What is mental health?
According to the World Health Organization, mental health is “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”
One way of thinking about it is that it is a continuum ranging from:
- Mental health is where we are feeling good, functioning well and coping with life’s normal stresses
- Mental health problems begin to affect how we think, feel and behave. They may develop into a mental illness if they are not effectively dealt with.
- Mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how we feel, think and behave. It is diagnosed according to standardised criteria (eg depression and anxiety)
People who have cystic fibrosis (CF), or care for someone who has CF, are in a higher risk category for poor mental health due to the ongoing associated stresses of CF. Being aware of the risks and having strategies in place can help.
Good mental health
Good mental health is when we are feeling good, functioning well and coping with life’s normal stresses. If you have good mental health, you feel good. You might feel happiness, love, joy, compassion, connectedness, and you feel generally satisfied with life.
We all have to face challenges in life. People who have good mental health are more likely to be able to cope with the ups and downs.
Some of the signs of good mental health include:
- feeling confident when faced with new situations or people
- feeling optimistic
- not always blaming yourself
- feeling good about yourself
- having good self esteem
Maintaining good mental health
Mental health is complex. We need to constantly work at it (just like physical health) using a range of strategies and approaches.
Healthy diet: Having a healthy, balanced diet plays an important role in your overall health and wellbeing. Foods and affect your mood, energy levels and concentration. For example, eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains can reduce your risk of some mental health conditions, while eating foods that are high in sugar fat may increase your risk.
Being active: Regular physical activity can be a good way to boost your mood, reduce stress, and improve sleep. It is also known to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Sleep: Our sleeping patterns can affect how well we feel throughout the day. After good quality sleep, we wake up feeling refreshed and are better able to cope with challenges and get along better with others. If we have a bad night’s sleep we can feel fuzzy and irritable, and it can also lead to increased anxiety and depression.
Connect with friends and family: Our families and friends can play a key role in our wellbeing. Good relationships can make us feel safe and loved, and provide a sense of belonging. Often we learn the skills to manage life’s difficulties from our family. Spend time with your family and friends. If they don’t live nearby and you can’t connect in person, use technology.
Get involved in your community: Community involvement provides a sense of belonging and social connectedness. It can also offer extra meaning and purpose to everyday life. You can find a group or event that is local, shares a hobby of yours (eg netball, gardening, knitting, photography), or are working towards a common goal (eg planting trees in parks, walking dogs, cleaning beaches). These groups may be in person or online.
Volunteer: Helping others can help you feel more connected
Mindfulness: Mindfulness practice can help you be fully engaged with whatever you are doing at the moment and aware of your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them. This can be very helpful when we are faced with challenging circumstances or difficult situations.
If you are having a tough time and need someone to talk to right now, the following services are there to listen and help you out. They are confidential and available 24/7.
Lifeline – Call 13 11 14, Online Chat (7pm-12am), Visit lifeline.org.au
Kids Help Line – Call 1300 659 467, Online Chat, Visit kidshelpline.com.au
Good mental health – mild distress
Self-care and social support are some of the key strategies people can use to maintain good mental health or help manage mild distress associated with mental health problems.
This can include:
Taking care of your general wellbeing: this includes having a healthy diet, being active, getting enough sleep, and being connected.
Mindfulness and meditation: Mindfulness is being present and fully engaged with whatever we’re doing at the moment, free from distraction or judgement, and aware of our thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them. This can be very helpful when we are faced with challenging circumstances or difficult situations. Mindfulness and meditation are practices, and like any new skill they take time to learn. There are a range of apps, books and classes on mindfulness and mediation. Each one is different, so you may need to try a few different approaches to see which one works best for you. Find out more about mindfulness at Smiling Mind (see below).
Mild distress – moderate distress
If you are experiencing mental health problems that are causing you mild through to moderate distress. You may need to get a mental health care plan and seek professional counselling and therapy.
Beyondblue have a quick checklist that you can use that aims to measure whether you may have been affected by depression and anxiety during the past four weeks. The higher your score, the more likely you are to be experiencing depression and/or anxiety. This is not a diagnosis, but it can give you a better sense of how you’re feeling – Beyondblue Anxiety and depression checklist
How do I get a mental health care plan?
A mental health care plan is a support plan for someone who is going through mental health issues. If your doctor agrees that you need additional support, you and your doctor will make the plan together.
Book an appointment with your GP. When you make the booking, tell them you want to talk about a mental health care plan. That way, the doctor will know in advance and be able to set enough time. It usually takes a double appointment.
Your doctor might ask you to fill out a questionnaire about how you’ve been feeling to work out the best support for you.
A mental health care plan might include a referral to a psychologist, social worker or other allied health professional for one-on-one sessions like a psychologist or other mental health professional that can support you. You may also have options for groups sessions if that suits your needs better. You may also be provided with strategies to improve and maintain your mental health.
Medicare Rebate
If you have a mental health care plan, the Medicare rebate covers you for a certain amount of the value of your session ($124.50 for 50+ minutes with a clinical psychologist). If your psychologist charges more, you’ll need to pay the difference – the “gap”.
Some psychologists offer cheaper visits for concession holders, so if you’re a student or have a health care card, make sure you do your research. If the person is in year 11 or 12, they might be eligible for extra support. You can also access other allied health professionals, such as counsellors and clinical social workers. Just make sure they are Medicare registered so you can claim the rebate.
It’s important to remember you won’t be able to get a referral for all ten sessions for the year in one go. Your plan will cover you for six sessions. After that, you can go back to your doctor for a review, where you’ll talk about whether it would be helpful to have another four sessions.
To find professional counselling and therapy
- Speak with your CF Psychologist or Social Worker, GP or a mental health professional
- Speak with your local CF Support Organisation
Mental Illness
Most mental illnesses can be effectively treated. Recognising the early signs and symptoms of mental illness and accessing effective treatment early is important. The earlier treatment starts, the better the outcome. Episodes of mental illness can come and go during different periods in people’s lives. Some people experience only one episode of illness and fully recover. For others, it recurs throughout their lives.
It is rarely possible for someone with a mental illness to make the symptoms go away just by strength of will. To suggest this is not helpful in any way.
Effective treatments can include medication, cognitive and behavioural psychological therapies, psycho-social support, psychiatric disability rehabilitation, avoidance of risk factors such as harmful alcohol and other drug use, and learning self-management skills.
If you are struggling with mental illness it is best to speaking with a professional and get help as soon as possible.
Find out more about mindfulness at Smiling Mind.
The views, experiences or comments shared on this website are not medical advice and may not reflect opinions or beliefs of Cystic Fibrosis Community Care. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions regarding your health.
