Australia’s Mental Health Campaign on Connection
by The MotherMind Doctor
How connected do you feel right now?
You have the world at your fingertips but are probably sitting in a room reading this either on your own or surrounded by people you are not speaking to.
Increasingly, we see people in public places with their eyes cast down to their phones in a form of connection that can actually make us feel more isolated.
And when our workload is relentless, this can mean we snatch moments of connection where we can – often through our phones- because it is quick, accessible and relatable.
But is it supporting our mental health?
The theme for Australia’s mental health day, in Mental Health Month, is Together We Thrive.
As Mental Health Australia says, “connection remains one of the most powerful ways to support our mental health and wellbeing”.
This is true for the community and healthcare professionals alike.
A UK cohort study of healthcare professionals found that an increase in peer support was associated with reduced depression, anxiety, insomnia, and burnout. This can be especially powerful in burnout when "confiding in colleagues can be incredibly validating because sometimes the person who understands healthcare burnout best is the person working beside you.”
This month has been particularly challenging for me around the loss of a good friend and nutritionist GP. At times, I struggled with feelings of loneliness at the loss and not feeling I could burden those around me with my grief.
Thankfully, I am primed to talk as part of my way to connect with others, both professionally and personally. This allowed me to process these feelings and to regain that sense of connection, as well as openly shed floods of tears.
What ways do you find you can connect or process things that weigh on your mind?
In a recent Medscape article on burnout in physician assistants in the USA, the top way to help alleviate burnout by 55% of people surveyed was considered to be talking with family and friends.
Other less helpful strategies included isolating themselves from others at 35%. Perhaps this was when they were feeling overwhelmed or unsafe.
Mental Health Australia says “At our core, our needs remain the same – to feel safe, understood and to know we matter.”
By talking to those who know and love us, as well as professionals who understand how to explore those complexities, we can gain a better understanding of ourselves and those around us. This ultimately helps us to feel safe, buffered from the many uncertainties in the world right now, as well as the unfortunate events in our lives.
Mental Health Month is an important moment to raise awareness of mental health, in order to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek support when they need it.
It’s also an opportunity for us to reflect on our own needs and those around us, to consider how we can look after our own mental health and wellbeing.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, free confidential mental health support and 24/7 crisis helplines are available across Australia through immediate services and local care providers.
Immediate Crisis Support (24/7)
Emergency: Call 000 if there is immediate danger or risk.
Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14 for 24-hour crisis counselling and suicide prevention.
Beyond Blue Support Service: Call 1300 22 4636 or chat online for brief, free counselling.
Suicide Call Back Service: Call 1300 659 467 for 24/7 suicide support.
NSW Mental Health Line: Call 1800 011 511 for state-based triage and local service referrals.
13YARN: Call 13 92 76 for 24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
#MentalHealthMonth #TogetherWeThrive #HealthcareWellbeing #PhysicianWellness #BurnoutPrevention #Connection #MentalHealthAwareness #MothermindDoctor
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