FearLess - PTSD Australia New Zealand

18/11/2025

Whether you're meeting someone new or breaking the ice with a neighbour or colleague, a simple question can open the door to a great chat.

Try asking:
🗣 “What’s been the highlight of your day?”
📺 “Are you watching anything good lately?”
📍 “What’s your favourite thing about living around here?”

Or share something about yourself:
🥘 “I tried a new recipe last night — do you enjoy cooking?”
📚 “I’ve just started a new book — are you into reading?”

No need for small talk perfection. Just real, everyday conversation.

17/11/2025

Looking to build meaningful connection? Here are some gentle ways to start:

🔸 Reach out to someone you’ve been thinking about — even a short message can make a difference.
🔸 Join a peer support group or safe online space where lived experience is valued.
🔸 Share your story if and when it feels safe — your voice might help someone feel less alone.
🔸 Ask someone how they’re really going — and take the time to truly listen.
🔸 Seek out services shaped by lived experience — these perspectives matter.

And if you’re someone who supports others, as a carer, professional, or family member, know this: Creating safe, respectful spaces is powerful work. You help make connection possible.

16/11/2025

We’re encouraged to reach out and stay connected, but for many with lived experience, that can be complicated.

Stigma still exists.
Support isn’t always accessible.
Some of us have been let down by systems meant to help.
Others don’t feel safe connecting because of past trauma.

Globally, conflict and displacement have fractured communities — for some, connection has been taken away entirely.

This doesn’t mean the message is wrong.
It means we must hold space for both the aspiration and the reality.

15/11/2025

From 10 December 2025, Australia will become the first country to restrict social media access for children under 16. This major change is expected to impact young people and their families in many ways.

EDFA Eating Disorders Families Australia is inviting all parents and carers to take part in their Social Media Survey. The survey aims to better understand how these changes may affect young people’s mental health, connection, focus and family life — both before and after the new laws take effect.

Take the survey and share it with other parents and carers you know: https://f.mtr.cool/hzcgemnffg

14/11/2025

When you're in the thick of a mental health challenge, connection can feel overwhelming. Vulnerability takes effort. And sometimes, you just don’t have it in you.

But here’s what lived experience shows us:
Connection doesn’t have to be big, loud or perfect.

💬 It's the text you almost didn’t send.
🩺 It’s the GP who remembers your name.
🌐 It’s the online space where you feel seen without having to explain yourself.

Real connection is human, not polished — and sometimes, that’s more than enough.

13/11/2025

The National Mental Health Consumers Alliance has launched Australia’s only national Human Rights Survey designed by and for people with lived experience of mental health challenges.

They want to hear how your human rights were upheld—or breached—in 2025. Whether in mental health, justice, health, or other systems, your story helps us track where Australia is meeting its international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Your responses are completely anonymous and will be analysed by the lived-experience research group ACACIA. The results will shape national advocacy to make sure human rights are real for all mental health consumers.

Take the survey now — closes 31 December 2025. Link: https://f.mtr.cool/ihgeknlzwc

12/11/2025

Nutrition often becomes an overlooked part of recovery, yet what we eat can deeply influence how we feel. Regular, nourishing meals help steady the body and bring energy for daily life.

Preparing food, sharing it, or simply sitting down to eat with intention can be small acts of care. They remind us that healing involves body and mind together.

11/11/2025

Personal growth supports wellbeing.
It is about developing as a person, building strong relationships, and finding joy in daily life.

This article shares ways to:
🧡 set personal goals and explore new learning
🧡 nurture positive relationships
🧡 engage in activities that bring purpose and calm
🧡 practise self-care and maintain balance

At FearLess, we know growth can be challenging for people living with post traumatic stress. Small steps and steady progress help build resilience and confidence.

Read more on our website: fearless.org.au/2024/01/14/thriving-with-personal-growth

10/11/2025

Quality sleep plays a vital role in mental health and recovery.

It’s during rest that the brain processes experiences, restores balance and strengthens emotional resilience.
Sleep is more than hours on a clock — it’s the foundation for healing, clarity and calm.

Creating a consistent bedtime routine and a space that feels restful can make a real difference in mood, focus and stress levels.

Taking small steps toward better sleep is a meaningful part of self-care and recovery.

09/11/2025

Did you know there are many types of support available for mental health across Australia?

🧡 hospital and community-based mental health services
🧡 consultations with your GP or other health specialists
🧡 support from psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists
🧡 online and phone-based counselling services
🧡 residential and inpatient care options

If you’re concerned about your wellbeing or that of a loved one, your GP is a good first step to discuss the options and find out which supports may be right for you.

08/11/2025

How does social media impact sleep, stress and anxiety? Researchers from Lived Experience Australia , Flinders University and QUT (Queensland University of Technology) want to hear your perspective.

They’re inviting adults aged 18 and over who have felt anxious or affected by social media use to take part in a short survey exploring habits, sleep, technology use and ideas for better support.

Every lived experience adds valuable insight into how we can create healthier online spaces and inform the next generation of AI-based mental health tools.

The survey closes tomorrow, 9 November 2025 — your voice could help shape meaningful change.

Lived Experience Australia, Flinders University, and QUT are exploring how social media and sleep patterns may help detect anxiety symptoms earlier and inform future AI tools to support mental health.

07/11/2025

Recovery doesn’t happen alone. It grows in the company of people who listen, understand, and care. Connection can be as simple as a message, a shared coffee, or joining a local group. Each act of reaching out helps rebuild belonging.

At FearLess, we believe in the power of community. Every conversation about post traumatic stress brings hope and hope brings change.