Minding Your Mind

What causes our moods? Why are some people more moody than others? Do we get less moody as we get older?  Can we learn to control or at least influence our moods ?

How do we cheer ourselves up when in a bad mood?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au . Thanks to Future Generation Global.

Denial is when we pretend something isn’t happening, and deliberately don’t think about it.  Humans do it a lot. ‘No, I don’t have a drinking problem.’ ‘I’m not stressed, just a bit busy at work’. ‘I’m fine. I feel great’. Why do we go into denial?  How do we stop? Is denial sometimes useful?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au. Thanks to Future Generation Global

How much influence does what you eat and drink have on your mental health? What should you eat and drink for good mental health?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au Thanks to Future Generation Global

Atypical depression is a type of depression that is more episodic. Someone feels fine for a few days, then plunges into a deep depression for the next few. Then the pattern repeats. What causes it and how is it treated?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au . Thanks to Future Generation Global.

How important is friendship at different stages of life? How important is it for good mental health? How do you make friends? What makes a good friend?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au. Thanks to Future Generation Global.

If you are living with someone who has mental illness, what should do you do?  How can you help? What are the right, and wrong, things to say and do? And how do you take care of yourself?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au Thanks to Future Generation Global

Many parents say boys and girls are different from day 1. Boys run around more, girls do quieter activities. Is that just people bringing their own preconceptions and prejudices into it, or is there some physiological truth there? How different are the genders? Are men more aggressive? Women more caring? What about those who don’t feel that the gender identity they were given at birth fits?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au. Thanks to Future Generation Global

How are mental illness and mental health conditions diagnosed? How often do mental health professionals get it right? Are they getting better at it?   Shouldn’t there be a machine by now, that can just look at our brain and tell us exactly what is going on?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au. Thanks to Future Generation Global.

Many of us have too much stuff, but find it hard to get rid of any of it. Who knows, you just might need that year 10 maths book one day. For some, hoarding becomes a real problem that interferes with their life. Why do people hoard? How do you treat hoarding?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected] . Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au , Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or on 13 11 14 and www.headspace.org.au.Thanks to Future Generation Global.

What makes us want to get to the top? What is ambition?  Where does it come from? What is the right mix between having goals, but not being so focussed on them that we forget to enjoy the ride?

If you have any questions or comments email Ian and James at [email protected]. Let them know any other topics you’d like them to cover.

To find out more about depression and support services you can contact Head to Health at www.headtohealth.gov.au  Beyond Blue atwww.beyondblue.org.au, Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.auor on 13 11 14 andwww.headspace.org.au. Thanks to Future Generation Global.