Mental health conditions affect two in five adults in Australia, cutting short the lives of young and old and yet they are still misunderstood. Changing our response to and preventing mental illness begins with education.
Here are 10 outstanding resources to begin demystifying mental illness and creating mentally healthy communities.
Head to Health
The range and scope of mental health resources available can be confusing and exhausting. It’s such a relief when you come across a site that brings together a region’s government and community mental health resources in a clear and accessible way.
Head to Health is one of those oases. Provided by the Australian Government's Department of Health, Head to Health brings together apps, online programs, online forums, and phone services, as well as a range of digital information resources.
Black Dog Institute
The leading medical research organisation in Australia for mental health, Black Dog Institute, not only provides a wealth of knowledge through its research but puts its learning into action with a range of digital resources to help improve mental well-being.
Their evidence-informed digital tools include self-tests and self-help programs (myCompass) for anxiety, depression and mental well-being, a mental fitness 30-day challenge app (HeadGear), a positive psychology program to improve wellbeing and resilience of young people (Bite Back), and a well-being self-help app for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (iBobbly).
These are real-world applications of research that improve (and save) lives.
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue is one of the foremost go-to organisations for info and support on depression, anxiety or suicide prevention in Australia.
Their Resource Library is representative of their knowledge and experience in the field. Here you will find specific information for mental health support across the lifespan including perinatal, young people and older adults, and for diverse communities including ATSI, LGBTIQ+ and multicultural people.
They provide downloadable brochures, fact sheets, booklets and guides for general and professional use.
Be You
Be You is the learning initiative from Beyond Blue. As well as providing an excellent suite of resources for educators and students, it contains some gems of learning resources, most notably the Feelings Cards from the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Australia.
This is the kind of learning resource that reminds us that with a little bit of thought (and consultation) we can move beyond the happy/sad/angry white faces of conventional feelings cards to respectful, inclusive and engaging media in the delivery of flexible, culturally responsive education.
Heads Up
Another excellent Beyond Blue initiative - this one addresses the impact of mental health in our workplaces – and gives workplace educators, managers and workers the resources to respond to and prevent mental health issues.
Resources include Managing mental health risks at work (SCORM), What would you do? Approaching an employee you’re concerned about (SCORM), returning to work, awareness, stories and having a conversation.
Plus there are Toolbox Talks for educators and managers on anxiety and depression, mental health in the workplace and taking action to support someone at work, and a guided action plan for creating mentally healthy workplaces.
Andrew Solomon TED Talk
If you want some immediate insight into what it’s like to live with depression then you can’t go past Andrew Solomon’s 30 minute TED Talk on his battle with depression.
Andrew takes you into his mind as he realises that the world he took as truth was a fabrication, and how in talking about his experience, he came to understand and appreciate what depression gave him and began connecting with others with similar experiences.
And with 12 million views, his TED Talk has certainly continued the conversation.
Informative and uplifting.
Big Feels Club
Being able to connect with others – especially those who’ve been or are going through a similar experience – is so important when navigating life with a mental illness.
Graham Panther and Honor Eastly wondered “Why isn’t there a place you can go when you’re having a hard time, to hear from other people who’ve gone through similar stuff? Somewhere you can feel like you belong on earth, even when you feel awful?”
They answered the question with the first meeting of the Big Feels Club.
They now produce a podcast, articles, events, courses and most importantly, the opportunity to be a member – to belong – and join in at the monthly Big Feels Club get-together.
Community. Belonging. Knowing you’re not alone.
This is peer-support done with humour and heart.
Life in Mind
What we say and how we say it matters.
The use of inclusive, safe and positive language helps reduce the stigma that can polarise, stereotype and alienate those impacted by mental health conditions.
With the Language Guide we can begin learning how to talk about mental illness and suicide.
Blue Knot
Trauma-informed practice may seem more the domain of health practitioners but as awareness of complex trauma (and its prevalence) increases, how we talk about trauma in our communities will also change.
Blue Knot provide excellent resources on trauma for the general public as well as practitioners.
Their fact sheets on how to talk with others with an awareness of trauma - and respect and compassion – are essential guides for anyone developing mental health learning resources.
Orygen
Orygen, whose focus is on providing young people with the opportunity to grow into adulthood with optimal mental health, has developed a resource that makes searching for the latest research a bit easier.
Their Evidence Finder searches published studies in the treatment and prevention of mental health and substance use issues in young people since 1980.
Search filters include MH issue, stage, treatment, publication date, keyword and type of research.
The Evidence Finder is complemented by Orygen’s vast resources. They provide training, fact sheets, webinars, and research bulletins on everything from anxiety and BPD to peer work and vocational recovery.
With so many excellent learning resources available, we can increase our awareness of mental health issues and change the way we respond to and prevent mental illness in our communities.
Contact us today to start designing and developing online learning tools for your learner group.
