The Christmas holiday period can be a wonderful time spent celebrating with family and friends. It is also a stressful and difficult time for many people within our families and communities.

What do we do during these challenging times if we feel overwhelmed, stressed, emotional or living with mental health conditions? Equally, it can also be difficult to know what to do if we are concerned about a family member or friend.  

In this special Christmas episode, Wayne sits down with psychiatrist and former Australian of the Year Pat McGorry to discuss some of the early warning signs of stress and potential mental health conditions, what to do if we identify with any signs, what strategies we can use to help cope with stressful situations or emotions. 

Pat also offers some important advice for anyone who might be suicidal as well as advice for family and friends who are trying to support a loved one who is suicidal. 

In this episode we discuss:

• Early warning signs of stress and potential mental health conditions

• What to do if we identify with any warning signs or symptoms

• Types of behaviours, decisions that are not helpful 

• Strategies that we can use to help ourselves

• Strategies that family and friends can use to help a loved one

• What to do if we are feeling suicidal

• What to do if we are concerned about a loved one who is suicidal

Getting Help

Emergency support 000
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyondblue 1300 22 46 36
Sane 1800 18 72 63
Panda 1300 72 63 06
Mind Australia 1300 28 64 63
Mensline 1300 78 99 78
Kids Help Line 1800 55 18 00
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 65 94 67
Qlife 1800 18 45 27

PukaUp

www.pukaup.com
www.pukaup.com/help
www.facebook.com/pukaup
@pukaup (Instagram)
@pukaup (Twitter)
@wayneschwass (Instagram)
@wayneschwass (Twitter)

Pat McGorry has dedicated much of his professional life to the early intervention of mental health conditions for young Australians. Named as the Australian of the Year and awarded the Order of Australia in 2010, Pat continues to advocate for better services and outcomes for young people living with mental health conditions. In this episode Pat explains to host Wayne Schwass why he believes lives lost to suicide are not valued as much as they should be, why talking to family and friends is not enough, why hope is absolutely vital, how stigma is pure discrimination and why every person needs to fight to get the help they deserve to live a fulfilling life.