2020 – what a tumultuous year we have seen so far from bushfires to now COVID-19.
Regardless of the situation, one thing that remains constant is the spirit of Australians to rebuild, recover and display resilience.
Now is the time to embrace community spirit.
It is heartening to see Australians reaching out to their close circles of family, friends and neighbours but also to strangers who are facing tough times.
Simple acts of kindness and generosity is all it takes to flip someone’s day upside down.
One thing I’d like to say, is that it is perfectly understandable if you feel anxious and concerned about the current climate.
It is not an unusual response to feel unsettled or worried about a situation so new and novel to a lot of us.
A point that has become evident, is the amount of power each individual holds in this crisis situation.
Our individual acts of staying indoors as much as possible, maintaining good hygiene, avoiding mass gathering and keeping a 1.5 metre distance from others is what you as an individual can do, not only to flatten the COVID-19 curve but also to see this through to the other end quicker.
It is the duty of each and every Australian to follow guidelines set by the Australian Government to take the pressure off of our health system and ensure that everyone can access treatment when required.
This will also help to remove the burden placed on our health care workers particularly, who are working tirelessly, caring for the affected.
Besides this, it is important for all of us to take care of our mental health and practice self-care strategies.
It is important to engage in activities that keep you calm and occupied such as going for a walk, staying connected to your contacts via social media, maintaining a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep, being physically active et cetera – small things that can make a huge difference in your everyday lives.
At the Mental Health Foundation, we are doing what we can to help community members through this pandemic.
We have a 1300 helpline number for those requiring assistance to be correctly directed to relevant support services.
We are also running a number of free support groups online for those living with a mental illness to feel like they are not alone.
We encourage you to visit our website, www.mhfa.org.au for more information.
If you require information about counselling and other support services, please call our helpline on 1300 643 287.
Now is truly the time to present a united Australian front and embrace our community spirit to help us overcome this virus.
Vasan Srinivasan
Mental Health Foundation Australia chairperson
