Humanity Platform

 When it comes to mental health many people still struggle to have the conversations. RU OK Day 2023 gives everyone the perfect opportunity to let someone know that you are here to hear.  RU OK Day gives everyone the opportunity to ask if you’re okay, listen to the answer, encourage someone struggling with mental health to take action, and to check in.  In my personal mental health journey people have sometimes been reluctant to ask if I was okay because they saw my disability as an obvious sign that I’m not okay. Even medical professionals dismiss my mental health and depression for far too long because ‘of course my cerebral palsy must make me depressed’.  It is important when working in the disability space to treat mental health and physical disability separately.  Anecdotal evidence does suggest that 1 in 2 people with a physical disability will experience mental health struggles in their lifetime but it is important to not make an assumption and never be a...

The Art of the Mind Festival is a brilliant creative arts festival that runs concurrently with Mental Health Week from the 9-14 October 2022.  The festival looks at the power of creativity to overcome and manage mental health difficulties.  Local community organisation GenU is running a series of mental health themed webinars for Mental Health Week. I will be joining a panel of creative people in a webinar titled ' Creative Arts, Managing the Mind and the Mental Health Benefits '. The panel will be hosted by Jules Haddock where I will be joining distinguished panellists Carly Botheras, Fiona Lucas, Michael Dunstan, Michelle Buggy, Luke Elliot, and Justine Martin where we will be discussing how our artistic practices have helped us during our mental health journeys.  Most people see my disability as the most difficult thing I have had to deal with in my life but the truth is I can deal with physical pain and limitation a lot easier than I can my depression and anxiety diso...

 Every September I go through a period of reflection. For some reason it is the month where all my triggers come together and I am confronted with the demons of my mental health.  With the COVID-19 pandemic I have joined the millions of Australians in undergoing the shadow pandemic of anxiety and depression.  The Victorian Government Royal Commission into mental health has highlighted all too glaringly how the people in power have neglected the mental health sector.  The Victorian Government promise to implement all recommendations from the Royal Commission will cost billions upon billions of dollars just to try and create a level playing field.  At least the Andrew's Labor Government is willing to take ownership of the problem; unlike the Commonwealth Government who is only willing to allocate a token 2 billion dollars for mental health due to pressure applied by the community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In my lifetime I have benefited from seve...

This year's R U OK? Day is more important than ever before.  Mental health is something that should be talked about on a regular basis and with current statistics indicating that anxiety has increased up to 40 percent due to COVID-19.  Having someone check in is a simple way for us all to help each other.  On a personal note, I know that I have stopped a panic attack a day during the COVID-19 crisis thanks to the support of my family.  It is time we get rid of the stigma attached to mental health.  People don’t look at me funny when I take pain killers for my pain. So in my opinion the same curtesy should be extended to people seeking treatment for mental health conditions.  This R U OK? Day take the time to ask just one person if they are okay because you never know if you might be the person who helps them climb out of their snakes and ladders mind.  My Snakes and Ladders Mind How fast my thoughts make my head run until I think my brain might start t...