Contents Introduction Part 01 Part 02 Part 03 Part 04References Indigenous Mental Health - Module 03 - Virginia Part 04 Coping strategies   Aboriginal mental health is intrinsically connected with spirituality or the Dreamtime, which emphasises co-operation, community and sharing of resources.  Therefore the health of the individual cannot be distinguished from the health of the group.  Spiritual beliefs differ enormously between individuals, groups and communities and are not always understood by non-Indigenous people.  Illness can often be attributed to the spirit world, for example sorcery or evil spirits, or may also be in animal form, e.g. a bird as a messenger. Individual spiritual experiences can occur throughout the life cycle, however, adolescence is often a time of spiritual inheritance with a greater focus on experiences, gifts and understanding.  Some elders may have continuing spiritual experiences as part of normal life.  Spiritual experiences may include out-of-body experiences, for example a person’s spirit may leave their body or they may experience travelling or communication in their dreams. Coping mechanisms may also be different to western psychological models.  For example, in more traditional communities coping strategies tend to rely more on expression, communication of feeling and a reliance on a collective coping response, which incorporates family and the extended clan group. Loss and fragmentation of the group can greatly affect the individual’s ability to cope with life events.