Indian Mental Health Awareness Group

Mindmirror is a 1st, unique and free Mental Health Awareness Group for all Indian - Australian families in Hindi and English in Sydney.

This group will assist them in the issues related to the Mental Health, also with the useful information/ referrals of the professionals and conducting regular meetings/ events/ community networking/ awareness programs by various Mental Health service providers for the same.

Mental Health illness is the third most prevalent Medical Condition in Australia, after Heart Disease and Cancer. Mental Health disorder will affect one in five adults in any one year. And, Indians are the 6th largest ethnic group of Australia. This means that someone close to you is probably affected, directly or indirectly, in your family, friends or workplace. We will assist you to understand this and reach out to the right help for you!

Purpose of initiating Mindmirror

Many people do not get help because:
• Don’t know where to go? Not knowing where is the right help available.
• Lack of awareness of the Mental disorders and the related symptoms. Most people do not accept that they have a mental disorder. It is indeed a challenge when we try to help someone who does not accept that they need any help. Also, most don’t know that there is huge difference between Mental Health and Mental Illness!
• Stigmatization: What will people say? Will I be able to defend/ justify myself when they would talk at my back? Will my family/ friends/ workmates support me if I get diagnosed?
Stigma is worse than the illness!

Aims of Mindmirror:
To help, bring awareness and address Mental Health related issues/ problems by signposting the ways to:
1. Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention/ Early Intervention of Mental Illnesses.
2. Distributing Information/ Resources/ Experts’ sessions (once a month) about help/ services offered by the Mental health service providers in the various suburbs of Sydney.
3. Assisting people to share their experiences/ problems and network with others.
4. Information to encourage self-help and general well-being of everyone’s life.

Mindmirror is meant for: This is an inclusive group initiated for the common people. Everyone and anyone can become a part of it and get the free benefits. This group welcomes general people/ carers/ mentally unwell people/ people of all nationalities.

Future plans of Mindmirror:
1] Looking at the escalating need and the overwhelming response to our group, getting NSW Government’s support/ funding and/ or merging with an already registered Mental health service provider like Transcultural Mental Health Centre. [TMHC]
2] Conducting free open program on Mental health awareness once every month.
3] Bringing awareness about various new resources/ pilot services/ settlement services for the migrants/ Government schemes related to the Mental health.
4] Distributing free books/ CDs/ brochures/ fact sheets related to the various Mental illnesses.
5] Mediating between common people and various Mental health service providers and ensuring absolute awareness amongst the Indian-Australians of Sydney.
6] Assisting everyone consistently through emails/ telecons/ blogs/ media.
7] Initiating special services for the new Sub-continent migrants/ students.
8] Starting similar Mindmirror groups and free services in the other Australian states too.

Esteemed 6 panel members of Mindmirror
Mental Health Professionals:
1] Dr. Neeta Waje.
2] Zareena Anand.

Other field Experts:
1] Harish Velji.
2] Dr. Rohitas Batta.
3] Shweta Saxena.