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Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember15 Jan 2020, 11:08 am AEDT

Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

The discussion has started, scroll down and keep refreshing your browser to see responses, and keep and eye on the page numbers as there is only 10 posts per page, then a new page will be created.

This event is open for everyone: for people with a direct experience of mental health issues as well as family, friends, loved ones and carers.

A range of impacts across the country

Ringing in 2020 might have felt confronting, complicated or downright tough for Australians as we have all felt/watched/been impacted by the current unprecedented bushfires across multiple states. Between being either close, directly in line with the fires or watching through the media - we want to use this online Forums event to talk as a community through the feelings around this as well as strategies to manage now and address the medium to long term impact these kind of events can have.

Online discussion with a mental health professional

We will have the wonderful @Daphne returning as our special guest who is a counsellor at SANE Australia and leads our counselling team both clinically and operationally. @Daphne has extensive experience as a counsellor in the mental health sector and has worked with both people whom live with mental health issues and their carers or family and friends.

Content warning & further support

Please be aware that this discussion could be triggering relating to trauma and PTSD. SANE Australia is committed to supporting people navigate the lasting impacts of the bushfire crisis and other traumatic events.

For access to ongoing support, the Australian Government has recently announced a mental health support package for people affected by the bushfires. If you have been affected by recent bushfire events and would like to access these supports you can call the Australian Government bushfire disaster assistance line on 180 22 66 or visit: https://www.lifeinmindaustralia.com.au/mental-health-support-for-bushfire-affected-communities.

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I'm new here - what is Topic Tuesday?

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108 replies

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In response to: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Shaz51Senior Contributor28 Jan 2020, 7:32 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Hello @Former-Member with cyclones you have lots of warning

@Former-Member , I see you my sister, sending you tender hugs, soo hard too talk about the fires

@Determined

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:33 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

I'm wondering @Shaz51 whether you have any words of wisdom that you'd like to share here about how to support your mental health after a crisis?

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:33 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Yes that would be so tough @Shaz51 and as you have mentioned sometimes an experience that is happening to others can remind us of something really hard that we went through. Sometimes we can all want to keep following the news but that can be quite hard and sometimes we can be cut off from power and reception and can't get in contact at that moment. Or like @Former-Member and @Former-Member have mentioned as well, the impact can play on us in future moments after this event.

How can we manage that impact at the moment?

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:35 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

@Shaz51 Yeah it's really hard to talk about the fires. They're scary, but I am wondering if opening up and talking about how we are experiencing the current situation is what is needed.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

CheerBearSenior Contributor28 Jan 2020, 7:35 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Hi everyone here and all who might come by 🙂

I haven't been close to the fires but, like so many others, have found it difficult just to watch and to imagine what so many people are going through. I have felt a sense of helplessness and overwhelm at times. I've also found it has triggered memories of black Saturday which was an incredibly full on time where I was at the time and for a lot of people I know who were directly impacted by it. Really feeling for so many people at the moment.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:37 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

@Former-Member mentioned this before about not feeling in control during a crisis or disaster. One thing that is helpful and @Former-Member said it too earlier, is to limit the amount of coverage you're taking in via social media or the news. Watching images or stories of the crisis can make you feel worse and quite helpless. Limiting the amount of information you take in can be really helpful until you're feeling more on top of things again

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:38 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

@CheerBear Yes it has been a very triggering time for everyone. I think we have all been impacted and whether we're directly effected, we have an overwhelming sense as humans to want to do something but we can feel helpless. It's important to do what's okay for you.

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

AdgeSenior Contributor28 Jan 2020, 7:38 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

We have bushfire smoke (haze) covering parts of Perth, several times a year (at least). @Former-Member @Former-Member @Former-Member @Shaz51

Even just a few days ago, I could smell it for miles.

As for the national bushfire situation, & all the recent fires -

What I was totally unprepared for is - 1)The constant media barrage of "Over-stimulating information" (information overload).

2) The fact that all my inter-state relatives & a close friend (interstate) insist on constantly talking about the bushfires - over & over again.

Not from their own experience - simply Dramatic Retellings (constantly) of what they have heard & seen in the media.

Being a trauma survivor, with Complex PTSD - I have found this very triggering & Re-triggering.

Then triggering again, as soon as I've recovered from the previous triggers....

Adge

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:39 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Hi @CheerBear glad to have you here with us.

Yes, really hear what you are sharing - that is part of the impact to feel those triggers come up as well isn't it? Not easy at all and hard to remember things like the Black Saturday event and feel that huge sense of empathy and sadness for those effected.

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember28 Jan 2020, 7:40 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Your mental health and the recent bushfires // Tues 28 Jan, 7pm AEST

Thanks for reminder @Former-Member . Hi @Former-Member . @Former-Member

Yes @Shaz51 is right .. I was directly affected by the bushfires on the mid north coast in Nov/Dec especially. Thankfully recent rains mean we are now almost fire free for the first time since October.

Being so close to massive fires, with falling ash in our back yard and being on alert for evacuation is a very difficult experience. I personally have pre existing long term PTSD and I am sure the fires have had a very negative affect on me even now.

Although I would love to stay on here, unfortunately my mobile is nearly flat. Since the fires our NBN has been out more than its been on. None here for two weeks now.

Sooo ... I need to go charge up, and will catch up with convo later.

Sherry

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