The Little Blue Book

Over this period of uncertainty, if you have young children and adolescents at home, know that they will need you. They will be looking to you for emotional support. They will need you to be close, will need your positive thinking, your creative energy and calm support to help them navigate and understand the uncertainties and changes in their lives through the many long months ahead. They, like you, will be challenged by this, and how you respond will impact on them. This publication, THELITTLEBLUEBOOKOFMENTALHEALTH is tohelp you find your reserves of strength and character. To help you become aware of what’s inside; to recognise the thinking and responses that can weaken your emotional resilience, and the thinking and responses that can build your strength and resilience. It provides information, awareness and practical tips to help you ‘ride out’ these challenging months ahead. The guidance, support and information it provides will help you better understand and recognise the mental health challenges posed by lockdown, isolation and financial uncertainty. It provides strategies for resilience, strategies for defusing frustration and anger, and will help you understand and assist children coping with anxiety. It will help you to understand and recognise symptoms of psychological stress, of depression, anxiety and self-harm, and provides practical advice for assisting those who may have these feelings in directing them to professional help. It also addresses and raises awareness of negative behaviours such as gambling, smoking and substance use, as well as gendered and family violence. With the right information, help and advice, we are confident families and individuals can turn this challenge into an opportunity to grow stronger, to grow together, to rediscover connection and unity of purpose, and emerge the better for it. TIM O’BRIEN ADA Australia (2020) 9 ADA Australia