Let's Talk Rural Mental Health

You have spent more time online in 2020 than ever before. COVID-19 left you home-schooling, connecting with friends using video chat and even working from your loungeroom when that's never really felt possible before. Social media became a lifeline to connect with others, but happens when social media can start feeling overwhelming and negative?
Chantel McAlister runs online photography lessons and Camilla Herbig is a RAMHP coordinator based in Dubbo in NSW, they share stories, experiences, and techniques for ensuring social media doesn't start impacting your mental health.

Stress is something that's hard to avoid in life. Some stress is easy to get through and other times it can hang around you and start to rub off on other areas of your life. When you're feeling that, how do you make sure you stay mentally well and able to make decisions big and small day by day?
Phil Graham is a rural consultant working with farmers in the Yass region of NSW and Matt Milne is a RAMHP coordinator based in Maitland NSW. They share how stress can affect you and some techniques for working through stress so you can stay mentally well.

Your community is full of people who step up to lend a hand when others need it most. But the longer that goes, the harder the job is to keep everyone supported, the more strain those helpers can feel. As we rely on them, how can we make sure we're also helping the helpers stay mentally well.
Angela Kane is a champion of her community and Jennie Keioskie is a RAMHP coordinator based in Bega in NSW, they share their stories, experiences, and tips for helping the peoples who help you when they need it most.

The environment is all around you every day. If you're a farmer you rely on the land to help you grow the best crop and feed your stock, if you live in town and you have a favourite park to sit in with your family or maybe it's just the part of nature from beach and bush that you love to explore whenever you get the chance - the environment is often a big part of your daily life. What happens when you start to feel stress or anxiety about the environment?
Kylie Atkinson is a RAMHP coordinator based in Foster on the Mid North Coast of NSW and Peter Gorman is a drought support officer in Western NSW - they share their experiences and advice around the stress you might feel about the environment.

This week is Perinatal Mental Health Week, so what better time to look at this issue affecting so many parents in your life. If you have welcomed a baby into your family you know about the challenges that brings as well as the love and the joy, but if you're feeling like it's all becoming too much.
Edwina Sharrock is a midwife who experienced perinatal depression after the birth of her second child and Kate Arndell works with parents as a RAMHP coordinator of the Hunter New England region in NSW. They share their experiences and information about what you need to know about perinatal depression and anxiety.

The summer of 2019 and 2020 was a horrific one in Australia. Drought meant the countryside was the direst it had been in decades and that led to a bushfire season that was unprecedented. Just as the rain started and recovery began in regional communities devastated by fire, COVID-19 paused the world. So how does an individual and their community recovery after a disaster? And how do you look after your mental health as you make big decisions about your future and the chance to rebuild?

Linda Rudd is the owner of the Batlow Hotel, her community was threatened by a bushfire in 2019/2020 in regional NSW and Orry Berry is a RAMHP Coordinator for the Mid North Coast region of NSW. They share their experiences of recovery and mental health,

You've no doubt heard the saying 'unprecedented times' a lot right now. But it's the best way to put it. What you are living through is unlike anything ever experienced. It's scary and stressful. Full of uncertainty and loneliness. And it can put a strain on your mental health. So, what can you do to take back some control and look after yourself and the people around you?
This is a special podcast episode looking at COVID-19 and your mental health.

Imagine your life without a safe place to sleep each night. How do you think that would affect your mental health? There is a lot of misconceptions about what homelessness looks like in 2019 and we need to break those down as we talk about mental health and having a place to live. In this episode you'll hear what it's like to live without housing security and about some of the amazing work being done in NSW to help people out.

Men are three times more likely then women to take their own life. It's a fact that we need to talk about more as Aussie Blokes struggle with the idea of masculinity and what that looks like in 2019. But how can you help them? Two men are on a mission driven by the need to look after the men around them.

Your mental health can be impacted by so many things including an addiction to drugs and alcohol, and treatment isn't always straight forward as mental health workers weigh up what to treat first: the addiction or mental health. In a part of our society still so full of stigma and stereotype what do you need to know about substance abuse, mental health and the treatment options available to you and your loved ones? This is what we discuss in this episode.

You hear a lot about depression and anxiety in conversation about mental health, but where do low prevalent conditions like bipolar and schizophrenia fit into the picture. They may have lower diagnosis rates, but we know they take more complex care plans. We take a look at some programs offering support, treatment and encouragement for people living with these mental health conditions.

Floods, fires, road accidents, storms, community tragedy - our first responders see a lot. They're on the front line whenever disaster strikes. But how good are we at looking after our emergency workers mental well being? In this episode you'll hear from two former first responders, both diagnosed with PTSD now doing what they can to help others and you'll find out the role you can play in keeping our emergency workers mentally healthy.

Carers are incredible. Day after day they put their loved ones needs above their own. But what happens when the carer needs to be cared for? What can we do to make sure those who are caring for someone else know where they can go to get support, to meet people in a similar situation to them and where they can have some respite. It's season three and we're kicking off by looking at the mental health of carers.

We want to finish season two by highlighting some good news stories taking place in mental health around regional Australia. Personal achievements, amazing programs and generational change that's being driven by everyday people just like you.

Indigenous Australians have higher rates of mental illness than the rest of the population. So what do we need to do to turn this around? How can we include Indigenous culture in mental health treatment to help break inter generational trauma? We explore this and more in this episode.

Blokes, we need to talk! What damage is the old adage "real men don't cry" and "blokes need to be tough" meaning for the mental health of men in rural and regional Australia? We take a look at men's mental health and some initiatives being run around Australia to break down stigma.

If you've ever felt alone, how did it impact your mental health? In the age of social media it might surprise you to hear the rates of loneliness are increasing. As Australia's population ages, concerns of loneliness on mental health is increasing. We take a look at what's being done to address loneliness in regional Australia.

What are the challenges of the LGBTIQ community living in small towns in regional Australia? A lot of work is being done to support people who identify as LGBTIQ but when there's only one GP in town or coming out means the whole community knowing - how can you navigate that landscape.

In times of drought, farmers are often forced to make heart breaking decisions. So what impact can this have on the mental health of those living on the land. In this episode we look at the strain and what can be done to stay mentally healthy in trying times.

People with lived experiences of mental health are being trained to support others at their lowest moments. They're called peer workers and the popularity of this position in workplaces is growing. So what is it and how can you get involved? We explore this issue in episode six.

If you leave in rural or regional Australia you are at a higher risk of suicide than your friends and family living in the city. So how can we save more lives? In this episode we take a look at this issue and hear from some of the speakers at a forum at this held earlier in the year at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

What happens when you make a decisions to move from the big city to life on the land? Whether it's your first time or you're returning to the family farm it can be a huge challenge. So if services and support are limited, how can you make sure you and your family look after your mental health? We explore this issue in episode four.

How much time do you spend at work? Have you ever joked with your colleagues that you see them more than you do your family? You're not alone! So given that, what can we do to make our workplaces mentally healthy and create environments were you can be open, honest and supported when it comes to your mental health. We explore this issue in episode three.

Disaster can strike at any time. From car accidents to natural disasters we can find our mental health pushed and tested in many ways. So how did one couple cope with and recover after losing their house in a bushfire? And do you need to know about keeping yourself and those around you mentally well during the hardest of times? We look at disasters, trauma and your mental health in episode two.

Sometimes the best person to help you can be right under your nose. So what role can your general practitioner play if you are struggling with your mental health or worried about someone in your family? Let's talk about your mental health and speaking to your GP.

October is Mental Health month, so each week we'll explore a different issue affecting the mental health of Australians living in rural and regional Australia. Hear from people who have lived experiences with mental health and the people trying to make a difference in our remote communities. Hit subscribe, share with your friends and start a conversation today.