https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/how-confronting-the-past-inspired-an-artist/3898225/ THE artwork on Chelsea Claydon's right hand paints the picture of her journey, where she is at and where she wants to be. A butterfly represents how life may start off ugly but it's forever changing and can be beautiful. The word 'inspire' is a message to keep going - "the smallest bit of inspiration can come from anywhere". And the semi colon, rather than a full stop, reminds her 'keep going and don't stop, you have a story to tell'. Miss Claydon's art has been a powerful coping mechanism for her mental health and the trauma of her past - which for her privacy we will not disclose. Her mum's work in disability services resonated with the 22 year old, and her creative flare has enabled her to turn negative thoughts and emotions into a blossoming career. "Mum would come home and I'd be covered head to toe in quotes and little drawings - it was a way for me to not pick or scratch or anything in that manner that was going to cause me harm," Miss Claydon said.
"Sometimes I'll be hit with PTSD memories and the only way to cope with it is through a creative outlet, otherwise I would just sit there and end up self-imploding in some way, shape or form." After years of built-up emotional distress, Miss Claydon realised when she was 18, she needed proper diagnosis so she could move forward. She went to a counsellor who said they would not focus on her trauma but her future. The reality, Miss Claydon said, was that she needed to focus on her trauma to deal with her future. It was when a GP finally diagnosed her with PTSD, anxiety and depression that a wave of relief rushed over her. At last she had confirmation of what she had known for so long and could finally address it. "Six years of bottled up trauma and hurt was like a champagne bottle - take that cork off. I was so happy and mum was just in utter shock," Miss Claydon said. "I said 'mum I'm OK, I've got what I needed and what I've been looking for for so long'. "Now I'm extremely happy - I'm in my space, in my element, I'm loved and I can be myself and be weird. Even when I am in an unfortunate episode, the person that is there is extremely supportive." It was disclosing her anxieties that enabled Miss Claydon to get the help she needed. She admits it can be a confronting conversation for the country's youth to have but says organisations such as Headspace and online forums are exceptional resources to help get the weight of the world off your chest. "I can just vent and de-stress and there are all these ladies that shower you with support," Miss Claydon said. "It is very hard to talk and open up, I get that completely, but for those that want to give it a go and actually try it, it works. "At the end of the day you don't let your past control you, you control it." If you need support this Christmas, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14. Early intervention critical THE change from childhood to adult life comes with a variety of transitional factors, and with that comes a host of mental health issues Mackay youths are confronted by. It is something Headspace Mackay psychologist Sonia Wyatt sees regularly; family issues, the stresses of school and the evolution of relationships all contributing to mental illnesses in teenagers. Last financial year, Headspace Mackay records show, more than half of those who used the service were aged between 12 and 17. Mrs Wyatt said the organisation had begun to make strides in reducing the stigma among teenagers, but early intervention was crucial to ensure future mental health concerns were avoided or managed. “We’re adaptive creatures and we will tend to put in place our own coping strategies in our adolescences to get through,” she said. “Sometimes they’re helpful coping strategies, but other times they’re quite maladaptive and unhelpful. “What you see is relationships in early adulthood tend to repeat those same dysfunctional patterns. "What that means is they have ongoing experiences with depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.” A recent study examined risk factors that prompted 12 to 17 year olds to transition from thinking about hurting themselves to acting on those thoughts. Conducted by researchers from QIMR Berghofer and The University of Queensland’s Centre for Clinical Research, the research revealed that young people who reported suicidal thoughts and experienced hallucinations and psychological distress were at the greatest risk of future suicide attempts. Head of QIMR Berghofer’s Mental Health Program, Associate Professor James Scott, said suicide was the leading cause of death in 15 to 24 year olds, with between two and three per cent of all Australian adolescents attempting suicide every year. “A key challenge is that suicidal thinking in adolescents is common,” he said. “Identifying the risk factors that are associated with the transition of adolescents from thinking of suicide to acting on those thoughts is critical for keeping young people safe.”
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AuthorWith instances of suicide and mental illness increasing at Christmas time, I pitched a series of a page each day for a week covering a variety of mental health issues ArchivesCategories |