1. God is good, but life is hard
Getting to grips with mental illness at church
Introduce yourself
Tertiary studies
Lived experience
Leadership experience
Rebecca Randall –

2. Clarifying points This is HARD
Thanks to anyone with a lived experience
The power of churches and community
Today is the start of a conversation

3. What is mental illness? Mental health Mental illness/Mental disorder
Psychological symptoms
Abnormal behaviours
Impaired functioning
Such disorders may cause clinically significant distress and impairment in a variety of domains of functioning and may be due to organic, social, genetic, chemical or psychological factors
God’s role
Mental health:
Emotional wellbeing
Good behavioural adjustment
Relative freedom from anxiety and debilitating symptoms
Capacity to establish constructive relationships and cope with the ordinary demands and stresses of life
Mental disorder
Psychological symptoms
Abnormal behaviours
Impaired functioning
Such disorders may cause clinically significant distress and impairment in a variety of domains of functioning and may be due to organic, social, genetic, chemical or psychological factors
Define psychology and psychiatry

4. Who experiences it?
1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of a mental disorder in a 12 month period
Anxiety disorders – 14.4%
Affective disorders – 6.2% (Depression is 4.1% of this)
Substance use disorder – 5.1% - 4.3% alcohol related
Prevalence decreases with age
26% of year olds
5.9% of people aged over 65
Data from the 2007 ABS Survey of health and wellbeing

5. Risk factors for mental illness
Having a biological relative with mental illness
Experiences in the womb
Stressful life situations
A chronic medical condition
Brain damage
Traumatic experiences
Use of illegal drugs
Being abused or neglected as a child

6. Help seeking People aren’t seeking help
Only 35% of people with a mental disorder had used a health service during the survey period
Hospital admissions for mental health problems were rare
Data from the 2007 ABS Survey of health and wellbeing

7. Our mental health system
1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of a mental disorder in a 12 month period
Anxiety disorders – 14.4%
Affective disorders – 6.2% (Depression is 4.1% of this)
Substance use disorder – 5.1% - 4.3% alcohol related
Prevalence decreases with age
26% of year olds
5.9% of people aged over 65
Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT) The Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT) provides a 24-hour, seven day a week service used for assessment and treatment of mentally ill people in crisis situations.
Call the CATT Mental Health Triage Service on (24 hour service) or (02)
Adult Community Teams
Are multidisciplinary and provide mental health assessment, treatment, clinical management, crisis management, family support and referral pathways for people with mental health issues.  The teams operate during business hours and referrals are received from a range of sources, including individuals, their families, GP’s or community organisations.