Elsie Lange
A service provider from Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges is hoping a recent study exploring the mental health of Australians will encourage people to “reach out”.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing released in July painted a stark picture – 43.7 per cent of Australians aged between 16 and 85 had experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives.
One in five – 21.4 per cent or 4.2 million people – had a 12-month mental disorder, according to the study conducted over 2020-21.
Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health (SCCH) counselling team leader Gina Alvarez said she hoped the figures would “encourage people to reach out for help”.
“Life can be challenging and there’s no shame in acknowledging that you need some support and guidance towards strategies that can assist with conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression,” Ms Alvarez said.
According to the survey, anxiety was the most common group of 12-month mental disorders – 3.3 million people experienced it – while one in six Australians aged 16 to 85 had experienced any suicidal thoughts or behaviours in their life.
“This comprises 16.7 per cent of people who had ever seriously thought about taking their own life, 7.7 per cent who had ever made a plan to take their own life, and 4.8 per cent who had ever attempted to take their own life,” the ABS said.
The study also asked people whether they had ever been close to someone who had taken or attempted to take their own life – 38 per cent said they had, while 5.9 per cent had been close to someone who had taken or attempted to take their own life in the past 12 months.
Ms Alvarez said the role of SCCH’s mental health services were to help people find a way forward.
“Our counsellors work with people to focus on their goals and being able to see a pathway to feeling better,” she said.
“Often the simple act of confiding in someone can make the issue feel more manageable.”
SCCH stated people can be referred to counselling and psychological services through a general practitioner, or directly through service providers such as SCCH.
If you need mental health support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
