Smoking rates among people with a mental illness are much higher than the general population. SANE has developed resources specially to help them quit, including the SANE Guide to a SmokeFree Life, and the SANE SmokeFree Kit for health workers to run quit smoking programs tailored for people with a mental illness (to download program material appendixes for the Smokefree Kit click here). See a report on how the Kit has been used in the NSW Breath Easy Project. For advice and further information go to: www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

Around half the population will experience a mental illness at some stage of their life and about one in five people will experience some form of mental health problem each year. About one in every hundred people will develop schizophrenia at some time in their lives and up to two in every hundred will develop bipolar disorder. For more information see Fact sheet and accompanying podcast: Facts and Figures about mental illness. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

Self-harm means any behaviour which involves the deliberate causing of pain or injury to oneself – usually as an extreme way of trying to cope with distressing or painful feelings. Self-harm includes cutting, burning or hitting oneself, binge-eating or starvation, or repeatedly putting oneself in dangerous situations. It can also involve abuse of drugs or alcohol, including overdosing on prescription medications. Use this factsheet to learn more. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

These are ways of helping yourself stay healthy which complement medical treatment. While these can be useful, care needs to be taken, especially when you have a mental illness. Some people use them instead of medical treatment or without consulting their doctor – this can be dangerous as substances used in ‘natural’ therapy are not required to undergo the same rigorous tests for safety as prescribed medications. Use this fact sheet and accompanying podcast to learn more. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

A healthy lifestyle is important for everyone. When we look after our physical health, we feel better too – fitter, more relaxed and better able to cope with things. This is especially important when you have a mental illness. There are lots of ways of being healthy that feel good as well as doing you good. Use this factsheet and accompanying podcast to learn more. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

Looking after our physical health is important for everyone, but it can be an extra challenge if you have a mental illness. This may be related to the symptoms of the illness or the side-effects of medication. It may be because of smoking, not getting enough exercise, or other lifestyle factors. Physical health problems can also get overlooked when everyone’s focus is on looking after your mental health. For advice and further information go to: www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

Use this podcast and accompanying factsheet to teach your students about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: OCD is an anxiety disorder, characterised by the presence of recurring intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses - obsessions and repetitive behavioural and mental rituals - compulsions. People with OCD are usually aware that their symptoms are irrational and excessive, but they find the obsessions uncontrollable impossible to resist.

Use this podcast and accompanying factsheet to teach your students all about eating disorders: An eating disorder is characterised by obsessive thoughts about food and body weight. This includes people who limit the amount of food they eat (Anorexia nervosa), eat lots of food in a very small time and then purge (Bulimia) or overeat often (Compulsive overeating).

A pamphlet in Spanish which answers commonly asked questions about the effects of mental illness on families.

People affected by mental illness experience much poorer physical health than the general population. This is especially true of people living with a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia. It is important, therefore, that they are helped to monitor, maintain, and improve their physical well being. Family, friends, health professionals, and support workers can all play a role in encouraging practical steps to achieve this. Use this fact sheet to find out more. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

A checklist pamphlet explaining the symptoms of bipolar disorder in Vietnamese.

Use this podcast and accompanying factsheet to teach your students about anxiety disorders: An anxiety disorder is a medical condition characterised by persistent, excessive worry. Anxiety disorders can take a number of forms. Common to all of these is an anxiety so distressing, it can interfere with a person’s ability to carry out or take pleasure in day-to-day life. A person may experience more than one anxiety disorder.

Use this fact sheet and accompanying podcast to learn all about the effects of cannabis: Cannabis refers to the products of the cannabis sativa plant, also known as marijuana and hashish (depending on which part of the plant is used). Cannabis is widely available for use as a recreational drug. It is commonly taken by mixing with tobacco and smoking as a hand-rolled joint, or by inhaling through a water-cooled pipe called a bong. It may also be cooked in food and eaten.

Around 20% of adults are affected by some form of mental disorder every year. Anxiety disorders affect around 14% of the adult population every year. Depression affects around 6% of the adult population every year. The remainder are affected by substance abuse disorders, psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, and other conditions. Many people have more than one diagnosis. Use this fact sheet and accompanying podcast to learn more. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

Use this podcast and accompanying factsheet to teach your students about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (sometimes called PTSD) is a form of anxiety disorder. Some people develop this condition after they have experienced a traumatic event. This event might be a serious accident, physical or sexual assault, war or torture, or a natural disaster such as a bushfire or a flood

Looking after our physical health is important for everyone, but it can be an extra challenge if you have a mental illness. This may be related to the symptoms of the illness or the side-effects of medication. It may be because of smoking, not getting enough exercise, or other lifestyle factors. Physical health problems can also get overlooked when everyone’s focus is on looking after your mental health. Use this factsheet and accompanying podcast to learn more. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

Mental health non-government organisations (NGOs) are especially well placed to improve the physical as well as mental health of clients. The Healthy Living Toolkit is a suite of resources to help NGOs succeed in this, including the Healthy Living Guidelines and other materials. The Healthy Living Guidelines outline how a mental health NGO can better support the physical health of clients by creating a Framework for physical health support, a healthy Environment, and ensuring Sustainabilty. For more information, email catriona.bastian@sane.org or call (03) 9682 5933.

Treatment for depression, anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses can include psychological treatments, medication, support in the community, or a combination of these. This Factsheet and accompanying podcast answers commonly-asked questions about psychological treatments. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)

A pamphlet which answers commonly asked questions about the effects of mental illness on families

Use this podcast and accompanying factsheet to teach your students about Borderline Personality Disorder: BPD is a mental disorder. People affected by BPD frequently experience distressing emotional states, difficulty in relating to other people, and self-harming behaviour. Between two and five per cent of the population are affected by BPD at some stage in their lives. The symptoms of the disorder usually first appear in mid to late teens or in early adulthood.

Use this fact sheet to obtain Australia-wide information and referrals regarding mental illness and bereavement. For further information, please contact SANE at www.sane.org & 1800 18 SANE (7263)