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Gr8 MYnds! Learn How To Use This? Just Get Started

How Do I Drive This Thing?! Clicking on pictures at the top of the screen will take you different places. Try it out!

HEY! WELCOME BACK! Did you notice that the button looked just like this screen? SURE DID! Um… Yes?

Great Job! That’s how we make it easy for you to know where a button is going to take you  There are some other types of buttons too: The Home, Quick Link and Post-it-Note Buttons These will take you to the 4 main Navigation Screens & Linked Text, which looks Like this: • ABSOLUTEY NO CLICKING THIS LINK

Your Device Has Self Destructed YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED NO ONE EVER LISTENS EVERYONE CLICKS THE LINK AND THEN THIS HAPPENS I HOPE YOU’VE LEARNT YOUR LESSON ... ... OK, YOUR COMPUTER IS FINE... BUT ABSOLUTELY NO CLICKING THIS LINK

…Wow….ok….really? You actually clicked that link too?! Luckily for you that was the plan all along! Mwahahaha! You were meant to end up here, because that’s everything you need to know! Other things that can be clicked on will either tell you to click them, or it’s pretty obvious they can be clicked. If you’re not sure, just click it anyway and see what happens! Enjoy! I know what I’m doing now! Let’s Get Started!!

Welcome to the Home Screen Let’s get started. Super Quick Links Mental Health Concerns Personal Stuff OR Just Click One 

Cyberbullying What is it? Depression What is it? Schizophrenia What is it? PTSD What is it? Cyberbullying Symptoms PTSD Symptoms Depression Symptoms Schizophrenia Symptoms Cyberbullying Getting Help PTSD Getting Help Depression Getting Help Schizophrenia Getting Help Anxiety What is It? PANIC ATTACKS SUICIDE Self Harm What is it? Anxiety Symptoms OCD Self Harm Symptoms I’m not well… My friends aren’t well… Someone in my family isn’t well… Anxiety Getting Help Self Harm Getting Help Bipolar What is It? Anorexia/Bulimia What is it? I’m really stressed and don’t even know where to start!! Bipolar Symptoms Anorexia/Bulimia Symptoms Bipolar Getting Help Anorexia/Bulimia Getting Help

Think that you’re having a Panic Attack? Click Here Some Tips to ‘Stress Down’ • Control your heart rate by breathing in deeply to a count of 4 and then breathing out slowly for a count of 4. Try doing it through your nose! • Remove yourself from whatever stress is happening: walk outside, listen to some soothing or favourite music, draw or colour in, go for a run, take a shower • Ask yourself some important questions: • Is this as bad as I think it is? • Has this happened before? How did I cope with it last time? • Can I control or change what is going on? • If yes, think carefully about how you will do this • If no, then remind yourself that this isn’t your problem to solve • Is there someone close to me who I can turn to for comfort? • If none of the above work you may need to: Click the Panic Attack button above orCall an Ambulance on 000

Some types of Concerns Click Here if you can’t see what you’re after

Sorry to hear… …that the Mental Health Concern that you’re looking for wasn’t here, try accessing these websites for stacks of information on heaps of different types of issues facing young people: www.kidshelpline.com.au www.headspace.org.auwww.reachout.comwww.youthbeyondblue.com www.copmi.net.au http://www.seriouslysmashed.com.au/ Don’t let that stop you from exploring the rest of this awesome interactive information though! Having some understanding of these things may be enough to help a friend or family member down the track

What is it? Symptoms Getting Help

What is it? Depression can be thought of as chronic sadness (you feel sad almost ALL the time). Depression can feel like a dark stormy cloud over head or like you’re always carrying around a big, heavy weight that you can’t let go of. Sometimes it may even feel like a big, black, sad dog that follows you everywhere and seems to suck the fun and joy out of everything! But worst of all, it can feel like nobody understands what depression is or how it feels… Maybe people call you a ‘downer’ or choose not to invite you to things because you don’t seem to enjoy them. Or Maybe people say things like “chin up! It’s not that bad!” Or “Just try being happy; it’s easier!” It doesn’t matter what they say…the point is, they don’t know what you’re really feeling; and you don’t really know how to tell them… More

What is it? How do I know if I'm just sad or if I have depression? A good place to start is to ask yourself… ‘What’s happening in my life right now and is feeling sad about it understandable?’ Feeling sad is a normal human emotion; in fact, we should feel sad! Sadness helps us cope with yucky situations in our lives. But we are not meant to feel sad for long periods of time and we especially shouldn’t feel so sad that we can’t do the things that we normally like doing/should do. Previous Symptoms

What is it? Depression can be thought of as chronic sadness (you feel sad almost ALL the time). Depression can feel like a dark stormy cloud over head or like you’re always carrying around a big, heavy weight that you can’t let go of. Sometimes it may even feel like a big, black, sad dog that follows you everywhere and seems to suck the fun and joy out of everything! But worst of all, it can feel like nobody understands what depression is or how it feels… Maybe people call you a ‘downer’ or choose not to invite you to things because you don’t seem to enjoy them. Or Maybe people say things like “chin up! It’s not that bad!” Or “Just try being happy; it’s easier!” It doesn’t matter what they say…the point is, they don’t know what you’re really feeling; and you don’t really know how to tell them… More

Symptoms • Not sure if what you are feeling is depression? Well here’s some things to watch out for: • Always feeling tired • Trouble sleeping or sleeping WAY too much • Not wanting to eat or eating too much just to feel better • Not enjoying things anymore • Feeling a lack of motivation • Feeling worried and tense often • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions • Feeling bad, worthless or guilty • Blaming yourself for things that aren’t your fault • Having dark, gloomy or scary thoughts; these may be about death or suicide What is it? Getting Help

Symptoms • Not sure if what you are feeling is depression? Well here’s some things to watch out for: • Always feeling tired • Trouble sleeping or sleeping WAY too much • Not wanting to eat or eating too much just to feel better • Not enjoying things anymore • Feeling a lack of motivation • Feeling worried and tense often • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions • Feeling bad, worthless or guilty • Blaming yourself for things that aren’t your fault • Having dark, gloomy or scary thoughts; these may be about death or suicide • Back to Bipolar

Getting Help Fun Fact There’s Lots Of Different Things To Do To Help With Depression. These Include Eat Healthier Foods: Preservatives, Sugars and Colours Can Have A Really Negative Effect On Your Mood Get Good Sleep When Possible Find A Hobby You Are Passionate About and/or Good At Exercise: Good Physical Health = Better Mental Health Talk to Someone: Just make sure it’s someone who can help and give good advice. Headspace or Kids Helpline are GREAT places to turn to Do some ‘mindfulness activities’ Spend More Time Around Positive People: Find People Who Lift You Up, Not Drag You Down Try Meditation or Yoga Reduce Screen Time And Get Outside

Getting Help Fun Fact There’s Lots Of Different Things To Do To Help With Depression. These Include Eat Healthier Foods: Preservatives, Sugars and Colours Can Have A Really Negative Effect On Your Mood • If none of these are helping, go see your doctor. • They may put you onto a mental health plan which may include: • Therapy / counselling or, • Medication Get Good Sleep When Possible Find A Hobby You Are Passionate About and/or Good At Exercise: Good Physical Health = Better Mental Health Talk to Someone: Just make sure it’s someone who can help and give good advice. Headspace or Kids Helpline are GREAT places to turn to Do some ‘mindfulness activities’ Spend More Time Around Positive People: Find People Who Lift You Up, Not Drag You Down  Try Meditation or Yoga Reduce Screen Time And Get Outside

Getting Help Symptoms What is it? There’s Lots Of Different Things To Do To Help With Depression. These Include Eat healthier foods: Preservatives, sugars and colours can have A really negative effect on your mood Get good sleep when possible Find a hobby you are passionate about and/or good at Exercise: Good physical health = better mental health Talk to someone: Just make sure it’s someone who can help and give good advice. Headspace or kids helpline are great places to turn to Do some ‘mindfulness activities’ Spend more time around positive people: find people who lift you up, not drag you down Try meditation or yoga Reduce screen time and get outside

Nervous Worry Scared Getting Help Getting Help Symptoms Symptoms What is it? What is it? OCD Panic Attacks

You know that feeling that you get right before a test or just before a big race? Well, that’s ANXIETY. Another word for it is nervousness and believe it or not, it can actually be a good thing! When we have it in good amounts, it helps us perform under pressure and work harder and faster than normal But Sometimes, people find that they get soooanxious they feel worried and nervous about lots of things; even things that aren’t very worrying, or at other times the situation might be a little worrying but a person might overreact and have what’s called a panic attack. When things get to this stage, a person is said to be ‘living with anxiety’. What is it?

You might be living with anxiety if you experience the following: • Feeling constantly worried or afraid • Being unable to relax • Avoiding challenging situations – even fun healthy challenges • Being overly shy – not just the ‘quiet’’ type of shy you feel when meeting new people • Not wanting to leave the house or see people • Trouble concentrating and paying attention – often due to your mind being filled with other worrying thoughts • Poor sleep • Problems with school, job or social life • Constantly thinking about ‘worst-case scenarios’ Symptoms

PANIC ATTACKS You might be experiencing a panic attack if… • Your heart is beating very fast • It’s hard to breathe • You’re feeling dizzy • You’re confused and unable to make decisions • You’re not sure where you are or what’s going on • You are not able to respond to people around you • Your hands are clammy / sweaty • Your teeth are grinding • You have a headache • You’re becoming aggressive/abusive • You’re breaking down into tears • You’re shutting down When experiencing a panic attack, follow these steps

Coming Down from a Panic Attack • Control your breathing – long slow breaths in through your nose and then out through your mouth • Try to name 5 things in the room • Have a glass of cold water • If you are curled up or on the floor, get quickly to a comfortable, upright sitting position as soon as possible • Don’t have too many people around. Lots of people will make the situation feel worse than it is and make it harder to calm down • If you know that you are prone to panic attacks, make sure you have 1 support person who knows how to calm you down. They need to be able to sit with you or at least be called by phone. When having a panic attack, donot try to force yourself to calm down. Forcing yourself to calm down will get you frustrated with yourself and increase your fear of the actual panic attack instead of the situation…basically you’ll become afraid of being afraid! Try to gently calm yourself down using the strategies on the left. If these don’t work and you continue hyperventilating(breathing way too fast) eventually your body will reset itself by passing out; so as long as you are sitting in a safe comfortable chair, this won’t be too bad either. Try thinking of panic attacks like a headache; they are not very nice and there are some things you can do to try and feel better, but eventually you have to just wait for them to pass

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD is Mental Health condition which effects the brain and behaviour. To understand it, you really need to understand the two words below: Obsessions& Compulsions I have read these

Back to OCD Main Screen Compulsions Obsessions These are thoughts, images or impulses that: Happen A LOT  Are completely unwanted and outside a person’s control  Take up a lot of time and brain space  Cause lots of stress and anxiety to the person, who normally realises that these thoughts, images or impulses are not common in other people. Examples are: • Fear of dirt, clutter or germs • Constant thoughts about a certain number • Fear of having hurt someone • Thinking that something has to be done a certain way or fear that others are doing it wrong. This often involves neatness and straightness of objects Sometimes, these thoughts may be of a sexual nature… and may be of someone who you definitely do not want to have them about; maybe a family member or teacher or close friend… these can cause a lot of stress but are simply a symptom of the OCD

Back to OCD Main Screen Getting Help Compulsions • These are behaviours that feel completely uncontrollable and yet feel like they ‘have to be done’. These behaviours are repetitive and stop the person from moving onto the next thing without doing them. They are often behaviours which help to ease the fear caused by the obsessions Examples are: • Turning on and off a light multiple times before entering/leaving room • Washing hands for extraordinary lengths of time or many, many times a day • Having to touch every item in a room when they enter it • Not being able to leave a house until every power point is switched off and has been checked 3 times exactly • Having to vacuum and wipe surfaces 2 – 3 times a day

Back to OCD Main Screen OCD Help Because of the delicate nature of OCD, it can only be treated by a Professional through medication or appropriate therapy. If you believe that you have OCD, contact your doctor ASAP

If you find that anxiety is controlling your life, try some of these of these helpful options • Control your breathing – this is mentioned a few times through this resource • Do relaxing, ‘zone out’ activities – colouring in, fiddling with a length of rope to tie and untie knots, squeeze a stress ball, listening to music, reading, go running, have a shower or bath, do one of your enjoyed hobbies • Challenge your unhelpful thoughts – Click Here to learn about Unhelpful Thinking Styles • Visit the sites listed on this page and see what they have about Anxiety • Go see you GP (doctor). They can walk you through other options if self-managing your stress isn’t working Getting Help

Symptoms What is it? Getting Help Bi Polar

Bipolar is a mood disorder which has a severe impact on how someone regulatestheir emotions. At first you might think that someone with Bipolar has depression. That’s because during their big downtimes; that’s exactly how they feel. But compared to depression, people with Bipolar also have big up times. In fact…sometimes they feel sooo up that they actually start making some pretty unsafe decisions or behaving in ways that hurt themselves and other people What is it? Regulating is when you stay in control of you feelings and make them do what you want them to BIG DOWNS! BIG UPS!

Symptoms Up Symptoms Over confident Dangerous behaviour Manic Energy Recklessness Taking too many risks Thoughtlessness Not sleeping Making bad decisions Damaging relationships through the above behaviour Down Symptoms These mimic those of severe depression Click here to see Depression Symptoms

Getting Help You may be able to manage your down times with some of the Depression Self-Help strategies here; BUT Bipolar is best to be addressed by a Doctor and given special medical attention

Psychosis What is it? getting help… What’s It Feel Like/ Look Like

What is it? Psychosis is when the brain begins to send and receive very confused and wrong signals. These signals can make you confused, make you believe strongly in things which others say aren’t real (delusions), can make you hear, see, taste, feel or smell things which aren’t there (hallucinations) or can suddenly change your normal behaviour quite drastically.

What’s it Feel/Look Like? Psychosis will look and feel differently for everyone, but some things to watch out for are: Hearing voices  feeling paranoid  having a sense that something is after or watching you  forgetting or making up chunks of time  having trouble holding normal conversation  Feeling strong beliefs in things which you used to think weren’t real

Getting Help This needs SPECIALISED treatment from a qualified medical team BUT If someone is experiencing a psychotic episode: Don’t agree with their delusions or hallucinations don’t argue with them  call the police or ambulance if you think you need to  keep yourself and the other person as safe as you can  if they wander away, follow them at a safe distance

Suicide I need help… Why do it? What is it?

WHAT IS IT? Self Harm is when someone hurts or mutilates their body on purpose, without necessarily wanting to die. This behaviour quite often begins in the teenage years. • There are different ways to Self-Harm. These include: • Cutting part of the body – often the wrists, arms or thighs • Burning yourself • Self bruising • Overdosing or using different substances to cause harm • Deliberately Participating in behaviour that would seem dangerous to others • 

Healthy Risks vs Risky Behaviour Healthy Risks Risky Behaviours Feel new and exciting at the time, but can lead to really unwanted or dangerous outcomes Unprotected sex with multiple partners Taking drugs Getting Drunk Often Getting into vehicles with people you don’t know or trust Engaging in small-medium scale illegal activity such as stealing chocolate from the corner shop These are just a few Risky Behaviours that can really harm you on a physical, emotional or mental level Take you outside your comfort zone but can still be safe. Extreme Sports such as paragliding or skydiving are good examples of great healthy risks. These will certainly give you a rush but won’t damage you. In fact, Healthy Risks can improve your ability to try new things, increase your confidence, and can help build your character. REMEMBER….

Healthy Risks vs Risky Behaviour  Remember  You may not be trying to harm yourself; but engaging in Risky Behaviour will likely lead to some harm… Educate Yourself Know the Dangers & Try to avoid harmful situations

Why do it? • A common reason for Self Harming is as a way of working through distressing feelings. • It may be as a way to help control your pain – if you’re going to hurt, you want to be the one to cause it… • It may be as a way of relieving emotional pain by focusing on something else • It may be easier for you to ask for help by self harming, than by using words A small number of people may try self-harm due to feelings of peer pressure or wanting to copy behaviour ‘Wow…if they can hurt themselves on purpose, they must be brave; I want to appear brave too.’ This is not common, and those who try it for this reason are unlikely to continue; although it can still be dangerous and should be avoided

Self Harm can be a very overwhelming urge to hurt yourself; and you may feel like you cannot do anything else until you have fulfilled that urge. The following things may be less harmful to your body but meet the urge. Remember, these are better options BUT they don’t solve the problem: Punching a pillow or punching bag. Squeeze ice cubes until your fingers go numb. Wear a loose rubber band on your wrist and snap when the urge to harm arises. Eat a chilli, or something really hot. Have a cold shower. Draw or write in red over your body instead of cutting or burning I Need Help MORE

If you can recognise that you’re feeling the need to self harm, but you still feel in control, you may want to try the following emotion releasing techniques: Choose to put off harming yourself until you've spoken to someone else or waited for 15 minutes (and see if you can extend it for another 15 minutes beyond that, then continue to do it again and so on until the feeling passes). Write in a journal – sometimes it can be really helpful to write down how you’re feeling and what is making you feel that way. I Need Help BACK MORE

Exercise - Go for a run or walk in the park to use up excess energy. Play video games - This may be a good way to distract yourself Yell or sing at the top of your lungs on your own or to music. You might do this into a pillow if you don't want other people in the house to hear. Relaxation techniques - activities like yoga or meditation can help reduce anxiety Cry - crying is a healthy and normal way (i.e. not weak or dumb) to express your sadness or frustrations. I Need Help BACK

Self Harm & Suicide Suicide may result from Self Harm, but this is often not the case. Self Harming behaviours often show that a person is in a lot of emotional pain; and if their pain continues without receiving help, then suicide may seem like a final step. BUT It is a mistake to think that someone is definitely suicidal simply because they self-harm. If you notice someone close to you is Self-Harming, don’t immediately start accusing them of wanting to die. Instead: • Remain calm and don’t show lots of pity or sympathy – this will confirm in their minds that they’re pain is really big • Don’t make a big deal out of it • Listen, without judging, about what they achieve from doing it • Don’t give advice but instead remind them that they have options

What is it? Bulimia & Anorexia Need Help? Symptoms

What is it? Bulimia and Anorexia are separate, but similar Mental Health Conditions which affect the way we view our body image and as a result change the way we treat our bodies and the way we eat. The main difference between Bulimia and Anorexia is that Bulimia is where someone binge eats and forces themselves to vomit in order to maintain their body image, while Anorexia is where a person forces themselves not to eat much at all. Both are often coupled with extreme amounts of exercise

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