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Families including someone with mental illness can experience deep despair. They need support

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amanda-cole-1484502">Amanda Cole</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> In the aftermath of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/bondi-attacker-had-mental-health-issues-but-most-people-with-mental-illness-arent-violent-227868">tragic Bondi knife attack</a>, Joel Cauchi’s parents have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2024/apr/15/bondi-junction-stabbings-joel-cauchis-father-extremely-sorry-for-victims-video">spoken</a> about their son’s long history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17. They said they were “devastated and horrified” by their son’s actions. “To you he’s a monster,” said his father. “But to me he was a very sick boy.” Globally, one out of every eight people <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders">report a mental illness</a>. In Australia, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health">one in five people experience a mental illness</a> in their lifetime. Mental illness and distress affects not only the person living with the condition, but <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/chronic-conditions-and-multimorbidity">family members and communities</a>. As the prevalence of mental health problems grows, the flow-on effect to family members, including caregivers, and the impact on families as a unit, is also rising. While every family is different, the words of the Cauchis draw attention to how families can experience distress, stress, fear, powerlessness, and still love, despite the challenges and trauma. How can they help a loved one? And who can they turn to for support? <h2>The role of caregivers</h2> Informal caregivers help others <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/informal-carers">within the context of an existing relationship</a>, such as a family member. The care they provide goes beyond the usual expectations or demands of such relationships. Around <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/informal-carers">2.7 million Australians</a> provide informal care. For almost a third of these the person’s primary medical diagnosis is psychological or psychiatric. It has <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1074840708323598">long been acknowledged</a> that those supporting a family member with ongoing mental illness need support themselves. In the 1980s, interest grew in caregiving dynamics within families of people grappling with mental health issues. Subsequent research recognised <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/chronic-diseases/">chronic health conditions</a> not only affect the quality of life and wellbeing of the people experiencing them, but also impose burdens that reverberate within relationships, caregiving roles, and family dynamics over time. Past studies have shown families of those diagnosed with chronic mental illness are increasingly forced to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24943714/">manage their own depression</a>, experience elevated levels of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23692348/">emotional stress</a>, negative states of mind and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21165597/">decreased overall mental health</a>. Conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia can severely impact daily functioning, relationships, and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36875411/">overall quality of life</a>. Living with mental illness is often accompanied by a myriad of challenges. From stigma and discrimination to difficulty accessing adequate health care and support services. Patients and their families navigate a complex and often isolating journey. <h2>The family is a system</h2> The concept of <a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/40336/1/16937_eng.pdf">family health</a> acknowledges the physical and psychological wellbeing of a person is significantly affected by the family. Amid these challenges, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330720/full">family support</a> emerges as a beacon of hope. Research consistently demonstrates strong familial relationships and support systems play a pivotal role in mitigating the adverse effects of mental illness. Families provide emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging that are vital for people struggling with mental illness. My recent <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">research</a> highlights the profound impact of mental illness on family dynamics, emphasising the resilience and endurance shown by participants. Families struggling with mental illness often experience heightened emotional fluctuations, with extreme highs and lows. The enduring nature of family caregiving entails both stress and adaptation over an extended period. Stress associated with caregiving and the demands on personal resources and coping mechanisms builds and builds. Yet families I’ve <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">interviewed</a> find ways to live “a good life”. They prepare for the peaks and troughs, and show endurance and persistence. They make space for mental illness in their daily lives, describing how it spurs adaptation, acceptance and inner strength within the family unit. When treating a person with mental illness, health practitioners need to consider the entire family’s needs and engage with family members. By fostering open and early dialogue and providing comprehensive support, health-care professionals can empower families to navigate the complexities of mental illness while fostering resilience and hope for the future. Family members <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">express stories</a> of an inner struggle, isolation and exhaustion. <h2>Shifting the focus</h2> There is a pressing need for a shift in research priorities, from illness-centered perspectives to a <a href="https://shop.elsevier.com/books/child-youth-and-family-health-strengthening-communities/barnes/978-0-7295-4155-8">strengths-based focus</a> when considering families “managing” mental illness. There is transformative potential in harnessing strengths to respond to challenges posed by mental illnesses, while also <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">supporting family members</a>. For people facing mental health challenges, having <a href="https://www.sane.org/information-and-resources/facts-and-guides/families-friends-carers">loved ones who listen without judgement</a> and offer empathy can alleviate feelings of despair. Beyond emotional support, families often serve as crucial caregivers, assisting with <a href="https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/emergency-help/helping-someone-else/">daily tasks, medication management and navigating the health-care system</a>. As the Cauchi family so painfully articulated, providing support for a family member with mental illness is intensely challenging. Research <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4804270/">shows</a> caregiver burnout, financial strain and strained relationships are common. Health-care professionals should prioritise support for family members at an early stage. In Australia, there are various support options available for families living with mental illness. <a href="https://www.carergateway.gov.au/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_campaign=10626744435&utm_adgroup=102994881737&utm_term=carer%20gateway%20wa&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt8T6pJzIhQMVjAyDAx2KiQl1EAAYASAAEgLj-fD_BwE">Carer Gateway</a> provides information, support and access to services. <a href="https://www.headspace.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=HS_Headspace_Brand-Exact_Search_AU-INT_Google_NA&utm_content=&utm_term=headspace&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4uKKvpzIhQMVFheDAx1bZgk8EAAYASAAEgLy6vD_BwE">Headspace</a> offers mental health services and supports to young people and their families. Beyond these national services, GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners and local community health centres are key to early conversations. Mental health clinics and hospitals often target family involvement in treatment plans. While Australia has made strides in recognising the importance of family support, challenges persist. Access to services can vary based on geographic location and demand, leaving some families under-served or facing long wait times. And the level of funding and resources allocated to family-oriented mental health support often does not align with the demand or complexity of need. In the realm of mental illness, family support serves as a lifeline for people navigating the complexities of their conditions. <hr /> If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a> on 13 11 14.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228007/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amanda-cole-1484502">Amanda Cole</a>, Lead, Mental Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/families-including-someone-with-mental-illness-can-experience-deep-despair-they-need-support-228007">original article</a>. </div>

Caring

How to look after your mental health while packing up Mum or Dad’s home

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-norton-1516505">Alice Norton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/avalon-tissue-1515840">Avalon Tissue</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> So Mum or Dad has died, or moved to aged care, and now you’ve got to pack up their house. It’s a huge job and you’re dreading it. It’s normal to feel grief, loss, guilt, exhaustion or even resentment at being left with this job. So how can you look after your mental health while tackling the task? <h2>It’s OK to feel a lot of feelings</h2> Research has documented how this task can exert an intense <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15267431.2021.1943399">physical and emotional toll</a>. This can be more intense for those who had strained – or even <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0030222819868107">traumatic</a> – relationships with the person whose house they’re packing up. Decisions around distributing or discarding items can, in some families, bring up painful reminders of the past or end up <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1074840711428451">replaying strained dynamics</a>. Family members who were carers for the deceased may feel exhaustion, overwhelm, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hec.1512?sid=vendor%3Adatabase">burnout</a> or a sense of injustice they must now continue to be responsible for their loved one’s affairs. Grief can be compounded by the practical challenges of deciding how to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(94)00054-I">store or discard belongings</a>, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/30000385">arrange the funeral</a>, execute the will, deal with the aged care place or, in some cases, navigate legal disputes. But packing up the house may also be cathartic or helpful. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15267431.2021.1943399">Research</a> has shown how the task of cleaning out a loved one’s belongings can provide an opportunity for family and friends to talk, share memories, and make sense of what has just happened. It’s also normal to grieve before someone dies. What psychologists call “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29206700/">anticipatory</a> grief” can happen to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1615888/">relatives packing up the house</a> of a parent who has moved to aged care or palliative care. <h2>What to do with all this stuff?</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(94)00054-I">Some</a> treat their loved one’s items with sanctity, holding onto as many of their belongings as possible and creating “shrines” in their honour. Others alleviate the weight of grief by clearing out a loved one’s house as soon as possible, giving away, selling or discarding as much as they can. But if you experience a mix of these – enthusiastically getting rid of some stuff, while desperately wanting to hold onto other things – that’s OK too. One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10253866.2017.1367677">study</a> identified a process punctuated by four key periods: <ol> <li> numbness and overwhelm at the task of packing the house </li> <li> yearning to maintain a link to the loved through their belongings </li> <li> working through grief, anger and guilt regarding the loved one and the task of managing their belongings, and </li> <li> healing and making sense of the relationship with the deceased and their belongings. </li> </ol> However, it is important to note everyone’s approach is different and there is no “right” way to do the clean out, or “right” way to feel. <h2>Caring for your mental health during the clean out</h2> To care for your mental health during these difficult times, you might try to: <ul> <li> make space for your feelings, whether it’s sadness, loss, resentment, anger, relief or all the above. There is no right or wrong way to feel. <a href="https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2011.30.2.163">Accepting</a> your emotions is healthier than suppressing them </li> <li> share the load. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01220.x">Research</a> has shown practical support from close friends and family can help a lot with grief. Accept help with packing, planning, dealing with removalists, selling or donating items and cleaning. Don’t be afraid to reduce your mental load by delegating tasks to friends, who are likely wondering how they can help </li> <li> take a systematic approach. Break tasks into their smallest component. For example, aim to clean out a drawer instead of an entire bedroom. This can help the mental and physical task feel more manageable </li> <li> reflect on what’s meaningful to you. Some belongings will have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(94)00054-I">meaning</a>, while others will not. What was valuable to the deceased may not be valuable to you. Things they probably saw as pretty worthless (a handwritten shopping list, an old sewing kit) may be very meaningful to you. Ask yourself whether retaining a small number of meaningful possessions would allow you to maintain a connection with your loved one, or if clearing out the space and discarding the items is what you need </li> <li> share your story. When you feel ready, share your “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15267431.2021.1943399">cleaning out the closet</a>” story with trusted friends and family. Storytelling allows the deceased to live on in memory. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01220.x">Research</a> also suggests we cope better with bereavement when friends and relatives make time to hear our feelings </li> <li> remember that professional help is available. Just as a solicitor can help with legal disputes, a mental health professional can help you process your feelings. </li> </ul> The home of your loved one is not merely a place where they lived, but a space filled with meaning and stories. Packing up the house of a loved one can be incredibly daunting and challenging, but it can also be an important part of your grieving process. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223956/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-norton-1516505">Alice Norton</a>, Lecturer in Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/avalon-tissue-1515840">Avalon Tissue</a>, Associate Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-look-after-your-mental-health-while-packing-up-mum-or-dads-home-223956">original article</a>.

Caring

"I'm lowkey dying": Brave young woman with terminal illness shares her final wish

Samantha Bulloch was given three years to live after she was diagnosed with gut-wrenching stage four bowel cancer at the young age of 28. A year later, Bulloch has shared a heartfelt plea on social media in hopes of meeting her idol- pop star Taylor Swift. The Swiftie has scored a ticket to Taylor's final show in Sydney on the 26th of February, but she’s calling on “anyone to hook a sister up” so she can meet-and-greet the singer backstage. “I’m low key dying and honestly this would just make my year,” she said in a video shared to TikTok. “I’m going out on a limb here so I’m just shooting my shot and we’re going to see what happens. “If anyone has any connections... I would love you forever.” Bulloch has been a fan of the megastar since she was 15 years old. “Taylor means so much to me, and I’d love the opportunity to tell her just how much of an impact she’s made on my life,” she told 7Life. “I’ve loved her since I was 15, and her music has seen me through so many chapters in my life — including this one. “I love that her music transcends all kinds of walks of life, and so many of us connect with it so personally, despite the differences in our situations. “She has a real talent for making you feel less alone.I recently got a new tattoo of the lyric, ‘For the hope of it all’, from her song called August. “I adopted that lyric during my experience with cancer. I’m choosing to live for the hope of it all.” As she faces terminal cancer, Bulloch said that she is determined to live the rest of her life to the fullest. "I’m hoping and praying for many more years than what I’ve been given. But if not, I intend to try and maximise these few I’ve got left to the best of my ability," she said. “Thankfully I’ve always been quite a positive and hopeful person, and that hasn’t left me during this experience.” Bulloch was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2023, after experiencing low iron levels, fatigue and blood in her stool. She is currently on a chemotherapy regime and an immunotherapy drug and added that she also hopes to tick off many of her bucket list destinations this year, including visiting UK, Paris, New York and Tasmania. “My doctor has said I can, providing the treatment I’m on now works," the hopeful 29-year-old said. “Thankfully treatment has been working so hopefully in a few months I’ll be able to do that." Images: Samantha Bulloch

Caring

"Pathetic": Council slammed after move against FREE health program

A woman who runs a free mental health yoga program has been ordered to pay the council $10,000 because her classes at St Kilda beach in Melbourne have become too popular. The City of Port Phillip Council was slammed for their actions after they told Eliza Hilmer she must pay them hundreds of dollars per session for her Feel Good Flows classes. Hilmer, who does not make a profit from the classes, said she started the program during the pandemic to help people manage their mental health. “I play by the rules as much as I can,” Hilmer told Yahoo News, adding that she acquired personal trainer permit as requested by the council. “We’ve been operating as an outdoor gathering for mental health practices more than anything, and it’s been really incredible." The classes, which initially attracted a few people, has gained a bit of traction with around 50 to 80 regular attendees. Hilmer encourages her attendees to leave a donation and provides free hot drinks and a live musician at the biweekly sessions. Because of its popularity, the council have classified Feel Good Flows as a commercial event, as the classes exceed the number of people covered by Hilmer's personal training license, and she was ordered to pay $400 a session. Hilmer was also given the option to cap the sessions at 15 people a time, but she said that "this isn't an option" as “many vulnerable people” rely on the service. With Hilmer having to pay three months upfront to keep classes running, the total adds up to $10,000, and locals are furious. "Another pathetic decision by useless bureaucrats,” one wrote on social media. “This council is being very mean spirited. Leave her alone!!” “Keep on going love don’t bow to the council,” a third added. Despite the outrage and being asked to pay to host her free yoga sessions, Hilmer remains positive. “I don’t want to fight,” she said. “The council can be the solution”. Port Phillip Mayor Heather Cunsolo replied saying that while she was "delighted" to see so many taking part in yoga sessions, "the business needs to adhere to its Personal Training Licence" to "ensure our popular public spaces remain available, safe and enjoyable for everyone." “We encourage Feel Good Flows to look at hosting additional yoga sessions on the foreshore to support its growing popularity," the Port Phillip mayor said. “Other businesses operating along the foreshore pay a licence fee for the use of public open space and adhere to the 15 person limit per session. "These capacity limits help provide fair access for many businesses operating with a Personal Training Licence, while minimising any potential disruption for visitors to our foreshore." She added that she has been in contact with Feel Good Flows, and are happy to discuss details further. "If the petition is sent to Council the matter will be heard in the Council Chamber.” Images: Instagram

Legal

"Cringe worthy": Viewers left speechless after star attacks Elmo

Viewers were left shocked after comedian Larry David unexpectedly attacked Elmo during their appearance on the latest episode of the US Today show. The 76-year-old was there to promote the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, while Elmo was in the studio alongside his dad Louie to talk about the importance of mental health resources. As the show was transitioning from segment to segment, David walked over to Elmo and smushed his face in before taking a swing at Elmo's dad. The attack caught the show's hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin, off-guard and they began shouting at his ill-timed act. “Oh, my gosh, you love Elmo, don’t you?” Guthrie said to David as an equally shocked Melvin exclaimed, “Oh, my God!” While Elmo didn't seem too bothered by the encounter, the 76-year-old was lectured by muppet dad Louie for his strange act. “Ask permission before you touch people, Larry,” Louie said. “Get back on the couch and let’s talk about how you feel,” Elmo added. Guthrie also called out David's inappropriate act and said: “Larry, you’ve gone too far this time." Although the Seinfeld star was later on forced to apologise to the plush duo and Elmo accepted his apology, the situation left many viewers disgruntled, given the topic matter that Elmo was there to discuss. “Larry David ruined a beautiful story,” one person commented on a video of the segment shared to Instagram. “I felt like I was watching Will Smith all over again. Very sad.” “I must say, I was shocked – it was cringe worthy,” another person wrote. “I love Larry David, but he should have stayed seated until his own segment.” “Although you tried to play it off, Larry David totally messed it up … guess no one told him the theme of the segment” a third shocked viewer added. Image: US Today Show/ Instagram

Woman heartlessly steals terminally-ill man's pokies win after he collapsed

Thomas Purtill, 80, had “decided to go up and throw a few dollars in the pokies" at his local pub in Caboolture, Brisbane. To his surprise, the pensioner won $300. As the terminally-ill pensioner was about to collect his winnings, he collapsed during a medical episode and dropped his ticket. “I remember landing on the floor,” Purtill, who only has six months to live, told 7News. “I think I fell over before I got the ticket into the machine (to cash it in).” CCTV footage from the pub showed the alleged thief looking concerned as she rushed to call pub staff. When she returned, Purtill can be seen pointing to something by the machine, and this was when she noticed the ticket he had dropped. The woman then moved over to the machine and allegedly pocketed the pensioner's winnings. While Purtill received medical attention, the alleged thief escaped and used another machine to withdraw the cash. Now, the CCTV footage has been released to help police identify the mystery woman, as they urge anyone with information to come forward. The pensioner spend two days in hospital after the incident on November 27, and has since been diagnosed with terminal cancer. “I don’t want to die,” he said. “But I’m going to.” He was told he has between three to six months to live, and has since returned for treatment. When Purtill was asked what he thought of the alleged thief's actions he said: “I can’t really say on TV. It wouldn’t be allowed.” “If you’re that desperate … If someone came up to me and said, ‘You’ve had a win, can I have $10 to buy a loaf of bread, a bottle of milk for the kids?’, I would have given it to them.” He then went on to call her "weak", and urged anyone who might know her to “give her up”. Staff members have offered to reimburse Purtill for his stolen winnings. Images: 7News

Legal

"It was a relief": Rebecca Gibney opens up on mental health struggles

Rebecca Gibney has revealed what a "relief" it was to finally open up about the mental health struggles she faced from 14 to 30-years-old. The New Zealand actress, 58, said she spent a lot of that time "pretending" she was okay despite growing up around domestic violence, as her mother suffered from abuse in the hands of Gibney's late father, Austin. In an interview with Stellar on Saturday, the Packed to the Rafters star shared that she is "loving" how mental health is now being framed. “When I started talking about my mental health struggles and anxiety ... it was a relief,” she told the publication. “I could drop the mask of pretending that I was OK. What I’m loving seeing is that more and more people are now going, ‘I’m not OK’”. Gibney first opened up about her struggles in 2017, when she opened up about the abuse her mother faced and how she was “beaten so badly she had bruises for six months on her legs. “She’d always shut the doors ... you’d hear the yelling and the shouting and the slapping, but you’d never actually see it," she told Women's Day, at the time. After Gibney's father died in 1982, the actress began seeing a therapist, but was "on Valium and in a dark place for quite a while”. In her latest interview with Stellar, Gibney also added that more needed to be done to prevent domestic violence and help survivors. “We still don’t want to talk about it. We need to really drill down (and question), ‘Why is this happening?’ We need more education, more centres," she said. “We need people to be able to get the help they need.” Images: Instagram

Mind

"I was so scared": Chezzi Denyer's shocking mental health revelation

Chezzi Denyer has opened up about the moment she decided to seek professional help for a debilitating mental health condition. Grant Denyer's wife shared an emotional post on Instagram, marking the 10 year anniversary of the day she made a major change after struggling with post-natal depression and PTSD. In a lengthy caption, she wrote, “Ten years ago, today, I made a very scary step and began professional treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Postnatal Anxiety." “At the time I was unable to articulate what I was feeling, or understand why. For some time I had exhausted myself trying to conceal it.” She said that she felt "scared" to admit she was struggling, out of fear she would be called "crazy". “Scared to sleep most nights because of the night terrors,” she wrote. “The repeated visions of the very things that had scarred me, waking me shaking. I would die graphically in my dreams. Scared to care for my young daughter Sailor at times." “I had never experienced anxiety up to this point so I didn’t know what it was ... but my fear over her becoming unwell or injured left me paralysed at times.” Denyer said that as a seasoned “mask wearer”, she had laughed it off and became used to concealing her mental health battle. “Most people who knew me well had no idea of my personal battle,” she wrote. “While seeking help took me a number of attempts, as many dismissed me at first - my mask was strong - It has become the single most profound thing I have ever done in my life. “My entire world began to change on that day, ten years ago.” After seeking professional help, Chezzi learned the details of her own psychology, and began to forgive herself. “I learnt that I was not the sum of my affliction/ condition, and that there was a path out and to a much better place should I want that, and I did so very very much." “I worked through the pain, and the fear and while sometimes it felt too hard ... I continued to face it." “And today while I quietly smile about how far I’ve come, I wanted to share this quite personal post with you because I know that it will resonate with many people still trying to conceal and wear their masks.” Chezzi’s followers were stunned by the raw honesty of the post, with many thanking her for helping them to feel less alone. “Thank you for sharing so vulnerably,” one follower wrote. “I just know being open about your experience will help others feel less alone and will hopefully help someone to take that first step to ask for help. Thank you. Just thank you.” Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Bec Judd's son taken to hospital with mystery illness

Bec Judd's seven-year-old son, Tom, has been hospitalised due to an undisclosed medical condition, as the concerned mother shared on her Instagram account. In the recent post, the 40-year-old WAG posted a heartwarming picture of Tom comfortably lying in a hospital bed. In the photo, Tom flashed a smile at the camera, clutching his teddy bear and savouring an ice cream treat. However, Bec did not reveal the specific reason for Tom's hospitalisation in her social media update. With a hopeful tone, Bec wrote, "Onwards and upwards, Tom," and expressed gratitude to Nurse Becky Bell for her care and support during this challenging time. Bec Judd, a mother of four, shares her children with her ex-AFL star husband, Chris Judd. Alongside her recent family concerns, Bec has also been actively involved in charitable endeavours. She disclosed her plans to contribute 25,000 meals to Food Bank Victoria, an organisation dedicated to addressing food insecurity. Bec's involvement extends beyond her vocal support, as she is using her design skills to create a unique spatula for fundraising purposes. The entirety of the proceeds from the spatula sales will be donated to Food Bank. In Bec's own words, each spatula sold translates into an impressive "25 meals on the table", with the ambitious goal of providing "250,000 extra meals by Christmas". She encouraged her substantial following to support the cause by considering the spatula as a unique Christmas gift option. Not only will buyers acquire an original Bec Judd creation, but they will also make a significant contribution to their community. This charitable campaign features other notable personalities, including New Zealand culinary expert Ben Shewry, radio and TV presenter Chrissie Swan, and Australian pastry chef Kirsten Tibballs. In addition to her philanthropic efforts, Bec Judd has been making appearances on the celebrity edition of The Amazing Race, where she teams up with her sister, Kate Twigley. During a recent interview on KIIS FM's Jase and Lauren show, Bec recounted some of the show's more challenging moments, including an encounter with elephant dung. "It was interesting; they really threw us into these challenges that were quite foul, like shovelling poo, and I was like, where are the gloves?" Bec shared. "You know, I worked at The Alfred Hospital; I have four kids, I've got a puppy. I'm used to vomit and poo and secretions, but we always had gloves and masks, so it was okay. But this is bare hands, and I was not happy about it." In a recent trailer for the Ten reality show, Bec also revealed her germophobic tendencies, adding a layer of intrigue to her adventures on The Amazing Race. Images: Instagram

Caring

Dawn French tells all in candid interview

Dawn French spills all in her latest interview with 60 minutes. The beloved British comedian revealed that being imperfect is perfect for her, in a world where unrealistic beauty standards are starting to dominate social media. "I can't believe that we, especially women, have come this far to hand our daughters a life where they have to do selfies and be filtered to try to look perfect," she told 60 minutes reporter Tara Brown. "I don't know how to connect to all those perfect people. I'm in the anti-perfection league frankly." The comedian revealed that the secret to her happiness is finding joy in the simple things in life, an outlook that she gained following the devastating loss of her father when she was 18. "I find joy in lots of tiny things. I'm the sort of person who doesn't need to be swimming with dolphins, I find happiness in the simple things," she added. French said that losing her father to suicide at such a young age shaped who she was, and that she was grateful for the love he showed and the lessons he taught her. "Now that I look back on it as an adult, I think he needed to give me some armour, he told me that I should value myself and that I deserved the very best," she said. "As a little chubby girl I could have grown up with all kinds of insecurities, but because of him I have never doubted that I'm not worth something." Her father's struggle with mental health gave her a deeper understanding of the complexity of depression and a greater appreciation for her own emotional stability. "He kept his depression very well hidden, so most of the time dad was very cheerful but he also had these black dog moments where he just couldn't cope," she said. "Then he would get stronger and he would be back on the horse again." "I've had sadness, but I haven't sunk to depths like that. I have worried that it's inherited, but I don't seem to have that, I've got too much to live for I think," she added. The French and Saunders actress is currently enjoying her life in a quaint village in the English countryside with her husband, therapist Mark Bignell. "I've got a love for life, and I love and am loved back by a lot of people, so I can't ask for more than that," she said. You can find the full episode <a href="https://www.9now.com.au/60-minutes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: 60 minutes

"He was out of control": Inside Bachelorette star's battle with addiction

A close friend of Charlie Newling has come forward about his mate's struggles with mental health issues and addiction after his untimely death. Newling, who appeared on the 2018 season of The Bachelorette, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/bachelorette-star-found-dead-at-just-36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragically died</a> on Saturday night after his car fell from a cliff in Dover Heights, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. He was just 36 years old, and had recently welcomed his second child. As news of his death broke, a friend of Newlings came forward to share the struggles his mate had endured since his new-found fame on the reality dating show. His friend said the tradie was being swamped by addictions, leading to disturbing behaviour that brought a criminal conviction. Despite being dubbed a fan favourite for most of his time on The Bachelorette, his fan base quickly turned on him for his "controlling" behaviour. As a result, he was unable to cope with the backlash and negative publicity that came with appearing on the show, and turned to drugs as an escape. "Charlie's demon was meth a few years back. Because of it he said his wiring in his brain was screwed," a friend told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12507507/Bachelerotte-cliff-plunge-death-Charlie-Newling-booze-meth-fame-Kristal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>. "He got off meth in 2020, and he went to Queensland<a id="mol-10e8fde0-5137-11ee-af22-f392a4134fa8" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/queensland/index.html" target="_self"> </a>to escape the drug." While living in Queensland, Charlie met his on-again, off-again partner Kristal Taylor. However, his demons caught up with him when the pair returned to Sydney and began living in Sydney's east in 2021. "They moved in together but he was out of control with drinking and prescription drugs." He then checked into a rehab clinic in 2022, as friends and family witnessed Newling's declining mental health and alarming alcohol abuse in recent years. "His biggest addiction was booze," the friend said. During his periods of addiction, Charlie had a few run ins with the law, and was sentenced to 13 months in prison for threatening to torture and kill his stepfather in a series of 37 text messages he sent to his mother over a three hour period. He was also convicted of a mid-range drink driving offence in 2021. Charlie's death is not being treated as suspicious, and a report is being prepared for the coroner. Image credits: Ten

Caring

Jelena Dokic's candid discussion about mental health

Jelena Dokic has opened up about her struggled with mental health issues, being diagnosed with an eating disorder, and the trauma that came with being a young tennis champion. The 40-year-old spoke candidly with <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/jelena-dokic-new-book-fearless-mental-health-recovery-diagnosis/83b5c0b9-4e64-40a9-b3b7-da438485f24f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a> ahead of the release of her tell-all book Fearless: Finding the Power to Thrive, which hits the shelves on September 12th. In Jelena's first book Unbreakable, she documented the abuse she endured at the hands of her father and tennis coach Damir Dokic. After the release of Unbreakable, Jelena found strength from other women who came forward to share their stories of abuse. "It's changed my life," she told 9Honey. "I say that the day that Unbreakable came out was the best day of my life. It was the beginning of healing for me and basically finding happiness." She shared how her cultural background of being born in Croatia, combined with the secrecy of her career, meant she couldn't speak out about her abuse. "I was taught to be silent, to never say a word, to not speak up and to never talk about those things that go on behind closed doors. "And if you look at a lot of things in this world like abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, mental health, the power of those things is the silence, and that's how the abusers and the perpetrators control the situation." She went on to cite the MeToo movement, and stories of survival from Grace Tame and Simone Biles as reasons to come forward with her own story. "Everything changed once those amazing women spoke up," she says. Since going public with her story of struggling with mental health issues as a result of her abuse, Jelena has been subject to a slew of online hate. As a result of the onslaught and lasting trauma, the former tennis champion was diagnosed with bing-eating disorder, or BED. "I didn't even know originally that I had it," Dokic explains. She says she thought her disordered eating behaviours were "kind of normal" particularly on the professional sports circuit. "It wasn't really until the last couple years where I was dealing with actual trauma from the past and going through a lot of these things where I've discovered 'OK, I've got an eating disorder,'" Dokic says. After losing and regaining 50kgs in the past few years, and being the target of relentless online body shaming, Jelena wanted to speak out about body positivity and those who target different body types. "That's why I wanted to talk about it because again, I think that for a lot of people, it will resonate with them and I think that we need that representation," she said. "It doesn't matter because that should not be that main topic, do you know what I mean? "My kindness and who I am at my core, my IQ, my important values. Not my measurements." Through dealing with lasting trauma, an eating disorder, and a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), all while being in the limelight, Jelena said it is important to be open and honest about your struggles, and not paint the picture of perfectionism. She has learned that being strong "has nothing to do with putting on this perfect front". "There's actually so much strength in being vulnerable," Dokic shares. "That actually takes courage and strength, being vulnerable and being honest and raw and open about everything, especially about your tough moments." "I am very proud of myself where I am now," she says. "And the biggest thing I'm proud of is the fact that there is absolutely no hate, bitterness or frustration from me going towards anyone or anything in life. "I have embraced all the difficult and tough times and just tried to make a positive impact. And I am, yeah, I'm very proud of that." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Terminally ill teacher convicted of child abuse granted end-of-life permit

A convicted child abuser from Adelaide, who was imprisoned for his acts of paedophilia against students during his tenure as a music teacher, has been authorised to pursue assisted dying, according to an exclusive report by <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/exclusive-adelaide-news-jailed-paedophile-teacher-malcolm-day-given-end-of-life-permit-voluntary-assisted-dying/cab7e95c-f3b1-4dbd-ae0d-cc8dbfee22c0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. Malcolm Day, aged 81, has emerged as the first incarcerated individual in Australia to receive approval for voluntary assisted dying following a terminal illness diagnosis, reportedly linked to cancer. Having received a 20-year prison sentence last June, Day's remaining term spans 17 years. Navigating the 11-step process required for accessing voluntary assisted dying in South Australia, Day's application is reported to be in its concluding stages, potentially reaching completion within the next few days. Dr Philip Nitschke, the director of the pro-euthanasia organisation Exit International, acknowledged that an incarcerated individual availing themselves of this scheme was an inevitable eventuality. "By the sounds of it, he satisfies all the conditions of the South Australian assisted dying legislation," Dr Nitschke told 9News. "So there should be no impediment… he should be given the option that any other person would have if they were terminally ill." During the 1980s, Day, while serving as a music teacher in South Australia, inflicted profound and lasting harm upon two of his students. After grooming and exploiting his victims, he vehemently refuted all allegations when investigated by educational authorities. When Day was sentenced, his legal representative, Stephen Ey, acknowledged the real possibility of his client passing away behind bars, saying at the time that it was "a real prospect... given his age." According to the latest data from SA Health, since the initiation of voluntary assisted dying in January of this year, 39 terminally ill residents of South Australia have opted to peacefully conclude their lives after being granted the necessary permits. Image: Nine News

Legal

Not all mental health apps are helpful. Experts explain the risks, and how to choose one wisely

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeannie-marie-paterson-6367">Jeannie Marie Paterson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-t-van-dam-389879">Nicholas T. Van Dam</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/piers-gooding-207492">Piers Gooding</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> There are thousands of mental health apps available on the app market, offering services including meditation, mood tracking and counselling, among others. You would think such “health” and “wellbeing” apps – which often present as solutions for conditions such as <a href="https://www.headspace.com/">anxiety</a> and <a href="https://www.calm.com">sleeplessness</a> – would have been rigorously tested and verified. But this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, many may be taking your money and data in return for a service that does nothing for your mental health – at least, not in a way that’s backed by scientific evidence. <h2>Bringing AI to mental health apps</h2> Although some mental health apps connect users with a <a href="https://www.betterhelp.com/get-started/?go=true&utm_source=AdWords&utm_medium=Search_PPC_c&utm_term=betterhelp+australia_e&utm_content=133525856790&network=g&placement=&target=&matchtype=e&utm_campaign=15228709182&ad_type=text&adposition=&kwd_id=kwd-401317619253&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoeemBhCfARIsADR2QCtfZHNw8mqpBe7cLfLtZBD-JZ5xvAmDCfol8npbAAH3ALJGYvpngtoaAtFlEALw_wcB¬_found=1&gor=start">registered therapist</a>, most provide a fully automated service that bypasses the human element. This means they’re not subject to the same standards of care and confidentiality as a registered mental health professional. Some aren’t even designed by mental health professionals. These apps also increasingly claim to be incorporating artificial intelligence into their design to make personalised recommendations (such as for meditation or mindfulness) to users. However, they give little detail about this process. It’s possible the recommendations are based on a user’s previous activities, similar to Netflix’s <a href="https://help.netflix.com/en/node/100639">recommendation algorithm</a>. Some apps such as <a href="https://legal.wysa.io/privacy-policy#aiChatbot">Wysa</a>, <a href="https://www.youper.ai/">Youper</a> and <a href="https://woebothealth.com/">Woebot</a> use AI-driven chatbots to deliver support, or even established therapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy. But these apps usually don’t reveal what kinds of algorithms they use. It’s likely most of these AI chatbots use <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/How-to-choose-between-a-rules-based-vs-machine-learning-system">rules-based systems</a> that respond to users in accordance with predetermined rules (rather than learning on the go as adaptive models do). These rules would ideally prevent the unexpected (and often <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkadgm/man-dies-by-suicide-after-talking-with-ai-chatbot-widow-says">harmful and inappropriate</a>) outputs AI chatbots have become known for – but there’s no guarantee. The use of AI in this context comes with risks of biased, discriminatory or completely inapplicable information being provided to users. And these risks haven’t been adequately investigated. <h2>Misleading marketing and a lack of supporting evidence</h2> Mental health apps might be able to provide certain benefits to users if they are well designed and properly vetted and deployed. But even then they can’t be considered a substitute for professional therapy targeted towards conditions such as anxiety or depression. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/pixels-are-not-people-mental-health-apps-are-increasingly-popular-but-human-connection-is-still-key-192247">clinical value</a> of automated mental health and mindfulness apps is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1077722918300233?casa_token=lwm1E6FhcG0AAAAA:saV7szbZl4DqbvmZiomLG9yMWi_4-zbmy3QCtQzVEQr957QX1E7Aiqkm5BcEntR0mVFgfDVo">still being assessed</a>. Evidence of their efficacy is generally <a href="https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000002">lacking</a>. Some apps make ambitious claims regarding their effectiveness and refer to studies that supposedly support their benefits. In many cases these claims are based on less-than-robust findings. For instance, they may be based on: <ul> <li><a href="https://sensa.health/">user testimonials</a></li> <li>short-term studies with narrow <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/mental-health-chatbots">or homogeneous cohorts</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9533203/">studies involving</a> researchers or funding from the very group <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/13/chatbots-robot-therapists-youth-mental-health-crisis">promoting the app</a></li> <li>or evidence of the benefits of a <a href="https://www.headspace.com/meditation/anxiety">practice delivered face to face</a> (rather than via an app).</li> </ul> Moreover, any claims about reducing symptoms of poor mental health aren’t carried through in contract terms. The fine print will typically state the app does not claim to provide any physical, therapeutic or medical benefit (along with a host of other disclaimers). In other words, it isn’t obliged to successfully provide the service it promotes. For some users, mental health apps may even cause harm, and lead to increases in the very <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34074221/">symptoms</a> people so often use them to address. The may happen, in part, as a result of creating more awareness of problems, without providing the tools needed to address them. In the case of most mental health apps, research on their effectiveness won’t have considered <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9505389/">individual differences</a> such as socioeconomic status, age and other factors that can influence engagement. Most apps also will not indicate whether they’re an inclusive space for marginalised people, such as those from culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTQ+ or neurodiverse communities. <h2>Inadequate privacy protections</h2> Mental health apps are subject to standard consumer protection and privacy laws. While data protection and <a href="https://cybersecuritycrc.org.au/sites/default/files/2021-07/2915_cscrc_casestudies_mentalhealthapps_1.pdf">cybersecurity</a> practices vary between apps, an investigation by research foundation Mozilla <a href="https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/are-mental-health-apps-better-or-worse-at-privacy-in-2023">concluded that</a> most rank poorly. For example, the mindfulness app <a href="https://www.headspace.com/privacy-policy">Headspace</a> collects data about users from a <a href="https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/headspace/">range of sources</a>, and uses those data to advertise to users. Chatbot-based apps also commonly repurpose conversations to predict <a href="https://legal.wysa.io/privacy-policy">users’ moods</a>, and use anonymised user data to train the language models <a href="https://www.youper.ai/policy/privacy-policy">underpinning the bots</a>. Many apps share so-called <a href="https://theconversation.com/popular-fertility-apps-are-engaging-in-widespread-misuse-of-data-including-on-sex-periods-and-pregnancy-202127">anonymised</a> data with <a href="https://www.wysa.com/">third parties</a>, such as <a href="https://www.headspace.com/privacy-policy">employers</a>, that sponsor their use. Re-identification of <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2017/december/research-reveals-de-identified-patient-data-can-be-re-identified">these data</a> can be relatively easy in some cases. Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) doesn’t require most mental health and wellbeing apps to go through the same testing and monitoring as other medical products. In most cases, they are lightly regulated as <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/how-we-regulate/manufacturing/medical-devices/manufacturer-guidance-specific-types-medical-devices/regulation-software-based-medical-devices">health and lifestyle</a> products or tools for <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/digital-mental-health-software-based-medical-devices.pdf">managing mental health</a> that are excluded from TGA regulations (provided they meet certain criteria). <h2>How can you choose an app?</h2> Although consumers can access third-party rankings for various mental health apps, these often focus on just a few elements, such as <a href="https://onemindpsyberguide.org/apps/">usability</a> or <a href="https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/categories/mental-health-apps/">privacy</a>. Different guides may also be inconsistent with each other. Nonetheless, there are some steps you can take to figure out whether a particular mental health or mindfulness app might be useful for you. <ol> <li> consult your doctor, as they may have a better understanding of the efficacy of particular apps and/or how they might benefit you as an individual </li> <li> check whether a mental health professional or trusted institution was involved in developing the app </li> <li> check if the app has been rated by a third party, and compare different ratings </li> <li> make use of free trials, but be careful of them shifting to paid subscriptions, and be wary about trials that require payment information upfront </li> <li> stop using the app if you experience any adverse effects. </li> </ol> Overall, and most importantly, remember that an app is never a substitute for real help from a human professional.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211513/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeannie-marie-paterson-6367">Jeannie Marie Paterson</a>, Professor of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-t-van-dam-389879">Nicholas T. Van Dam</a>, Associate Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/piers-gooding-207492">Piers Gooding</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Disability Research Initiative, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/not-all-mental-health-apps-are-helpful-experts-explain-the-risks-and-how-to-choose-one-wisely-211513">original article</a>.

Mind

Bruce Springsteen cancels shows after being "taken ill"

Bruce Springsteen's upcoming performances have been unexpectedly put on hold due to his falling ill, leading to the postponement of his scheduled shows. A sudden announcement, posted on the singer's official X account, has informed fans that the show dates will be rescheduled. "Due to Bruce Springsteen having been taken ill, his concerts with The E Street Band at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on August 16 and 18 have been postponed. We are working on rescheduling the dates so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled shows." This announcement emerged mere hours before the debut show, just as eager fans were anticipating a memorable experience with Springsteen and his band. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Due to Bruce Springsteen having been taken ill, his concerts with The E Street Band at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on August 16 and 18 have been postponed. We are working on rescheduling the dates so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled… — Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) <a href="https://twitter.com/springsteen/status/1691872953414115424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></blockquote> This occurrence isn't the first instance where the music icon had to modify a show at the 11th hour due to health issues. Earlier this year, Springsteen communicated the postponement of his March 9 event at the Nationwide Arena in Ohio, attributing it to "illness." No explicit details about his health condition were disclosed in that instance either, but fans were encouraged to retain their original tickets for the rescheduled shows. Following the Ohio cancellation, two more postponements were subsequently declared. The performance originally slated for March 12 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut has been rescheduled to September, while the March 14 show at the MVP Arena in Albany, upstate New York, was similarly postponed. Both changes were tied to unspecified health concerns. During this period, Steven Van Zandt, a member of the E Street Band, assuaged fans' concerns. He reassured them via Twitter, stating: "No need to be anxious or afraid. Nothing serious. Just a temporary situation. We will all be back in full force very soon." The band embarked on their tour in February, commencing in Tampa and traversing the United States before crossing the Atlantic to Europe in April. Returning to the United States in August, Springsteen and his crew intended to entertain audiences for several more months before culminating the extensive tour on December 10 in San Francisco. With a career spanning over 50 years, the seasoned singer-songwriter shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Caring

Sandra Bullock mourns the passing of her longtime partner after private illness

Hollywood star Sandra Bullock's beloved partner, Bryan Randall, has passed away at the age of 57, with the heart-wrenching news confirmed by his grieving family in a statement shared on Monday. “It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS,” the statement read. “Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honour his request. We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours. At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan.” The statement was signed with a poignant, "His Loving Family". Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a merciless neurological affliction that ravages motor neurons that command delicate voluntary muscle movement. Regrettably, there is currently no remedy for the condition. Bullock, aged 59, crossed paths with model-turned-photographer Randall when he was summoned to capture her son Louis’ birthday celebration in the early days of 2015. Their connection was immediate and profound. The mother-of-two, and an actress who has fiercely guarded her privacy over the years, chose to unveil fragments of her relationship's intimacy during a candid appearance on Red Table Talk in 2021. “I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children — three children, [Randall’s] older daughter. It’s the best thing ever,” Bullock said at the time. “I don’t wanna say do it like I do it, but I don’t need a paper to be a devoted partner and devoted mother … I don’t need to be told to be ever present in the hardest of times. I don’t need to be told to weather a storm with a good man.” She added that Randall was also a superb “example” to her two children: “He’s the example that I would want my children to have... I have a partner who’s very Christian and there are two different ways of looking at things. I don’t always agree with him, and he doesn’t always agree with me. But he is an example even when I don’t agree with him... I’m stubborn but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, ‘You’re saying it differently but we mean exactly the same thing.’ “It’s hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself.” "He was so happy, but he was scared. I'm a bulldozer. My life was already on the track, and here's this beautiful human being who doesn't want anything to do with my life but the right human being to be there." Images: Getty

Caring

Tracking the shift in meanings of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ over time

<div class="copy"> The mental health terms ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ have become increasingly pathologised since the 1970s, according to analysis by Australian researchers of more than a million academic and general text sources. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0288027" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Publishing</a> in PLOS ONE, psychology and computer science researchers from the University of Melbourne tracked the frequency and meaning of the concepts ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ from 1970 to 2018, and words that occurred in their vicinity. Using natural language processing, the team analysed more than 630 million words across 871,340 academic psychology papers, as well as 400,000 texts from general sources such as magazines, newspapers and non-fiction books. Paper co-author psychologist Professor Nicholas Haslam has a long standing interest in how mental health terms change their meanings over time, particularly the way harm-related words like bullying, abuse and trauma tend to expand over time, incorporating new, and often less severe kinds of experiences. Haslam says that trend reflects progressive social change and a rising sensitivity to harm and suffering in our culture. “We emphasize [that’s] mostly a good thing,” he says. <iframe title="The Emoji Squad: The Mysterious Group Behind the Little Icons We Love 🤝" src="https://omny.fm/shows/huh-science-explained/the-emoji-squad-the-mysterious-group-behind-the-li/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe> The terms ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ were selected for analysis as prevalent, prominent mental health concepts. The researchers expected the emotional intensity and severity of the two terms to reduce over time as the frequency of their use increased. That expectation was informed by previous research using a similar approach, co-authored by Haslam and <a href="https://sciendo.com/article/10.58734/plc-2023-0002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">publishing in</a> Sciendo, where increasing use of the word ‘trauma’ since the 1970s was associated with a shift in meaning including a broadening of use and declining severity. They hypothesised a similar trend for ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’. “Well, we didn’t find what we expected,” Haslam says. Contrary to expectation, the emotional severity associated with anxiety and depression increased linearly over time. The authors say this is possibly due to growing pathologising of the terms, given their analysis shows use of the words increasingly linked to clinical concepts. In particular, the terms ‘disorder’ and ‘symptom’ have become more commonly associated with ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ in more recent decades, the paper says, finding similar patterns in both the academic and general texts. Anxiety and depression were also increasingly used together, compared to use in the ‘70s where the terms were more likely to refer to separate things. Haslam says, these shifts in meaning could reflect growing awareness of mental health in society and more research is needed into the implications, he says. But he notes this is an area where there can be “mixed blessings”. On the one hand, greater awareness of anxiety and depression can help people to seek appropriate treatment; and on the other, pathologising more ordinary variations in mood can risk become self-fulfilling or self-defeating. At a more systemic level, pathologising the milder end of the mental health spectrum could risk leading to a misallocation of resources away from the more severe and urgent mental health problems, Haslam says. Image credits: Getty Images <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/social-sciences/tracking-the-shift-in-meanings-of-anxiety-and-depression-over-time/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock">Petra Stock</a>. </div>

Mind

Olympian dies at just 37 years of age

It’s a sad day in the world of winter sports and the Alpine Ski World Cup. Italian skier and silver medalist, Elena Fanchini has died at 37 from a tumour. "At the end of a serious illness, Elena Fanchini passed away in her home in Solato (near Brescia)," the Italian Winter Sports Federation said in a short statement. Fanchini died on the same day that fellow Italian skier Marta Bassio won the super-G world championships in Meribel, France; and just two days after Federica Brignone, a former teammate, won gold in combined. Another fellow skier, Sofia Goggia, the favourite for Saturday’s downhill, dedicated her win in Cortina d’Ampezzo last month to Fanchini. American champion skier, Mikaela Shiffrin took to Twitter to share her grief over Fanchini’s death. "This was a day filled with emotions. There is so much I'd like to share... but what weighs the heaviest is the loss of @ElenaFanchini,” she said in her tweet. Fanchini won a silver medal in the 2005 world championships and two World Cup races in her career - both in downhill. Fanchini last skied competitively in December 2017. She was cleared to return to training almost a year late but her condition had worsened. She had to miss the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics because of her condition. Fanchini's younger sisters Nadia and Sabrina were also World Cup racers. Image credit: Getty

Caring

Hallucinations in the movies tend to be about chaos, violence and mental distress. But they can be positive too

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-patterson-308185">Christopher Patterson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-procter-147517">Nicholas Procter</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Hallucinations are often depicted in the movies as terrifying experiences. Think Jake Gyllenhaal seeing a monstrous rabbit in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/">Donnie Darko</a>, Leonardo DiCaprio experiencing the torture of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/reel-therapy/201002/shutter-island-separating-fact-fiction">Shutter Island</a>, Natalie Portman in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/">Black Swan</a>, or Joaquin Phoenix as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/21/joker-mental-illness-joaquin-phoenix-dangerous-misinformed">Joker</a>. Each character experiences some form of psychological distress. Scenes connect to, or even explain, a decline into chaos and violence. Experiencing hallucinations can be distressing for some people and their loved ones. However, focusing solely on such depictions perpetuates myths and misconceptions about hallucinations. They also potentially perpetuate harmful stereotypes of mental distress. Movies such as Joker use a broad, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/21/joker-mental-illness-joaquin-phoenix-dangerous-misinformed">arguably incorrect</a>, brush to connect hallucinations, mental health issues and violence. This reinforces the misconception that hallucinations always indicate mental health issues, when this is not necessarily true. <h2>What are hallucinations?</h2> Hallucinations are perceptions that occur without a corresponding external stimulus. They can involve any of the human senses. Auditory hallucinations involve hearing things that aren’t there, such as voices or sounds. Visual hallucinations involve seeing things that aren’t there, such as lights, objects or people. Tactile hallucinations involve feeling things that aren’t there, such as a sensation of something crawling on your skin. Gustatory hallucinations involve taste and smell. People often confuse hallucinations and delusions. The two can be related, but they are not the same thing. Delusions are false beliefs, firmly held by a person despite evidence to the contrary. A person might believe someone is following them (a delusion), and see and hear that figure (a hallucination). Before the 17th century, hallucinations were commonly thought to be of <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00991/full">cultural and religious</a> significance. However, between the mid-1600s and 1700s, hallucinations began to be understood as medical concerns, related to both mental and physical illnesses. This medical lens of hallucination remains. Now we know which <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702442/">parts of the brain</a> are activated when someone has a hallucination. <h2>What causes hallucinations?</h2> Hallucinations can be a sign of serious mental health issues. The presence or experience of hallucinations is, for example, one of the criteria used to <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/DSM/APA_DSM-5-Schizophrenia.pdf">diagnose schizophrenia</a> (delusions are another). Hallucinations may also provide insight into mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. However, hallucinations can also be linked to other medical conditions. Hallucinations can be caused by fever, as well as disease or damage impacting the brain or <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-charles-bonnet-syndrome-the-eye-condition-that-causes-hallucinations-122322">optic nerves</a>. Parkinson’s disease causes visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7116251/">in up to 75% of people</a>. Epilepsy and migraine headaches are also linked to hallucinations, and can cause perceptual disturbances, sometimes for days. Substance use, particularly of <a href="https://theconversation.com/weekly-dose-ayahuasca-a-cautionary-tale-for-tourists-eager-to-try-this-shamanic-brew-73953">hallucinogenic drugs</a> such as LSD or ketamine, can also cause hallucinations. Hallucinations can also occur in people without any underlying medical conditions. For example, some people may experience hallucinations during times of <a href="https://academic.oup.com/schizophreniabulletin/article/46/6/1367/5939754">extreme distress or grief</a>. Environmental factors such as <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00303/full">sleep deprivation</a> can cause a range of perceptual disturbances, including visual and auditory hallucinations. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4354964/">Sensory deprivation</a>, such as being placed in a soundproof room, can also cause hallucinations. But still, the common image that hallucinations are connected only to mental health issues persists. <h2>Hallucinations can be frightening, but not always</h2> Hallucinations can be frightening for people, and their families. And the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020764016675888">stigma</a> and misconceptions surrounding hallucinations can have a significant impact on someone who experiences them. People who have hallucinations may be afraid or embarrassed of being considered “bizarre” or “unsafe”, and therefore may avoid seeking help. But hallucinations are <a href="https://www.intervoiceonline.org/voices-visions/voices-as-a-gift">not always scary or disturbing</a>. Some hallucinations can be neutral or even pleasant. People have been sharing on social media their positive and empowering experience of hallucinations. In the example below, we see one person’s positive experience of hearing voices. Yet we rarely see such depictions of hallucinations in the movies. <hr /> <iframe id="tc-infographic-853" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/853/9f702c4fefadeb810f9d64d7b4512b39a655a262/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> <h2>How to support someone having hallucinations</h2> If you are with someone who is having hallucinations, particularly if these are new or distressing for them, here are several ways you can support them: <ul> <li> ask the person if they want to talk about what they are experiencing and listen to them without judgment: “I cannot hear what you are hearing, can you tell me about it?” </li> <li> <a href="https://tuneinnotout.com/videos/r-u-ok-ask-experts-nicholas-procter/">listen</a>. Don’t argue or blame. Acknowledge that hallucinations are real to the person, even if they are seemingly unusual and not based in reality: “I cannot see what you see, but I do understand you see it.” </li> <li> empathise with how the person feels about their experiences. “I cannot feel or taste it, but I can imagine it would be a difficult experience. I can see how much it is concerning you.” </li> <li> support someone to seek care. Persistent or distressing hallucinations should always be evaluated by a qualified health professional. Establishing potential causes is important: “I cannot hear it like you, but let’s talk to a health professional about it. They can help us understand what might be happening.” </li> <li> encourage the person to <a href="https://www.intervoiceonline.org/national-networks#content">reach out to their peers</a> as well as to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01612840.2023.2189953?src=recsys">hearing voices groups</a> for ongoing support. </li> </ul> We’d like to acknowledge <a href="https://www.nswmentalhealthcommission.com.au/staff-profile/tim-heffernan">Tim Heffernan</a>, Deputy Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of New South Wales, who contributed to this article. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.  <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-patterson-308185">Christopher Patterson</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-procter-147517">Nicholas Procter</a>, Professor and Chair: Mental Health Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hallucinations-in-the-movies-tend-to-be-about-chaos-violence-and-mental-distress-but-they-can-be-positive-too-204547">original article</a>.

Caring

How to beat the retirement blues

When people plan their retirement they don’t usually expect Post retiring depression (PRD). This kind of depression usually stems from dashed expectations, financial trouble or feeling lost and lonely. That’s why we’ve got four top tips to avoid PRD and enjoy your free time. 1. Plan it out Know what you want to do, not what you think you should be doing. Don’t hold back in indulging yourself, travelling the world, volunteering abroad – the temporary discomfort of not knowing is better than realising when it’s too late that you never completed your bucket list. 2. Routine A sudden lack of structure can become exhausting or at least unsettling. Schedule activities such as exercise, housework, errands, and social time. Then let the day flow from there. 3. Keep active There is a lot of research to show that the people who cope best with retirement are those who stay active and involved. This might include: <ul> <li>Developing an old hobby or starting a new one. </li> <li>Staying physically active, through walking, swimming, gym or sport. Make sure your exercise routine is appropriate for your physical capacities and limitations. </li> <li>Volunteering with a charity or church group. </li> <li>Working part-time. </li> <li>Studying a course.</li> </ul> 4. Stay in touch Loneliness and isolation can be easily avoided, so don’t fall into the trap of feeling alone. Make the effort to stay in contact with family and friends. Offer to babysit your grandchildren. Check out local community centres for upcoming activities you might enjoy. Even if you're not sure try something new, you might surprise yourself! Images: Getty

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