In the hit television sitcom Frasier, the title character ended his psychiatry radio show by wishing his listeners “good mental health”.
The sentiment was the same at Carinity’s annual Fassifern Mental Health and Wellness Expo held in Boonah on October 16.
More than 180 people, some from as far away as the Sunshine Coast, attended the Mental Health Week event held at the Carinity Fassifern Community Centre.
Thirty guests at a time were able to visit 15 stalls including Drug Arm, NDIS, West Moreton Mental Health, Boonah Males Group, Family Services Australia, Suicide Prevention Network and local counselling services.
A nail technician offered hand massages and nail pampering and attendees received a free ‘self-care and resilience’ bag containing information on mental health and wellbeing and items such as hand sanitiser, manicure sets, lip balm, mindfulness cards, scarves, head bands, water bottles, jewellery and heat bags.
Samantha Caves from Carinity Fassifern Community Centre says the expo aims to enhance social connection and inform the community about local outreach services available within the West Moreton and Scenic Rim region.
She says factors of living in regional areas such as ongoing drought, unemployment and suicide contribute to poor mental health and wellbeing.
“These factors including limited access to support services occurs more frequently in rural and regional areas. Tragic events like suicide not only impact those family and friends directly bereaved but can impact the broader community, particularly within a smaller community,” Samantha says.
“Adopting a collaborative approach when working across health-related sectors to address social determinants to mental health and de-stigmatise mental illness, particularly for rural and regional areas, is essential to bring about change.”
