SA Drought Hub’s Post

🌿 Explore TG outcomes on Farmers' Mental Health! 🌿   We recently attended CEJA Young Farmers's FARMRes final conference. FARMRes is an Erasmus+ project aimed at raising awareness and providing resources on mental health for farmers and their communities 👏   👀Learn more: https://bit.ly/4e93tpQ   If you’re passionate about this topic, don’t miss the outcomes of our Thematic Group on "Supporting the #MentalHealth of Farmers & #FarmingCommunities," now available online!   Explore action-oriented recommendations, best practices, and resources to foster mental well-being in farming communities. Let's put these insights into action!   👉 Check it out: https://bit.ly/3IcxpTQ

Today is the last day of #Farmsafetyweek but that doesn’t mean that thinking about farm safety, wellbeing, mental health and lone working should stop here. It’s a topic not often dicussed everyday. A big supportive thank you to Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) for recognising this important topic and continuing to highlight the importance of safety on farms. #Lely #Youarenotalone

Listen, give them your full and undivided attention, and don't interrupt. Give them space to share what is going on in their mind, don't jump to immediately calling 911. Ask if they have thought about how they would do it, do they have access to a lethal means, if so, would they be willing to let you or someone they trust hold on to it instead. Do they have a plan? A date? Someone can feel suicidal without having a plan and intent to carry it out. This is why listening and asking clarifying questions is so imperative.

Over the weekend the Australian community has witnessed a horrific tragedy which strikes at the very core of who we are – because there is an awareness that it could have been any one of us. Over the coming weeks you may find that you have patients presenting who have been rattled by the events at Bondi Junction. Further, for some clients who have past traumatic experiences there may be a re-activation of beliefsaround vulnerability to harm.   In the first instance many of your patients will simply need psychological first aid (PFA). There are a few key principles of PFA outlined below:   1) Promote a sense of your patient’s own physical and psychological safety. This may mean making a mindful decision to avoid being exposed to the current news cycle and reducing time spent on social media (where such news events will tend to filter through and be discussed). 2) Ensure that you and your physical environment presents as calm. Patients will tend to co-regulate with you as a trusted healthcare provider. Which is to say that your calmness can become their calmness. As well you may wish to encourage or provide a low stimulus environment (think lighting and noise levels) or possibly teach clients a breathing exercise so that they can take charge of their arousal levels. 3) Promote self and community efficacy by reminding people of their own strengths and abilities and past ability to cope through adversity. 4) Encouraging connectedness is vital to recovery from trauma. Your patients may benefit from speaking to and spending time with loved ones. Children (and adults!) will need comfort, soothing and a listening ear. This is the time to reach out to others. 5) Instilling hope is the final ingredient to helping people recover from trauma. If your patients are no longer seeing the world as safe or predictable it will be worthwhile helping them to focus on routine and reminding them that their reactions to this tragedy (eg: sadness, fear, anger) are all normal responses. Australia has come through tragedies such as this before and made positive changes as a result (eg: the change in gun laws following the Port Arthur incident). Additionally, there is a growing body of research on post-traumatic growth.   Finally, we encourage your own self-care. Tragedies like this affect us as healthcare providers too, so take the time you need to process your own reactions. Be kind to yourself.

Gus (video below) is a great example of why long term treatment is so important for #PTSI amongst #first #responders. The biggest barrier we see after #shame and #stigma is paid time off. Having a plan when your employee raises their hand and asks for help with a #mental #health #injury is often the difference between that employee returning back to work or being medically retired. We are seeing more and more agencies use admin leave as a tool to support #employee #wellness. Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is your #PTSD claim gets accepted by work comp. Many third party administrators won't offer long term treatment and like to medicate and send to individual therapy (non culturally competent clinicians) and when the 4850 time runs out and they are not able to return to work these brave men and women who have given everything are medically retired. #First #Responder #Wellness has an 85% return to work rate. We are a long term #PTSI/PTSD treatment program exclusively for public safety and have had more than 1,300 first responders come through our program from over 300 agencies. FRW is 1 of 5 Fraternal Order of Police Vetted and Approved Treatment Programs. We specialize in long term treatment, 90 days for the best possible outcomes with a 45 day minimum for those that do not have the time to burn. In the last 12 months we have had just shy of 350 public safety professionals come through our program with an average length of stay of 74 days. Average PCL-5 (PTSD TRAUMA SCORE) score upon admission is 41 and 14 at discharge. This is significant as the DSM-5 says that a 5-10 point change is enough to signify reliable change. WE KNOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS. If your agency needs help creating a process for when someone comes forward and asks for help please reach out to me directly. Our team of psychologists can now do the AOE/COE determination of causation and all of the workers comp paperwork including the PR-4. We are helping agencies create a process either through work comp or other means to get your employee healed and returned to work as quickly as possible. WE ARE ALSO HELPING AGENCIES KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES OUT OF PROGRAMS LIKE OURS THROUGH OUR, "PROACTIVE APPROACH TO WELLNESS". It is our belief that more needs to be done through training, education, and culturally competent resources on the front end.

How does PERSEVERANCE fit with Mental and Emotional health Persevering through mental and emotional challenges has been a constant part of my journey. As Founder and Chief Hunger Fighter at Satisfeed, I’ve faced my fair share of obstacles, both professionally and personally. Starting Satisfeed was driven by a deep passion for tackling hunger and food insecurity. Yet, the path was anything but straightforward. From the outset, I encountered periods of intense stress and anxiety, a common plight for anyone attempting to start and manage a non-profit organization. The enormity of the responsibility, compounded by an ever-present fear of failure, often felt overwhelming. Despite these hurdles, my faith and perseverance helped me KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON. I learned to celebrate small, incremental victories and not get disheartened by the sheer scale of the mission. Understanding that mental and emotional challenges are inherent in any worthy cause, I chose to confront them directly rather than retreat. This perspective allowed me to stay focused and dedicated, even when the odds appeared insurmountable. I also recognized the critical importance of self-care and mental health support. Seeking therapy and counseling was a pivotal decision; it underscored that acknowledging struggles is not a weakness, but a strength. Through my unwavering faith and perseverance, we have guided Satisfeed to become a source of support for many individuals battling hunger. My story illustrates that mental and emotional challenges, while daunting, are not insurmountable. By facing these challenges head-on and seeking the necessary support, one can continue to make a meaningful impact. My journey stands as a testament to the power of my faith and perseverance in overcoming adversity.

World Suicide Prevention Day is a powerful reminder that every life is worth saving. It's a day to break the silence, shatter the stigma, and take action to prevent the tragedy of suicide. By raising awareness, starting conversations, and offering unwavering support, we can bring hope to those who are struggling. Remember, reaching out and showing that you care can be the lifeline someone needs. Let's stand together and make a difference—because every life matters. #WorldSuicidePreventionDay #MentalHealth #ReachOut #rela #health #healthcare

✨️ Healing is Possible ✨️ Healing our relationship with food and our body is not a straight path—it can be filled with waiting lists, insurance hurdles, and discouraging moments. But finding the right care, the right provider, the right fit is possible, and it's worth holding on for. Healing is possible. Read more of Sadie's story at the link in bio or https://lnkd.in/gYXr__h3 Looking for support? We want to remind you: you are not alone in this search. The right support is out there, and both Project HEAL and Active Minds are here to walk with you. If you need guidance for disordered eating: 📝Apply for a free clinical assessment 👥Get meal support 🧭Navigate insurance struggles Visit https://lnkd.in/gZwJUTRR to learn more and start your healing journey today. Get to know Active Minds, Inc.: Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Active Minds is dedicated to saving lives and to building stronger families and communities. Through education, research, advocacy, and a focus on youth and young adults ages 14–25, Active Minds is opening up the conversation about mental health and creating lasting change in the way mental health is talked about, cared for, and valued in the United States. Find out more at www.activeminds.org. Together, we’re changing the conversation about mental health and creating lasting change. #HEALWeek2024 #MentalHealthMatters #EatingDisorderRecovery #YouAreNotAlone #HopeIsHealing #ActiveMinds #ProjectHEAL

The festive season can be a joyful but challenging time, especially for those managing an eating disorder or supporting someone who is.⁠ ⁠ This December, our free webinar is dedicated to supporting individuals and families navigate holiday pressures with greater ease and compassion.⁠ ⁠ In “Presence Over Perfection,” our clinical team will offer practical tools and insights for handling holiday stressors while prioritising quality time.⁠ ⁠ Whether you are navigating your own recovery journey or supporting someone who is, this event aims to foster resilience and connection during the holiday season.⁠ Get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/eudCXAPp ⁠ 🌟⁠ ⁠ #RecoveryIsPossible #RecoveryCommunity #Recovery #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderawareness

This week is Mens Health Awareness Week and guys are notorious for suffering in silence! Yet, when they do talk it’s because they want to fix it and do something about it - it is interesting how guys and girls differ when it comes to a lot of things and talking sure is one of those ways! There are lots of good these websites: Mates In Mind Website - They really focus on using this week to tackle MH stigmas - check this link: https://lnkd.in/eUD2kFJr Here are some shocking stats I took from that website: * One man in five dies before the age of 65. * Four in five suicides are by men, with suicide the biggest cause of death for men under 35. * In 2021, there were 6,319 suicides registered in the UK, of which 507 were in construction alone. * A third of construction workers live and work with severe levels of anxiety. * Drivers of work lift trucks had a suicide rate 85% higher than the national average, van drivers were noted to have a rate 25% higher, and drivers of large goods vehicles 20% higher than the national average. * Virtually all UK farmers (95%) under the age of 40 rank poor mental health as one of the biggest hidden problems facing the industry today. And there is some good stuff on this NHS Professionals web page which talks about all components of Health. https://lnkd.in/eqypWUyU We don’t need an excuse to talk about health (men’s or women’s or they’s) - but if you need a nudge to talk about yours then hopefully this is it and if you need help drop us a line.