6 minute read
Dealing with Depression
DURING the winter months, when the weather is gloomy and the days are shorter, existing mental health conditions can worsen.
While it’s normal to feel sad at times, chronic and persistent sadness for more than two weeks could be a sign of depression.
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Depression is characterised by prolonged sadness and a loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that were once pleasurable.
Common symptoms include lack of energy, sleep disturbances, irritability, difficulty concentrating and feeling overwhelmed, empty, or numb.
Depression not only affects our mood, but also distorts our perception of ourselves and our future. It may seem like nothing is worthwhile and that things will never improve.
Various factors can contribute to depression, including genetics, psychological stressors like loss, neglect, abuse, or bullying, social conflicts, financial worries, social isolation, major life changes, physical health issues, injuries, substance abuse, and sleep problems.
Fortunately, there are effective evidence-based treatments for depression.
The most suitable approach, whether therapy, medication, or a combination of both, depends on the individual and their circumstances.
Consulting with a healthcare professional can help determine the best course of action.
For mild depression, lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and avoiding alcohol may be sufficient.
However, moderate to severe depression often requires psychological or medical treatments, or a combination. Your GP is an excellent starting point. They can provide a mental health plan that allows for subsidised visits to Psychologists through Medicare.
In some cases, people may also experience suicidal thoughts which can further impact their mental health. It’s crucial to reach out to helplines like Lifeline, Beyond Blue, and others for support during these moments.
These helplines can talk to you about your thoughts and help you till the thoughts pass. If you begin taking antidepressant medication, be aware that it may take a few weeks to take effect, and the risk of suicidal thoughts can increase during this time, especially in young people.
Regular monitoring by your doctor is essential. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm, call emergency services at 000 right away.
Depression may make you feel trapped in your emotions, but even small actions like talking to someone or going for a walk can help clear your mind.
Creating a plan to address the problem can provide immense relief for some individuals. Simply making an appointment can make a significant difference.
Remember, you are not alone—there are services available to support you. All you need to do is take that first step.
EXTRA RESOURCES
Lifeline – lifeline.org.au 13 11 14
Beyond Blue – beyondblue.org.au
Black Dog Institute - blackdoginstitute.org.au
• The information provided is from Better Together Community Support. This advice may not suit your personal situation and therefore cannot substitute real psychological advice. Please consult a professional if this has raised issues for you.
AS the rest of the country feels the increasing cold weather, the north is experiencing an influx of motorhomes and caravanners, who are taking advantage of our fabulous weather.
This Thursday will see ‘grey nomads’ roll into Mareeba to attend the annual Christmas in July festivities held in Davies Park.
With between 250-500 nomads expected to attend, swelling the already large number of visitors to the area, it is timely to remind all motorists to be patient on our roads and drive to road conditions.
Almost half of all crashes in 2021 and 2022 involving a vehicle towing a caravan and deemed to be at fault were caused by either the caravan or tow vehicle losing control.
Knowing the limits of your vehicle is important. It can have real consequences for you, your passengers and other road users.
In the far north, not all roads are two lanes and sealed with bitumen. Driving on unsealed roads can be more difficult than driving on bitumen, especially when towing a caravan or camper.
Senior Constable Aleda Day, Crime Prevention Tablelands, said that a common mistake drivers made was not knowing how much they could tow.
“We often see vehicle manufacturers advertise a certain towing capacity for their vehicles and this can give drivers a false sense of security,” Senior Constable Day said.
“Just because a vehicle manufacturer states a vehicle can tow 3.5 tonne, it does not necessarily mean that the vehicle, fully loaded with passengers, fuel and luggage, can still tow 3.5 tonne.”
It is important to remember that weights often include a fully fuelled car, passengers and a fully loaded caravan, as well as extras on the vehicle such as bull bars, roof racks and aftermarket tyres.
These can add up quickly and easily push your load over the weight limit for your vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) or your combination’s Gross Combination Mass (GCM).
When this happens, the consequences can be serious for you, your passengers, your caravan, and other road users.
When travelling with a poorly distributed load, your caravan may begin to sway or ‘snake’ which can lead to a crash. If faced with this, it is important to:
1. Remain calm. Do not panic.
2. Don’t stab at the tow vehicle’s brakes and don’t try to control the sway by steering into it.
3. Keep the steering wheel pointed straight ahead as much as possible.
4. If the trailer is fitted with electronic brakes, activate them manually using the override feature.
5. Gradually release the accelerator and reduce speed until the swaying stops.
6. Once the vehicle has regained stability, slow right down and pull off the road at the first safe opportunity.
7. When safe to do so, check your load is distributed correctly and your tyre pressure is correct before you start driving again.
Apart from your normal driving responsibilities, towing requires a greater degree of knowledge and skill than normal driving.
Senior Constable Day said the additional weight of a caravan or trailer could have a significant impact on the way a vehicle handles on the road.
“Towing is very different to everyday driving, and it requires additional driving skills and safety precautions,” Senior Constable Day said.
“Cornering and the braking performance of vehicles are affected when towing.
“As a driver, you have a legal responsibility to ensure the towing vehicle, trailer and its load meet all legal and safety requirements.”
Police commonly see crashes occur when a car and caravan overtakes, merges or changes lane and clips the front of a car travelling behind it.
Being aware of the length of your trailer is important. This includes having additional mirrors to see the full length of your car and trailer so crashes like these don’t occur.
Drivers must be able to see down the full length of their vehicle and caravan. Simply having a camera on the rear of the caravan is not sufficient and may result in enforcement action being taken.
It is suggested that before heading out on the road and towing a caravan, drivers should consider undertaking a towing course which are offered by various agencies.
Given the amount of caravan crashes recently, police and state roads authorities will be clamping down on overweight trailers and ignorance will not be an excuse.
All drivers, including those towing caravans or campers, need to understand the law and take responsibility for their actions.
If you are unsure of how much your caravan and car weigh, drop into a weighing specialist and have it weighed correctly.
Remember the following when travelling on roads in far north Queensland:
▪ Dust can limit your visibility. If necessary, pull over, stop and wait for the dust to settle.
▪ Don’t forget to turn your lights on so other vehicles can see you. When driving on country or remote roads, remember to keep an eye out for livestock and wildlife on the side of the road, especially at night.
▪ We have road trains that can be up to 53.5 metres long (four trailers) and you will need to allow enough time to overtake safely, remembering to maintain your speed after doing so.
▪ Also, if you observe a road train coming towards you, you should slow down and/or stop after moving as far left as safe to do so, so the road train is able to stay on the hard surface of the road, as small shifts in weight can cause them to roll over.
▪ Don’t forget heavy vehicles can take up to 600 meters to stop and require more room when turning, so don’t weave or cut in front of them.
▪ If you have a UHF installed, please use channel 40 so you can communicate with other road users, and they can communicate with you without having to change channels. Please remember to show as much driving etiquette as you can to other road users while enjoying your holidays.
