Anxiety hits close to home

10 July 2009

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in Australia, with nearly 1 in 7 people likely to experience some type of anxiety disorder in any one year.

So the chances are that either you or someone close to you will have had experience of an anxiety disorder at some time in your lives.

Hunter New England Mental Health, in partnership with Centacare New England, will host an information session on anxiety disorders on Thursday, 16 July from 9.30am to 11.30am at the Centacare Training Centre, 125 Bridge St, Tamworth. To RSVP please contact Sharon Tonkin at Centacare on 6765 7896.

Hunter New England Mental Promotion Officer Libby Wakeford said the session was open to all community members and free of charge, but people should contact Centacare to book their place.

“It will provide an insight into the different types of anxiety disorders, which range from generalised anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder,” Ms Wakeford said.

“People will also learn about signs and symptoms, available treatments and how to respond to someone experiencing early signs of an anxiety disorder.”

Guest speakers from the Tamworth community will also be talking about their own experiences with anxiety.

“There is still a lot of misunderstanding and confusion about mental illnesses,” she said.

“Some of the symptoms associated with anxiety disorders are physical in nature and so can be confused with physical illnesses or conditions like asthma or heart disease.

“Education plays an important role in addressing these misunderstandings, so that people understand what is going on when someone is showing signs and symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder and also where to get help.”

The information session is part of the Talking About It initiative, which aims to increase the understanding of mental health and mental illness within communities, by providing community education on mental health, mental illness, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and eating disorders.

“Access to good quality information plays an important role in helping people take care of their mental health,” Ms Wakeford said.

“It can increase awareness of early signs and symptoms of mental illness to encourage people to seek help, and provides coping strategies for family members and friends.

“It also promotes a greater understanding of what it is like to have a mental illness, which can help counter the stigma that is often associated with mental illness,” she said.

Contact: Frances Holz

Phone: 4939 2216