MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH: Let's Talk About It! (October 2024)

[Oaktree]

@RachSANECEO @Ru-bee @Jynx @Bow @Shaz51 @MJG017 

I was doing a google search when Sane popped up. Wasn’t sure what it was so I thought I would give it a try and see

[Oaktree]

@RachSANECEO @Ru-bee @Jynx 

I have never seen a physical Sane brochure 

[Patches59]

@RachSANECEO  I think people would volunteer to do it, know I would.  Wish medical clinic I used to go to had brochures, would have allowed me to get support from SANE lot earlier  

At one point last year my SI thoughts started to scare me and I contacted the local Prevention Team based at local hospital.  Couple days later I had face to face appointment with one of MH nurse and a social worker.  When I mentioned I was linked with SANE the MH nurse asked me what was SANE and said she had only heard of Beyond Blue.

I don’t know if local MH ward has any information about SANE.  The role of the Prevention Team also involves supporting those who have attempted to end their life.  To me, feels weird that they don’t know about SANE to offer the services and support to people they support

[Ainjoule]

@RachSANECEO 

I learnt about the SANE Peer Guide Program (and hence SANE) through the following flyer which was printed out for me at a SafeHaven last year:

Peer Guide Program

My local SafeHaven is not really set up to distribute brochures, although there are a very limited number out. One of the SafeHaven staff just happened to be printing out flyers for advocacy opportunities for me and included this one. On the other hand, my local mental health service has lots of space for brochures and I'm sure they wouldn't mind having some SANE brochures. 

[MJG017]

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@Oaktree wrote:

Thanks so much for your thoughtful response and advice. I need to get my application in by the first of November. Then a panel of 3 will look at all the applications together. The shortlisted applicants will get group interviews at the end of November. Then we have to get police clearance and working with children’s checks. I already have my WWC and I just had a national police check but will have to do the police check again because they want it newer than 3 months at the start of the course. I think the course starts 27th of Jan

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@Oaktree  Mine starts on Feb 10.  I'm currently just waiting for someone to process my application and give me a response.  I have no idea how long this takes, I only did the application earlier in the week, but the wait is not helping the anxiety.  I'm not sure how well i'd cope waiting until close to December.  Not that i'm saying you need one... it's probably the IT/Networking part of me, but is there a backup plan or other options for you? 

[MJG017]

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@Oaktree wrote:

I was doing a google search when Sane popped up. Wasn’t sure what it was so I thought I would give it a try and see

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@RachSANECEO @Ru-bee @Jynx @Bow @Shaz51 @Oaktree 

I found it the exact same way.  I was trying to find some avenues for support and I found SANE and thought the exact same thing... have a look and see how I go.  I do get facebook ads for it now, but I can't say i've ever seen flyers or brochures in my many visits to the hospital or clinics over the past couple of years.  Next time i'm down at oncology, i'll take a look, surely that would be an ideal place to have some information available.  In my experience so far though, the subject of mental health never comes up, other than you can call your nurse if you have any questions or concerns.

[Oaktree]

@MJG017 

No I have a couple of things to keep me busy next year but no back up plans for study. All my eggs are in this one basket 

[MJG017]

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@Oaktree wrote:

No I have a couple of things to keep me busy next year but no back up plans for study. All my eggs are in this one basket 

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@Oaktree  No pressure then.  I'll keep a few extra finger crossed for you.  You do seem to be the exact sort of person these scholarships should be for so surely that should work in your favour.  Give it your best and we'll all hope for the best for you.  I'm sure there's no shortage of support for you here with any help and advice with your application process.

[Oaktree]

@MJG017 

I already have someone at Sane looking over my application and they will make suggestions on improvements for me. That is so helpful like you wouldn’t believe 

[Oaktree]

@RachSANECEO 

I just looked up the stats. There are just over 21 million people over the age of 18 years of age in Australia. Going on the basis that 1 in 4 (probably higher) have a mental health condition thats 5 million adults. Yet we only have 49,000 members here on Sane. I am thinking that a lot of people have never heard of Sane. It is such a wonderful service. We really need to be spreading the word. I told my psychiatrist about it recently and she hadn’t heard of Sane