Accessibility Tools
Christmas. It's fast approaching.
For many Christmas is a wonderful day filled with family, friends, gifts, good food and good times. But for some people it can be a challenge.
Services close for the holiday break, health professionals go on vacation and there's a perceived social pressure that demands happiness and participation.
To help you through the coming days we asked people living with mental illness for their tips to survive the Christmas period.
Absolutely!
Is it okay to take the bits of Christmas that work for you and discard the rest?
Definitely!
And is it okay to enjoy the solitude of Christmas Day and indulge yourself without feeling guilty?
Schizoaffective disorder is a psychiatric condition, combining the symptoms of schizophrenia and mood disorders (bipolar or depression). These symptoms – hallucinations, delusions, psychosis and episodes of mania or depression – can occur together or at different times.
The holidays are a time to connect with our loved ones. But for many people it can feel the opposite. Being separated from family and loved ones – either due to work, loss, or conflict – can make this time of year one of unhappiness and loneliness.
We might feel disconnected from others and feel like nobody really understands us, listens to us, or values our company.
The holidays can be a difficult time if we are feeling like this, but there are simple strategies you can use to help manage feelings of loneliness.
The staff who answer the phones at mental health hotlines are at the coalface of the industry, working directly to help people in crisis.
SANE followed a typical day in our Help Centre, which offers 12,000 hours of free specialist support every year for people affected by complex mental illness.
Throughout my life I have been learning ways to be a 'better me', better at managing myself and my health.
These ways are individual and special to me, but may also assist others.
Does owning a pet have a positive impact on your mental health?
It seems research is mixed when it comes to this question and the benefits aren't always black and white.
So to help shine an anecdotal lived experience light on the issue, we asked our community, 'What are the mental health benefits of owning a pet?'
'Schizophrenia, you have schizophrenia. Shit, schizophrenia, this sounds serious but what is it?'
At 23 I was still naive, and even though I had been a university student I had not encountered schizophrenia in friends or relatives. I sat bewildered in the psychiatrist's office, perplexed not only by my inner psychotic confusion but wondering what was to become of me.
What do psychologists want you to know about mental health?
We asked six psychologists, 'What should everyone know about mental health?'.
Postnatal psychosis (also known as postpartum or puerperal psychosis) is a rare condition affecting around 1 or 2 women in every thousand.
It's a serious illness that requires urgent treatment.
Most people know very little about postnatal psychosis so it can come as a shock. It can often occur suddenly without a history of mental illness.
Understanding postnatal psychosis can better prepare families in the event of an episode.
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.sane.org/
Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as traditional custodians of the land on which it operates. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and value the rich history, unbroken culture and ongoing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to country.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as traditional custodians of the land on which it operates. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and value the rich history, unbroken culture and ongoing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to country.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
