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1. for PHaMs LOOKOUT February 2014 Published by: Red Cross PHaMs 14B Cambridge St Rockhampton QLD 4700 Tel: 07 4922 0020 www.redcross.org.au

2. Welcome back to everyone from all the staff and volunteers at PHaMs and Walali Neighbourhood Centre. We trust that you all had a happy and safe Christmas and New Years. • Walali Neighbourhood Centre . This year we are continue with choir on Monday afternoons. Tuesday morning is Crafty Yarners then Diabetes/healthy living group in the afternoon. Some new activities that we are looking at running this first quarter include: • Gym (basic level) • Yoga for beginners • Food Cents Program • So keep an eye out on our calendar for dates on start times. • Staffing at PHaMs • There have been some subtle changes to our staff line up for the New Year. We have since welcomed to the PHaMs program, • Seka Yasso (Support Worker), John Clayton (Case Worker) • We also welcome Shelly Green to the role of Peer Support. Rockhampton and Merv Maisey Peer Support Emerald . Face book Australia Day Celebrations We’re back and kicked off the new year with Australia Day celebration at Walali Neighbourhood Centre last Friday 24th Jan. It was great to see everyone there enjoying the awesome BBQ lunch cooked by Mr Aussie himself (Terry), followed by home made lamingtons that were heavenly, cooked by one of our newest staff members, Seika. The Walali Warriors came along and got us all in the spirit of things with a few favourite tunes and there were lots of laughs with a game of celebrity heads and Australia trivia. SPEAK OUT! Take a stand against Mental Health Stigma Websites: www.recoverywithinreach.org www.rfq.com.au Emerald news Hello to all the PHaMs clients in Emerald and surrounding area. Our Case Worker in Emerald, Olivia Vorpagel, and our new Peer Support Worker, Merv Maisey, are the members of our Emerald team working  hard to support PHaMs clients in the district. They have recently moved office from the Neighbourhood Centre to a new base at Centacare. The Monday activity group is still taking place at the Neighbourhood Centre, and by all accounts is lots of fun. To find out more, ring Olivia on 0408 712 953, or the PHaMs office in Rockhampton 4922 0020.

3. Peer Support News People with their own experience of mental health illness (Peers) can directly contribute to the recovery of others. Meaningful peer involvement is associated with innovative recovery-orientated services internationally. Peer Support this year has started up again. There is our regular monthly Peer Support meeting which is held at Walali on the 1st Thursday of each month, 12pm to 1:30pm. Also our regular Peer Group Outings which will be held on the last Friday of each month. For more information please contact Shelly Green, PHaMs Peer Support on mob: 0428 039 408/ 4922 0020 or drop into Walali at 14b Cambridge Street, Rockhampton. Our first meeting of the year was a great success and I would like to thank all who attend as well as the staff and volunteers for their help and support. A suggestion was made that each month we can highlight a mental illness and then discuss it openly. Introducing it, giving a brief clinical description and perhaps a peers personal account of what it is like living with it. This would then be featured in the monthly newsletter. By doing this it sheds away the mystery and hopefully the stigma which all of us struggle with on a daily occurrence. Other news from our first meeting highlighted mental health support groups available in the community. This week we spoke of our local Grow group and their meeting details, for further information on this support group please contact ph: 1800 558 268 Peer Group Social Outings The group this month decided for a picnic in the gardens as our first social outing together, 28th Feb. There will be lots of fun, laughs and support (maybe a game of French cricket). Lunch will be provided with a small cost associated of $5. Please confirm your participation by contact Shelly on mob: 0428 039 408 or staff at PHaMs on 4922 0020. Everyone is invited to participate as well as offer suggestions for all Peer Group meetings and social outings. Our next Peer support meeting will be the 6th March at Walali. Feel free to bring something to nibble and share off the coffee table.

4. Dealing with my Diagnosis A brief description by someone dealing with this as part of their every day life. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) used to be called Multiple Personalities.  The one problem with this change was they discovered that people who had this disorder lost time and when they “switched” between personalities they were unaware of what had happened during that time. According to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, DID is diagnosed in 0.1% of the population, with women having five times the incidence of men. People with DID have very few close friends, support workers and professional support people (psychologists, psychiatrists) have difficulty dealing with DID patients because of the number of personalities that the person has.  Inevitably people find it too difficult to deal with all of the different personalities so they give up on the host person.  This leaves the host person alone and vulnerable.  It is not only outsiders that leave DID people family also find it too hard to cope with the different personalities when a person is unwell. When a person “switches” between personalities they not only lose time, they have no idea what has happened during the time the personality has been out such as places, people and clothes. MY ANGEL WISH I wish I had loving angels that I could visibly see To guide me through these emotional misguided thoughts that lurk within my mind I would happily pay them a penny each For the inner peace I seek to find But for now I will have to search for the strength in me To achieve what I am looking for So..I know my loving angels will appear some dayTo guide me through my troubled worldAnd find a loyal trusting friend or twoThen no longer will I live in silenceAll lonely sad and blueOh!!!..Dear elusive angelsDo hurry!!!..Answer my prayersDon't leave me here within this universeFrightened and despairedAs I have no one around meEspecially "FAMILY"That ought to careI close my eyes nowThen say a little prayerAMEN..... Written by lilbutterfly

5. All about wellbeing Anxiety It is not unusual to feel anxious or panicky when faced with a threatening or stressful situation. But when a person feels worry or panic so overwhelming they cannot live as they usually do, they may have an anxiety disorder. These disorders often involve feelings of continual or extreme tension, with the fear of, or actual, panic attacks, usually without an obvious cause. Anxiety disorders are common and one in ten Australians will develop such a disorder in their lifetime. More women are affected than men. The causes of anxiety disorders are not known but it is thought that severe stress or trauma can be triggers. Some personality types are at greater risk. Treatment may, but not always, include medication as well as psychological therapies, avoidance of stress, exercise and relaxation techniques. • For more information visit: • www.healthinsite.gov.au • www.sane.org.au • www.anxietyonline.org.au Diabetes/health living group The diabetes & healthy living group have begun their meetings again at Walali each Tuesday. Kicking off the new month with the topic of “health fats, bad fats” . Next month (March) the group have selected to explore “Everything about sugars”. If you like to be apart of this group and or would like more information please contact Shelly at Walali on 4922 0020 or drop in on Tuesday afternoons 1pm – 3pm. Yoga group Yoga group has begun at Walali Neighbourhood Centre. John will be taking classes every Thursday afternoon From 1pm – 2pm From beginners to advanced

6. What's happening at Walali Neighbourhood Centre 14b Cambridge St, Rockhampton Ph: 4922 0020 February 2014