Housing and mental health.

[calmseeker]

Hi All,

I have been thinking lately about the link between good mental health and housing. Yet again, I have a pending move, which I know is a trigger for my anxiety. I tend to get quite ill after a move, there have been too many moves for me recently. mostly because am in the private housing market and my owners always either move back into their property or sell the property. I yearn for a stable, long term home (I could never afford to buy). I am such a 'homely' person. I feel that if I could remain somewhere for a reasonable amount of time I could really relax and focus on my mental health, I feel like I never can, I am always moving or catching up financially from a move or trying to settle in somewhere new. The cost is phenomenal to rent now, it really blows my mind. What a person needs to come up with for a rental property is quite a lot, not just the rent itself but the moving costs, cleaning of previous property, etc.

I am aware of NRAS but those properties rarely come up. Housing Dep have told me 10-15 plus year wait. Private market ridiculously expensive.

I am very thankful to even have a roof over my head, don't get me wrong (not that I can afford that roof though). I realise there are lots of people who don't even have a home so I am really not ungrateful, just sick of the stress that comes with searching for affordable, decent housing where I can hopefully lay my hat for a few years. A home should be a place where a person can feel safe and relaxed and heal and survive - not feel like a hotel. My ranting was not meant to actually be a big whinge about my situation (sorry if its turned out that way!) more so just a comment on the link between good mental health and stable housing really.

[calmseeker]

Hanna - The picture I had in my head was that you lived in a teeny tiny town with 1 café and a post office or something, I didn't realise it was a little bigger than that. Its sad that the people there are a bit cliquey, it doesn't help you to spread your wings socially when its like that.

I moved from Tas to the Gold Coast nearly 18 years ago ...I hated it..not my kind of place at all. After 5 years there and a divorce, I moved further north, about 100 ks from Brisbane where I currently am now. I have moved extensively around this area. I started off in a beachside suburb, like literally a road in front of my house then the beach. It was incredibly expensive for an extremely run down unit. I am not kidding when I say I woke up one day to mushrooms growing in the corner on the shaggy 50 year old carpet ! Mould everywhere, so I had to move due to that and the unaffordability. I have since moved into the hinterland, its not much cheaper though but slightly less humid. I have to say, its paradise on earth in my part of the country - if you can afford it which I definitely cant.

Wow, Housing seem to rent you the 'bare bones' as far as a property goes. Curtains and carpets are pricey.

Sorry to hear you're feeling yuck today, hopefully you can get a solid sleep and feel better tomorrow.

CS xo

[Hanna3]

Hi calmseeker,

The coastal hamlet I did live in was a bit like you describe - very small, with a long trip to the nearest big town - I've moved to Inland Big Town a long way south west from where I used to be on the coast - but it's a bit too big, the parking is horrendous and I'm used to running into the same people over and over like in the coastal town, but here you don't seem to run into the same people again... and they're not very friendly.

The scenery in Coastal Town was glorious and there were a few nice outdoor cafes and lovely beaches - the humidity was difficult, and the distance to the nearest big town for shopping - and I am losing sight in one eye which meant a two hundred dollar taxi fare to get to an eye specialist in the nearest big town. However I'm rethinking worrying about that now, I'd rather live where the scenery is beautiful and the people are more relaxed...

I understand about the mould, my coastal town was in the sub tropics and my shoes and boots used to get mould on them all the time, revolting - not to mention the bugs... the humidity was pretty dreadful.

The Gold Coast hinterland should be lovely - long ago I stayed at Binna Burra, that burned down in the fires this summer, I found that hard to believe it was so beautiful and lush when I was there (decades ago...). My brother lives in a town somewhere there but I don't know his address, we're not close unfortunately. I think he said the winters are cool. It sounds like you enjoy living there? Were you safe in the fires this summer?

I wouldn't like the Gold Coast - makes me think of Muriel's Wedding and Porpoise Spit!!!

Would love to hear more about what it's like where you live. Best wishes!

[calmseeker]

Hanna - Its very obvious from what you say that you are much much happier by the ocean! How possible is it for you to get back there?

I shouldn't bag the GC too much, I know some people really love living there and it depends what you like but for me personally I found it too fake and touristy and plastic. I also probably have bad memories of it as that's were I got divorced and the ex still lives there. There is some nice scenery there though. I do love where I am now but the PRICES, wow!

[Hanna3]

I'm working on ways to get back, if not to the same place, to somewhere similar or smaller than here... I do want to see how we find the cooler weather here though, and take a look at some of the smaller towns around here - although the same problem, they're becoming trendy and therefore expensive.

The Gold Coast didn't appeal to me years ago, too built up and not my thing at all - I prefer quieter and I want a sense of community - there isn't that here, the neighbours never ever speak to each other at least where I am. I preferred living where I couldn't go to Coles without running into someone I knew to at least say hello to!

I don't think rents are cheap anywhere any more unless you want to live in some remote desert town....

[Hanna3]

Interesting segment on the 7.30 Report on the ABC tonight about the increasing unaffordability of housing in Tasmania and the increasing numbers of homeless people unable to afford rents. Terribly sad that we are allowing this to happen.

[calmseeker]

Gosh you've got impeccable timing Hanna. I was just about to shut off computer and saw this post. I was wondering what to watch on telly tonight. Thanks a bunch for that. Hope you are doing ok. Give that cute as a button puppa a cuddle from me - CS xo

[Hanna3]

Hi calmseeker, you're on a different time zone to us here in NSW so maybe you managed to catch it - it's 9pm here now. Showed the numbers of homeless people living in tents in parks in Hobart. It's about time we started to realize that housing (shelter) is a basic human right and need and we need to stop thinking about it as a financial investment.. sigh.

And another sad thought is why my sweet little furry friend should make finding a private rental so ridiculously difficult - yet public housing permits pets without difficulty.

How is your search for another home going? That must be so stressful... thinking of you...

[Katyonthehamsterwheel]

Hey CS

Just popping in on your thread to say hi 🙂

Hope everything is ok in your world x

Katy

[calmseeker]

Hi there Hanna,

I couldn't find that housing ep on 7.30 report. My Telstra tv app was telling me that the last 7.30 report was about consumerism. Maybe it was somehow a different ep in NSW to QLD? Not sure.

My house hunting is still in limbo, I can research but not commit to anything for a while otherwise I will have to double up rent. It wont be long though till its all systems go. I wish I had the energy to deal with it.

Hoping that your house is cooling down a bit with the change of weather Hanna (but not too cool hey!) .

Have an awesome day xo

[Hanna3]

Hi calmseeker, I was thinking of you and thinking you must be busy house-hunting and/or moving/packing - horrible isn't it, I do feel for you. You deserve to find a place where you can stay for years and years this time, you have had a bad run of way too short tenancies! I'm sending positive thoughts your way...

I have yet more trouble with this house, just posted to Geoff on BB but don't know when he will be back on to post - trying yet another new GP tomorrow in the hope she might be helpful at all... finding good general practitioners in the country isn't easy...

We are frying here today before a cold change tomorrow, and I picked today to cook a casserole so my whole kitchen is like an oven today!!!

I'm sorry you missed that 7.30 Report but I guess it only said/showed what we already know - they are preaching to the converted when it comes to people like you and me!!!!

Good luck re the house hunting, do let me know how you go.... xx