Every October, Mental Health Month raises awareness of mental illness, reduces stigma and discrimination against people living with mental illness, and promotes positive mental health and wellbeing in the community.
The Mental Health Community Coalition ACT holds the event annually – but for Canberrans in lockdown, this year hits much closer to home. Many feel stressed and isolated; cut off from their social networks and daily routines, some have experienced anxiety and depression for the first time.
Mental illness is quite common, says co-ordinator Alison Hall; nearly half of all Australians will have a spell of mental illness at some time, and every year, one in five people suffer a mental illness, 14 per cent will suffer anxiety, and six per cent will be depressed. But the lockdown has exacerbated those problems.
The MHCC ACT says all its members have seen an increased demand for services, while calls to Lifeline’s crisis hotline have increased by 30 per cent. Many Canberrans are feeling emotionally and socially “not 100 per cent”, Ms Hall said, because they lack emotional and social connection – a vital part of wellbeing.
Fittingly, this year’s theme is ‘Navigating your mental health’: helping Canberrans to stay mentally healthy, and encouraging them to seek help if they need it – or even before.
A smorgasbord of activities, from online presentations to a film festival, an art display, and wellness walks, will get the public talking about mental health, supporting each other, and finding resources in the ACT. And five community ambassadors – people with lived experience of mental illness – will share their stories to advocate for mental health and to fight against stigma.
The nexus of the month is the ‘Mental health trail’, daily activities that are good for wellbeing, which Canberrans can use to look after their mental health during the pandemic and beyond, Ms Hall said.
Every day, an activity will be posted on social media, while the website features a weekly checklist and PDF. Booklets will also be available from local cafes, and given to vulnerable Canberrans. A phone app will provide wellbeing resources.
Also each day, the Mental Health Month Facebook page (@mentalhealthmonthact) will feature presentations and workshops about mental health (mindfulness, crisis skills), learning new skills in art and movement, or seeking help from community organisations.
“The things that we’ve developed will hopefully support [Canberrans] in that early intervention stage, and stop people from progressing into crisis,” Ms Hall said.
There will also be an international film festival of international films on 10 October, World Mental Health Day. Radio 2CA presenter Jen Seyderhelm will emcee a ‘hypothetical’ panel about mental health in the workplace.
Throughout Gungahlin, there will be pieces of art that people can look at on their daily walk or while shopping; they can scan QR codes to learn how art helps people with mental illness.
“Art gives you a level of mindfulness to forget about what you’re going through and just focus on one thing,” says Mental Health ambassador Tim Daly. And every Friday night, bands will play a live virtual concert, a way people can enjoy music from home.
More information about Mental Health Month can be found at www.mentalhealthmonthact.org.
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