i-well Study (University of Otago)

The Samaritans in the UK have launched a new App that scans twitter messages to help people who are suicidal. https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/technology/25376024/uk-charity-launches-app-to-scan-for-suicidal-tweets/

UK charity launches app to scan for suicidal tweets London (AFP) - A su***de prevention charity on Wednesday launched a Twitter-scanning app designed to tip people off when their friends post potentially worrying messages.

Dark chocolate prescribed for better health? Let us know what you think about this and check out this link https://nz.lifestyle.yahoo.com/video/watch/25258490/chocolate-reduces-stroke-heart-attacks/

Chocolate ‘reduces stroke, heart attacks' - Video New studies show there are health benefits in eating chocolate when it comes to serious illnesses. Dr Andrew Rochford reports.

This week is NZ Mental Health Awareness week, including World Mental Health Day on 10 October. Check out the Mental Health Foundation site for details on how to keep learning to improve our mental well-being http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/page/995-home

Mental Health Awareness Week | Home This year's theme for October's Mental Health Awareness week is keep learning, which is itself connected to the World Mental Health Day theme: Mental Health and Older Adults, but adapted to a New Zealand audience.

Tonight's Shortland Street episode on TV2 at 7 pm will address the topic of youth suicidal behaviour and will provide information and resources to help people who are suffering from depression and feeling suicidal http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1410/S00009/shortland-street-storyline-reminder-of-support-available.htm

Shortland Street storyline reminder of support available With this week’s depression and su***de storyline on Shortland Street, the Taranaki DHB would like to remind youth and their families and friends of the support available.

TODAY is World Su***de Prevention Day and its theme is a connected community can help prevent su***de. It also marks the release of the first global su***de prevention report by the World Health Organisation. Our local Dunedin community is marking the event by a community gathering this evening and presentations by local community members: see http://calledsouth.org.nz/2014/09/word-su***de-prevention-day-service/
Also check out this media release yesterday from the NZ Mental Health Foundation http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/page/1583-2014-media-releases+a-connected-aotearoa-will-help-prevent-su***de
It includes a link to the global su***de report.

Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand | A connected Aotearoa will help prevent su***de Tomorrow is World Su***de Prevention Day – a day to recognise the part we all have in preventing su***de in Aotearoa, to remember those we have lost to su***de and support the loved ones they left behind.

A massive THANK YOU to the people who filled out the i-well evaluation survey. Those who have offered to take part in the online forum, we will be in touch in a few weeks. We will draw a winner for the $50 groceries voucher soon so keep an eye out! Best of luck and thanks again, we really appreciate your time and insight - the i-well team Jess, Shyamala and Paul

Feeling like watching a movie this weekend? Here's a top ten list that our colleagues have compiled that will teach you about mental health conditions.

For depressive and anxiety disorders
Ordinary People (1980), Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

For illicit drug use
Trainspotting (1996), Winter’s Bone (2010), Rachel Getting Married (2008), Half Nelson (2006)

For alcohol use disorders
Another Year (2010), Passion Fish (1992)

For schizophrenia
The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006), An Angel at My Table (1990)

(Last few days for a chance to be in to win $50 groceries voucher by completing this brief survey! http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html)

i-well FB Evaluation Study Thank you for showing an interest in the i-well page Evaluation Study. This study consists of an online questionnaire and forum on the i-well page . All participants who complete...

The strange and wonderful things we google have been turned into poetry! http://www.googlepoetics.com/
Here's my attempt to encourage you to do the very quick and easy i-well survey
http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html

The strange and wonderful things we google have been turned into poetry! http://www.googlepoetics.com/
Here's my attempt to encourage you to do the very quick and easy i-well survey
http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html

Kia ora to you on this lovely sunny day in Dunedin. Could it get any better you ask? Well yes because this video of a baby elephant playing with a ribbon exists. http://tinyurl.com/n5z3awf
In other news we have ONE WEEK LEFT to get as many people's feedback as possible!! If you haven't already done the survey please spend a few minutes and tell us what you think of the i-well page and mental health promotion using social media. There's a $50 groceries voucher to be won. Thanks!
http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html

Stop Everything and Watch This Gleeful Rescued Elephant Ribbon Dance Whatever it is that you're doing, you need to put it on hold. Feeding your baby? STOP IT. Filing divorce papers? CUT THAT OUT. Discovering the next big renewable energy resource that could potentially bring our impending climate change-enhanced doom to a screeching halt? SHUT IT DOWN. And watch this…

As we try and figure out how to get our survey and posts out to you, consider this http://www.wired.com/2014/08/i-liked-everything-i-saw-on-facebook-for-two-days-heres-what-it-did-to-me/
NB for the wonderful people who consented to doing the survey but didn't get around to doing the survey, we would really appreciate you finishing up!! THANKS!

I Liked Everything I Saw on Facebook for Two Days. Here’s What It Did to Me | Gadget Lab | WIRED I like everything. Or at least I did, for 48 hours. Literally everything Facebook sent my way, I liked---even if I hated it.

We just need a few more people to do the survey to get the numbers we need to have what the statisticians call a good response rate. Will you be the winner of the $50 voucher? Your chances are very good! http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html
Massive thanks to those who have completed the i-well evaluation survey.

It's been a while since we posted a TED talk and this one comes thoroughly recommended. It's all about how we should be as kind to ourselves as we would be to our friends - having some self-compassion. Dr Kristin Neff compares it with self-esteem, really interesting stuff, well worth 19 minutes of your day for sure!
And of course - if you're seeing this and haven't done the survey then another ten minutes of your day could be kindly spent here too! http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html

The Space Between Self-Esteem and Self Compassion: Kristin Neff at TEDxCentennialParkWomen In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TED...

We just need a few more people to do the survey to get the numbers we need to have what the statisticians call a good response rate. Will you be the winner of the $50 voucher? Your chances are very good! http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html
Massive thanks to those who have completed the i-well evaluation survey.

Cautious optimism about the drop in youth su***des rate from the Coroner. What do you think has contributed to the drop? He said “I am aware that a lot of effort both nationally and at community grassroots level has gone into responding to the challenges posed by youth su***de, and I’d like to think the drop is a result of this.”

Shortwave - The Wireless Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean today released provisional annual figures, which show a total of 529 su***des in the year to the end of June.

A frank account of depression on NZ Herald today. The author discusses how the way we think about depression as a battle shapes our response to people with depression.

http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html Don't forget you can win a $50 prize for your time and contribution to this short survey! Thanks so much - the i-well team

Deborah Hill Cone: I've torn my nails to shreds from depression - Opinion - NZ Herald News I had last week off because I'm ill. I was going to say mentally ill, but I prefer just ill. It doesn't sound like I could just think my way out of it. - New Zealand Herald

Like many others we were saddened by yesterday's news about Robin Williams taking his own life. Please reach out if you need help or someone to talk to.

Emergency number 111

Lifeline 0800 543 354 (http://www.lifeline.co.nz/)

Youthline 0800 376 633 (http://www.youthline.co.nz/)

Social inclusion is an important part of well-being, so why not check out Otago University's Diversity week activities (https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/24683680/ousa-diversity-week-underway/) and fill out our short online evaluation survey http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html Thanks :)

OUSA Diversity Week underway Raising awareness of diversity on campus is the central theme of this week’s OUSA Diversity Week at the University of Otago.

Here is another way technology is helping with connectedness! https://nz.finance.yahoo.com/video/meet-jibo-worlds-first-family-113640434.html. We would love to hear your thoughts on how Facebook and new technology can do the same, so please consider filling in our short online study survey http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html Thanks :) i-well team

Meet Jibo: The World's First Family Robot Watch the video Meet Jibo: The World's First Family Robot on Yahoo Finance. Yahoo News Global Anchor Katie Couric talks with MIT’s Cynthia Breazeal, a pioneer of social robotics, about the unique role Jibo and other social robots can play in everyday human interactions.

Kia ora whanau! It's te Wiki o Te Reo and they've launched Kupu o te Wiki - word of the week. You can sign up here at the link below. Jess has signed up - will you? The loss of language is detrimental to well-being, so let's get amongst it and encourage more people to learn and speak Te Reo! (Don't forgot you can win $50 voucher by doing our survey! http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html)

Te Kupu o te Wiki Te Kupu o te Wiki brings you the Māori Language Week words of the week for 2014/2015.

What a cool project! Social media is a great way to promote mental health and well-being! But what is the best way to do it? Tell us over here http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html

You Mean A Lot To Me “You Mean A Lot To Me™” ( ) is a project that aims to explore meaning and belonging in s

Can your iPad affect your skin health? See this latest research in Pediatrics and let us know your thoughts on this health issue http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/allergic_to_your_ipad_report_says_nickel_in_electronics_may_cause_rash.html

Allergic to your iPad? Report says nickel in electronics may cause rash Recent reports detail nickel allergies from a variety of personal electronic devices, including laptops and cellphones.

There have been quite a few media reports lately about family violence in NZ and how we can improve our existing legal and welfare systems to prevent family violence. Check out the isafe Study site to see how you can play a part in preventing family violence. https://www.isafe.aut.ac.nz/

isafe study The 'isafe study' is providing a set of resources for individuals affected by intimate partner violence

Here is a great event that you can check out this weekend at the Puaka Matariki Festival in Dunedin http://www.pechakucha.org/cities/dunedin/events/5386990ebfb6ff247c000006
Also what questions would you like us to answer through our i-well Facebook Evaluation Study? Let us know, and please help us by taking part in the study by doing the short online survey at http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html Don't forget you can win a prize for your time and contribution!

PechaKucha 20x20 - Dunedin Be inspired by this creative showcase of artists, designers and crafts people of all ages – from rangitahi to kaumatua. This event is part of the Puaka Matariki Festival held in Dunedin and as such we are focussing on Maori artists and designers, or those connected to the Maori community.

This is definitely a hard one! Agree?
We have kicked off the i-well evaluation study! Please share your thoughts with http://www.owius.org/i-well-fb-evaluation-study.html

Cool app to help you learn sign. Let us know how ninja you are!

Sign Ninja - Learn NZSL Sign Language Learn NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) - become a Sign Ninja

Hello to all our i-well friends out in Facebook land. Keep an eye for our exciting news on Monday!! There's a prize involved ;) so make sure you're following our posts (top right corner on the page)