Summary of 2012 Survey to
MHFAiders@Monash
Acknowledgment
Thank you to all MHFAiders who completed this survey.
Your feedback helps us review and plan how we can introduce
and continue mental health and wellbeing activities @ Monash
We look forward to your continued support in making Monash a
healthier and safer community
The MHFA Trainers @ Monash
2
Composition of respondents
Please indicate which category you belong to:
Answer Options
Academic Staff
General/Professional Staff
Student
Monash Residential Services
Response Percent
Response Count
7.6%
16
63.3%
133
20.0%
42
9.0%
19
answered question
210
3
Campus logistics
Which campus are you based at:
Answer Options
Berwick
Caulfield
Clayton
Gippsland
Peninsula
Parkville
Malaysia
South Africa
Other
Other (please specify)
Response Percent
Response Count
1.9%
12.9%
57.6%
8.1%
8.6%
2.9%
1.9%
0.0%
6.2%
4
27
121
17
18
6
4
0
13
15
answered question
210
4
Year of completion
In which year did you complete your Mental Health First
Aid training?:
Answer
Options
Response
Percent
Response Count
2012
20.0%
42
2011
29.0%
61
2010
23.3%
49
2009
11.4%
24
2008
7.6%
16
2007
5.7%
12
2006
2.9%
6
answered question
210
5
Confidence in assisting others
Since completing Mental Health First Aid training, I have been:
Answer Options
Able to recognise mental
health problems
Confident in offering help
Likely to assist those affected
by mental illness
Moderately Quite a bit Very much
Response
Count
Not at all
A little
2
16
49
86
31
184
3
23
61
72
25
184
5
22
49
65
43
184
6
Help giving behaviours
Over the past year, have you helped someone with the following
symptoms? (choose all that apply)
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Depression
54.3%
100
Anxiety
47.8%
88
Substance misuse
6.5%
12
Psychotic episode
4.3%
8
Panic attack
22.8%
42
Non-suicidal self injury
6.5%
12
Eating disorders
12.0%
22
Suicidal thoughts
15.8%
29
Threat of suicide
5.4%
10
None - I did not have the opportunity
to help anyone
33.7%
62
Answer Options
Please state how you helped and what aspects of MHFA
equipped you to deal with this incident
80
answered question
184
skipped question
26
7
A snapshot of ways you have helped …
Please state how you helped and what aspects of MHFA
equipped you to deal with this incident
•
Listening, being supportive and informing person of what services
Monash has to assist – these were utilised.
•
Learning to listen non-judgmentally; tactfully encouraging professional &
non-professional sources of support (e.g. counselling); focusing on
protecting my own mental well being.
•
What helped the most was, having done the course these conditions did not
seems so foreign or 'alien‘
•
I went through quite bad depression and MHFA helped me to identify ways to
work around the issue.
8
A snapshot of ways you have helped cont …
•
A student was experiencing difficulty with anxiety and
depression. I referred the student to the Student Wellbeing
counsellor on campus. There was also another student
experiencing a psychotic episode. I was able to recognise the
symptoms in the emails the student was sending. I alerted the student
wellbeing officer and contacted other relevant staff within the faculty to monitor
the student.
•
As a student advisor I have been the first point of contact for students with
issues and have listened to them, discussed possible actions and referred
them to counselling. The MHFA training has helped me to understand possible
problems, to listen and assess needs better and to know possible sources of
help.
•
A couple of close friends of mine had to deal with the death of a friend or a
loved one. These friends have schizoaffective disorders and they took the
deaths to heart and one was even contemplating suicide. MHFA gave me
confidence to discuss any suicidal thoughts they may have had, and I made
sure that I kept regular contact with these friends throughout their crisis period.
9
Further snapshots …
•
MHFA training helped me to identify what might be the
issue for the person, and to talk to them in a manner
that can help them rather than judge them.
•
Understanding the difference between general worries and symptoms of chronic
anxiety
•
Discussion with students as a unit coordinator to help normalise the situation and
referral for supports. Confidence in identifying symptoms and appropriate first aid
with referral to follow ups helped. Supportive HUB helped also.
•
I was able to identify anxiety in students and staff and to help them to talk about it
and work to develop a few different strategies in dealing with stressful situations.
Most did not need any form of referral. Noticed cut marks on a student and referred
her for depression and suicidal thoughts
10
More snapshots …
•
•
•
I have been able to help students who become very
anxious about their placements. Knowing that I can
just offer empathy is very helpful
I helped a friend who was suffering depression/anxiety and
panic attacks. I was able to listen, identify, offer help, suggest
she see her doctor and psychologist and also keep in close contact
with her until I could see that she had improved.
I was able to recognise that my .... was not behaving as usual
and through asking questions I established ... was very depressed
and had had very low self esteem, I even asked if ... was thinking if ... was better
off not being here of which ... answered yes, I then preceded to call CHAMS which
is now ELMHS and ... has been seeing a Psychiatrist for the last ... weeks. Without
the training I do not believe I would have even noticed the symptoms let alone
acting on them. So thank you.
11
Actions for referral
Over the past year, have you taken any of the following actions? (choose all
that apply)
In your
In your role
Response
Answer Options
personal
at Monash
Count
life
1
3
4
Called the CAT team
Consulted/contacted the University
14
2
16
Safer Community Line
Consulted/contacted the University
45
19
60
Counselling Services
Consulted a GP at the Monash Health
16
30
42
Service on campus
Encouraged someone to see an
49
65
92
external mental health practitioner
Informed/educated others about mental
54
79
107
health issues
None - I have not needed to take any
45
45
53
action
answered question
182
skipped question
28
12
Self help behaviours
Since completing Mental Health
First Aid training, are you doing
anything differently to improve
your own mental health and
wellbeing?
What steps are you taking to look after your own mental health and
wellbeing? (choose all that apply)
Answer Options
Yes
No
Good regime
already in
place
Regular exercise
Meditation/Relaxation techniques
Regular social activities
Improved my diet and nutrition
Developed a better sleep routine
Extended personal support networks
Attended talks, activities, workshops etc on health
issues
Counselling
None - I am not taking any steps to look after my
health and wellbeing
Other (please specify)
Response
Percent
Response
Count
69.0%
43.5%
59.2%
51.6%
29.3%
20.7%
127
80
109
95
54
38
22.8%
42
16.3%
30
6.0%
11
14
13
What steps are you taking to look after your own
mental health and wellbeing?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Am attending Mindfulness course starting this week
Spiritual direction
Recognising when I need a break
Applying Mindfulness techniques
Reduced hours of working
Did the course on "Mindfulness" and this has helped me a lot
Reading to relax in the evening. Helps to unwind
Looking at joining some social groups
Stopped smoking
Mindfulness
Receiving ABC health email
Not allowing things out of my control to stress me
14
Other comments
•
This program is a really excellent initiative conducted by Monash.
It would be good if we can totally eradicate the sigma of mental
health issues, we all have them - sometimes only for a short time
- seeking help is so important
•
I am a qualified counsellor, but not using my skills very much in my current role.
I am about to start a Psychology degree. I think the MHFA course is very necessary
to all who work in the frontline with students
•
I would like to MHFA become compulsory for all staff (academics & professional staff)
•
Encourage staff to do the course on "Mindfulness" by Dr.Craig Hassed
•
We need more community awareness about mental illness & early warning symptoms. All
staff are at some risk working in a higher ed environment given what has occurred in the US
•
I think it was a great program but feel as though I have forgotten a lot of the content as I don't
use it often. A refresher would definitely be for me
15
All inquiries concerning this survey to be directed to
MHFA coordinator
Shyama Fuad – shyama.fuad@monash.edu
Andrew Marks – andrew.marks@monash.edu
16