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Fact Sheets
NEW!
The Fact Sheets HARD COPIES can now also be ordered online using our secure
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These
fact sheets are easy to read and understand, practical, short, and information-rich.
They also cross-refer to allied mental illness conditions and treatments,
and provide valuable information sources and useful contacts.
All
of these fact sheets are available for free download from this page, and
are divided into the following catagories:
The
free Acrobat
Reader is required to read these downloadable files.
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1.
Understanding Mental Illnesses
Understanding
psychosis 
Describes
what psychosis is, what causes it, what the risk factors are for developing
psychosis and what treatment and recovery involves. Also includes a detailed
table of symptoms (the physical experience of psychosis), associated behaviors
and helpful interventions.
Understanding
schizophrenia
Describes
what schizophrenia is, its prevalence, its causes and what treatment and
recovery involves. Also offers a useful table of symptoms (the physical
experience of schizophrenia), associated behaviors and helpful interventions.
Looks at risk factors for developing schizophrenia and includes some tips
on how friends and family can be helpful.
Understanding
bipolar disorder
Describes
what bipolar disorder is, its prevalence, its causes and what treatment
and recovery involves. Also offers an extensive table of symptoms (the
physical experience of depression and mania), associated behaviors and
helpful interventions. Includes some tips on how friends and family can
be helpful.
Understanding
schizoaffective disorder
Describes
what schizoaffective disorder is, its symptoms, its causes and what treatment
and recovery involves. Looks at what medications are used in treatment
and includes some tips on how friends and family can be helpful.
Understanding
depression
Describes
the various types of depression, causes and what treatment and recovery
involves. Also offers a useful table of symptoms (the physical experience
of depression), associated behaviors and helpful interventions. Includes
some tips on how friends and family can be helpful.
Understanding
anxiety
Describes
the various types of anxiety, its symptoms, its causes and risk factors
for developing anxiety, and what treatment and recovery involves. Looks
at panic attacks and examines conditions that accompany or resemble anxiety
disorders. Includes some tips on how friends and family can be helpful.
Understanding
borderline personality disorder
Describes
what borderline personality disorder is, its prevalence, symptoms, its
causes and what treatment and recovery involves. Looks at risk factors
for developing borderline personality disorder and includes some tips
on how friends and family can be helpful.
Understanding
suicide and mental illness
Gives
facts on suicide, facts related to mental illness and suicide, describes
risk factors, what causes someone to become suicidal what behaviours might
indicate that someone might be about to suicide and what friends and family
can do.
Understanding
mental illness and violence
Explores
the link between mental illness and violence, examines why people become
violent and who in society is most vulnerable to perpetrating violence
and what friends and family can do.
Psychosis
- General information paper regarding the process and treatment of psychosis
Describes
the effect of psychosis on the brain, the effect of medication on the
brain, the action of new antipsychotic medication and the impact of repeated
psychotic event.
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2.
Personal Accounts
Feeling
the impact of mental illness: the emotional journey
Describes
a framework for understanding the common emotional experience of families
of people with mental illness and people with mental illness themselves
as they come to terms with the impact of mental illness on their lives.
An
account of hallucinations and delusions
Describes
a personal account of the experience of hallucination and delusions.
Be
loyal to wellness
Written
by a Sandy Jeffs this is a personal reflection of what is helpful to her
when she is in a psychotic state - what do I expect my carers to do when
I am unreaching and unreachable?
That's
what it's like to be a carer
A
personal account of being the father of a son with schizophrenia who speaks
about the trauma and anguish associated with the experience and the development
over time of acceptance, strength and hope.
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3.
Mental Illness and Drugs and Alcohol
Understanding
dual diagnosis
Describes
the issues around the dual problem of mental illness and drug use: Why
do people with mental illness use drugs and alcohol?; Consequences of
dual diagnosis; Do drugs and alcohol cause mental illness?; what treatment
and recovery involves and specific issues for families. Includes some
tips on how friends and family can be helpful.
Bipolar
disorder and alcohol and drug use
Describes
bipolar disorder, the symptoms, facts about bipolar disorder and substance
use, the interaction between alcohol and bipolar disorder and alcohol
and antidepressants.
Substance
use - stages of change model
Describes
in detail the psychological stages of change that people generally understake
when changing behaviour in relation to substance use and considers the
ramifications for relapse.
Cannabis
and psychosis
Describes
cannabis, its use in Australia, the immediate and long term and withdrawal
effects , the interaction between cannabis and psychosis, why people with
mental illness use cannabis, the symptoms of substance induced psychosis
and what friends and family can do.
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4.
Useful Information For Family And Friends
What
friends and family can do
This
fact sheet describes how mental illness affects someone and describes
a number of ways that friends and family can help. Tips include seeking
out educational information, developing effective communication skills,
understanding various stages of illness, acknowledging the emotional impact
of mental illness on everyone involved, and the principles of safety first
and self-care.
Family
and carer supports and services
Details
the family support services that are available including Mutual Support
and Self Help, Mental Health Carer Resource Workers, Carer Consultants,
Respite Services and Carers Victoria. It also details the financial supports
that are available to families including the Carer Payment, Carer Allowance,
the Carer Support Brokerage Fund and the Carer Mental Health Program.
Frequently
asked questions
What
is mental illness, who is susceptible to mental illness, what causes mental
illness, is recovery possible, how will I know if someone is developing
a mental illness, if I develop psychotic symptoms do I have a mental illness,
substance induced psychosis, what are the more common mental illnesses
with their brief descriptions.
Collaborating
with professionals for the best outcomes
Describes
effective means of communication with mental health professionals generally
and the Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team. It also details the mechanism
of an effective complaint mechanism.
Signs
of mental illness and what to do
Describes
signs and indicators of mental illness and suggests strategies to aid
communication in acute psychotic states. It also details an action plan
for these times.
Effective
communication
Discusses
barriers to effective communication, basic communication skills, verbal
and non-verbal communication, and saying 'no' - a guide to limit setting.
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5.
Mental Illness Theory And Models
Stress
vulnerability coping model of mental illness
Describes
the current model for understanding the onset and relapse of mental illness
including risk factors and protective factors.
Psychiatric
medications
Offers
a comprehensive guide to the use of medications in treatment of mental
illnesses, including general guidelines and precautions, a description
of antipsychotic medications in general, then specifically at conventional
antipsychotic medications, atypical types, anticholinergic medications,
mood stabilizers, medications used for anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder
and depression. Includes generic names and trade names, the primary use
of each medication type and possible side effects.
Mental
Health Service delivery framework in NSW
Provides
valuable information regarding the public and private, government and
non-government, and hospital and community elements to the Victorian Mental
Health System.
Bio-psycho-csocial
model in action
Describes
the application of this model through the phases of acute illness through
to recovery.
Beautiful
minds can be recovered
This
article advocates for, and illustrates the effectiveness of the rehabilitation
model in mental illness.
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