I just realised it said 2 things, hahaha.  My second one would be to promote a wholistic approach to MH including community and family support.   ... View more

More awareness for R U OK? Day and the message that it sends in starting the conversation about MH.  So many people I know just wanted to be asked R U OK? so that they could talk.  We often back away from talking about MH to someone, thinking that we shouldn't pry, shouldn't ask questions but often that is what someone needs!!!  They need a person to reach out and say, I am here, I care.   ... View more

Also with the stigma theme - the lack of recognition that MH can be a 'silent' illness.  People don't recognise that someone can appear to 'have it all together' and 'be functioning' but still be broken and tormented inside.  There is a lack of understanding that a person with MH issues can appear normal, talk, laugh and interact.  The prevailing assumption is that someone with depression is withdrawn and doesn't talk.     While that may be true for some, it isn't for all.  Some of the people I know who have suffered from depression have appeared to be bubbly, life of the party type people but were dying from crushing depression and self-doubt on the inside.   ... View more

The most obvious two are money and waiting lists!! ... View more

So true about the teachers.  Nowdays teachers can often have more of an insight into the mental state of a young person than their parents.  It is crucial that they be able to recognise potential issues and assist the student to recieve help.   ... View more

So important!!!!! There is certainly more that needs to be done with early intervention, as someone who is in Year 12 I can confidently say that the first time we discussed mental health in class was Year 9, by which point there were people in our grade who had been diagnosed with anxiety, depression and had engaged in self-harm.  Awareness and understanding needs to be built from a young age.   ... View more

A young person should expect to feel respected and cared for when they visit a professional.  They should understand and be reassured about the confidentiality agreement so that they can feel free to discuss what is going on in their lives.  The professional should make the effort to have their patient feel like they are important ... View more

With the picture - it feels like the magic words are EARLY INTERVENTION and everyone likes to throw them around but it never seems to happen.  We talk about early intervention with regards to mental and physical health all the time but no one ever seems to actually want to work out how early intervention looks in the real world.  There never seems to be much of a plan about what early intervention is or how it works etc.  Would be nice to see it in action!!! ... View more

Oh and there needs to be more help for FRIENDS!!! Speaking as someone who is helping my best friend through some pretty serious mental health issues, sometimes it feels like it is just me trying to hold her above water.  Friends of those with mental health issues also need support.  ... View more

More money needs to be put into e-counselling.  A couple of times I have used headspace and was asked if I could talk the next day because the counsellor needed to talk to someone else.  I totally understood, my issue wasn’t life threatening but it was still a bit disheartening.  They offer a FANTASTIC service and there needs to be more money and publicity pumped into it.  More people need to know about this service for the future.  I have found it to be a great way to contact a trained professional at any time and get help without having to go through the waiting list for an appointment or having to wait a week for an appointment.  With the technology generation growing up, there will be a higher demand for on-line help.   ... View more

I didn't personally but I had to help my best friend.  It was difficult because the school councellor wasn't very accessable, we didn't know her and never saw her around.  So, my best friend wasn't so keen.  Luckily, we have an amazing year coordinator who we talked to and was able to talk to her.   It was hard to find a doctor and councellor who worked for her, she tried two and neither of them seemed to care that much, it was just a job for them.  The third one was better, she made my friend feel like she actually cared but she wasn't all that close to home so she was difficult to reach.  Trying to find a doctor that worked that was accessable was really difficult.   ... View more

I am feeling totally burnt out right now. My exams finished a couple of weeks back and I was studying so hard for that. However now I have no energy or enthusiasm for the huge assessment tasks due soon!! ... View more