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Mental Health Week 4 – 10 October 2009

Wagga Wagga Community Mental Health and Drug/ Alcohol Health Service is encouraging local residents to get involved in local communities, clubs, organisations and services this Mental Health Week from Sunday 4 October to Saturday 10 October which promotes the connection between mental wellbeing and getting involved.

Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of mental illness is another way to achieve a better outcome for local residents experiencing mental illness. A local team of Mental Health professionals are ready to assist with mental health problems at any stage of life.

Wagga Wagga Mental Health Team Manager Pauline Kelly said that hundreds of local residents receive assistance for mental health concerns each year.

Ms Kelly said: “Mental health issues can arise at any time in life. We have a good compliment of staff including clinicians who specialise in child/adolescent, adult, aged, aboriginal, and family and carers mental health services.”

“We often see clients who may have developed a mental illness such as depression, anxiety or psychosis following a life-changing event. The team includes a drug and alcohol clinician who provides additional treatment for substance dependence when present in clients of the service.

“We encourage our clients and the broader community to develop a strong social network and maintain a healthy lifestyle including accumulating 30 minutes of light to moderate physical activity, and two serves of fruit and five of vegetables each day, and regular involvement in the local community to optimise mental health,” Ms Kelly said.

 “Wagga has a great network of supporting services such as Richmond Fellowship, and Schizophrenia Fellowship /Sunflower House who assist clients with mental illness to develop living skills, and provide contacts for community mental health support groups,” Ms Kelly added.

Beyond Blue provide a range of information on the identification and management of mental illness. For more information please contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or www.beyondblue.org.au

If you, or someone you know may be experiencing mental illness phone Greater Southern Area Mental Health AccessLine on 1800 800 944 to arrange local support.