By Mrs Anna Hardy, Acting Deputy Principal

A number of staff from the College are engaging in a Mental Health First aid course offered by the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office throughout this term and next.  The purpose of the course is to help identify the needs of others in mental health.  As a society we are well versed to administer first aid in the practical sense; bandages, bites and heaven forbid CPR but do we know how to help someone with mental health issues?  I thought I would share some wisdom that we have been learning in this course throughout this newsletter article. 

One area of interest to me is Anxiety.  As a Secondary College we are seeing many students who suffer from anxiety and anxiety related disorders.  We also see a lot of behaviours labelled as anxiety.

Anxiety is a really intense worrying which is hard to shake off.  It is often a feeling of nervousness and a feeling of dread.  Anxiety is very common.  One in six young people will suffer from an anxiety condition, (The Road Ahead, 2020).  Everyone experiences anxiety at some time.  Anxiety is mostly caused by perceived threats in the environment, but some people are more likely than others to react with anxiety when they are threatened, (Standard Mental Health First Aid, 2017). 

Anxiety can vary in severity from uneasiness to panic attacks and can also vary  in how long it lasts.  Anxiety can affect a person’s thinking, feeling, behaviour and physical well-being, (Standard Mental Health First Aid, 2017).

People most at risk of Anxiety are those who:

• Have a more sensitive emotional nature and who see the world as threatening
• Have a history of anxiety in childhood, adolescence, including marked shyness
• Are female
• Misuse alcohol
• Experience a traumatic experience
• A difficult childhood (physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect or over-strictness)
• A family background which involves poverty or lack of job skills
• A family history of anxiety disorders
• Parental alcohol problems
• Separation and divorce

(Standard Mental Health First Aid, 2017).

There are many strategies for dealing with anxiety:

• Concentrating on breathing – slow breaths in and out
• Doing something that relaxes your muscles, hot bath, stretching, massage etc
• Do something that relaxes your mind, mediation, talking to someone, playing music etc
• Exercising
• Getting enough sleep
• Eating healthy foods and drinking enough water
• Reduce the amount of caffeine, energy drinks etc
• Seeking professional help – GP’s, Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, Counsellors, Psychiatrists, Occupational Therapist and social workers with mental health training.

(Standard Mental Health First Aid, 2017).

Mental Health First Aid Australia. (2017). Standard Mental Health First Aid (1st ed., pp. 42-47).

Strategies for Managing Anxiety. (2020), 1(1), 6. Retrieved 3 March 2020, from.