As a community we will continue to evolve our awareness and understanding of mental health. With conservative estimates suggesting 1 in 5 people will experience a significant episode of mental illness in their life this evolution is worth accelerating.

The following is a series of ideas that could support this movement forward.

·            Mental Illness is not a drop off point rather mental health is a continuum upon which we all live. Just as we could all get physically fitter and stronger, we could all become more fully human

·            Some people have a harder time of things than others but we all experience the same dynamics indicating empathy as being more appropriate than stigma.

·            Mental Disease is completely curable. There is a reason it exists and when that reason is understood and answered the problem will be resolved.

·            Medical intervention can be profoundly useful. Ultimately however chemical intervention offers respite from extreme distress but does not attend to the cause and accordingly has a short-term functional effect.

·            Mental illness happens to individuals, mental health happens to communities. Greater awareness can lead to earlier and more successful intervention. It also implies the likelihood of a kinder community with generally healthier responses.

·            There are at least three arenas of awareness to develop that are crucial to mental health.

1.      Feeling your feelings release is crucial to maintaining healthy mindfulness. Our cultural training to contain our feelings is at the core of the problem and needs to change.

2.      Understanding that the power to choose must remain with each person is crucial. Each person is responsible for the life they live, blame of self or others maintain eternal victims.

3.      Each must find their existential place. Mental health requires a sense of purpose, place, and spiritual meaning. Without these we get lost.

 To be a part of this evolution I invite you to attend my presentation on this subject on behalf of the Northern Beaches Mental Support Group, 7.30 PM Tuesday November the 11^th at Dee Why Senior Citizens Centre, 34 Howard Ave Dee Why. For more information call Pat Boydell  on 94531676.

Martin Hunter Jones is an honorary life member of the Australian Counselling Association. He has a Counselling and Hypnotherapy practice on the Northern Beaches. For appointments call 9973 4997.