Mental Health Week 8 – 16 October 2022

From 8 to 16 October is Queensland Mental Health Week. Western Downs Libraries are acknowledging this years theme of Awareness, Belonging and Connection.

The butterfly is a symbol of transformation and hope. In our libraries we have beautiful origami butterflies on offer, which contain uplifting mental health quotes for visitors to take. We hope these will brighten someone’s day. While you’re here, browse our Words for Wellbeing collection.

Words for Wellbeing Collection

Our Words for Wellbeing has a diverse range of books that outline ways to provide guidance towards living a healthy lifestyle and improving wellbeing. The resources have been recommended by health care professionals and organisations directly involved in health care and cover topics that impact our day to day lives, including stress, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, trauma and many more.

Anxiety: Expert advice from a neurotic shrink who’s lived with it all his life

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Mark Cross knows a lot about anxiety. Many of his patients are sufferers, which is hardly surprising. Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia, affecting up to one in four people at some point in their lives. But Mark also knows about anxiety from another perspective. He too has suffered from it all his life. In this book Cross demystifies anxiety in his trademark warm and friendly style. For sufferers, their families and friends, the book explores: types of anxiety; causes and common triggers; medical, therapy-based and natural treatments; the effect of anxiety at each life stage; anxiety in the workplace; navigating the health systems, and much more. Along the way, Mark shares his own experiences as well as stories from other sufferers who have not only survived but thrived.

The End of Mental Illness

New hope for those suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addictions, PTSD, ADHD and more. Though incidence of these conditions is skyrocketing, for the past four decades standard treatment hasn’t much changed, and success rates in treating them have barely improved. Meanwhile, the stigma of the “mental illness” label-damaging and devastating on its own-can often prevent sufferers from getting the help they need. Brain specialist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen is on the forefront of a new movement within medicine and related disciplines that aims to change all that. In The End of Mental Illness, Dr. Amen draws on the latest findings of neuroscience to challenge an outdated psychiatric paradigm and help readers take control and improve the health of their own brain, minimizing or reversing conditions that may be preventing them from living a full and emotionally healthy life.

Live More Think Less: Overcoming depression and sadness

Live More Think Less presents strategies for regaining control over your thoughts. Learn not only how to overcome depression, but how to avoid developing it altogether. Many of us believe that the best way to treat crises and challenges is to process them. To mull over and analyse the stresses, anxieties and traumas we face. But this perception is misguided. Instead, we should think of our mind as a sieve, through which everything slips unless we choose to hold onto it. But how do we let go of those negative thoughts we’ve held onto which are weighing us down? The first practical book on metacognitive therapy – a groundbreaking new treatment for depression. 

When Life is Not Peachy: Real-life lessons in recovery from heartache, grief and tough times

A warm hug in book form. When life has taken a difficult turn, our heart is aching and we’re only just holding it together, it’s easy to question everything. Who even am I, and how will I keep going? We need someone in our corner to travel this journey with us and help keep our spirits up. This book is a gentle guide for navigating loss, grief or other sad times. A resource both for those who are downhearted and those supporting a loved one. With thoughtful advice on dealing with friends and family; healthy tips for eating and exercise when you don’t feel like it; and a just-keep-yourself-going ‘101’ for when you’re feeling very low. It’s the bolstering force we need to feel a bit closer to ourselves, or find a bit of peace. 

View the full Words for Wellbeing collection here

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