Mental Health and You

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social and communication difficulties as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors.  The right support that a person with autism can get can make an enormous difference in his or her day-to-day life.  Australia has a government-funded scheme known as the National Disability Insurance Scheme, abbreviated as NDIS, through which people with disabilities, including autism, are supported. NDIS's support for autism includes many services that are suitable for the client’s needs. The NDIS offers funding  for core supports, capacity building, capital supports, and early intervention to help a person affected by autism improve his or her life and to promote participation in the community.  Core Supports These are the basic services that assist people with autism in their daily lives. These funding sources can support administrations that help with care, domestic chores, and societal involvement. This comprises the provisio...

Sometimes life seems to be complicated, and this is quite evident in the movie Room. I do recall an officemate who has recently been experiencing anxiety that turns even routine activities into nightmares. She is one week away from her most dreaded time of the month—her time to visit the doctor. A suggestion for a psychological assessments in Australia provided her with a clear plan to follow in order to get better. What is a psychological assessment about? A psychological assessment can be thought of as if it were a detective story about the mind. When evaluating a patient, clinicians rely on structured interviews, self-completed questionnaires, and/or standardized cognitive assessments. This is to gain information regarding the patient’s previous and present lives. Also, these activities can point out any symptoms being experienced and, furthermore, their health status. Having an assessment might help them understand what might be behind your poor performance in that comprehensive p...

Development is unique, meaning that each child grows at his or her own rate and manner. As much as there is a gradual development in speech and language, there are specific age milestones that children with normal speech development achieve.  If you are worried that your child might have a speech delay, the most helpful thing you can do for yourself is to know the warning signs and when you should consider seeking the assistance of a specialist in paediatric speech pathology .   Early intervention is key. Hearing loss and speech delay, especially if detected in childhood, should be addressed immediately. The availability of speech pathology services in child care by professional speech pathologists enhances the learning process through the improvement of their communication abilities.   Red flags to watch out for Here are some red flags to watch out for in your child's speech development (according to Speech Pathology Australia [1]): By 12 months: Don't babble or use soun...

Life is unpredictable, and often it hits you hard and when it does it hits you with everything. To some extent, it can be noted that trauma is an event that is devastating to any person, to an extent that rebounds on their physical and mental well-being. The concept of trauma is not as limited to a car accident and natural catastrophes alone, but it can be experienced in several forms. Try to imagine living in a noisy and abusive family, observing parental conflicts, or having a severe illness. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that over 40% of Australians will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives, often linked to past traumas Source: Health, wellbeing and medicine – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare The Body Keeps the Score It is worth noting that trauma is not only mental but can take a physical toll on a person’s body. Let me describe a situation, please: Emma is a young woman who has a car accident. She is still complaining of hea...

Getting the right NDIS funding for your recovery journey can feel overwhelming. A key part of this is figuring out how many hours you'll get with a NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach (PRC). This article will help you understand what to expect and how to ensure your NDIS plan reflects your individual needs. I found a thread in Reddit about people with NDIS sharing their experiences with PRC hours. I felt confused at first, but the key takeaway is that these hours are tailored to you. Here's a range of PRC hours some folks on Reddit mentioned: 70 to 150 hours per yea r: This was a range mentioned by Psychosocial Recovery Coaches themselves, suggesting a starting point of 100-120 hours. As low as 40 hours : This might be the case if your needs are less complex. So, what exactly determines how many PRC hours you get? Your support needs If you have a complex psychosocial disability, likely you will require more coaching hours to achieve your goals. Your recovery goals The number of h...