down on page 52 - Parents, your friends’ parents - Teacher, coaches, tutors - Mental health professionals

Finishing up 1

- Mental health problems are common in young people but they don’t have to be a life sentence - Getting appropriate help early is really important - As a friend, there is a lot you can do to help - Mental health crises should be taken seriously and always have a responsible and trusted adult involved.

Finishing up 2

- If you think a friend is showing signs of a mental health problem, talk to them early about your concerns and come up with a plan of action together. - If you are unsure, ask an adult what they think - Always take care of yourself and stay safe - Being a good friend is a great way to help someone get better