8 Oct 2012

Maori events please mental health body

8:30 pm on 8 October 2012

The Mental Health Foundation is delighted that so many health organisations that work with Maori have organised events for mental health awareness week which began on Monday.

Research shows that more than 45% of New Zealanders will experience some sort of mental illness or addiction at some stage of their life, with Maori over-represented in the statistics.

Foundation chief executive Judi Clements says the national body doesn't organise events itself, but has been busy providing iwi and hapu health organisations with ideas for their own ones.

She says this year the foundation is encouraging all New Zealanders to take the time to pause, take a breath, and then take notice of who they are.

Ms Clements says research has found that if a person does this on a regular basis, that changes occur over time in the brain, including increased attention and sensory processing.