How to Deal with a Mental Health Crisis in Australia

Yes. Unfortunately at times, we will find ourselves in the middle of very rough and absolutely horrifying days where problems seem to be endless. The feeling of misery becomes hard to keep up with. We find the need to talk to people but we think, “they will never understand,” or “nothing no one can do will help me”. At times, we feel helpless because we or ourselves, do not understand why we feel the way that we do. Therefore, how can we expect others to understand us? But you see, we are not alone in this battle. There are a lot of people who are going through the same. They too experience the tangled feelings, the unorganised thoughts which are very familiar to the feeling of confusion that we feel.

It isn’t always easy to make out the difference between expected behaviour compared with abnormal behaviour or mental illness. Though personality and behavioural tests are available, there’s just no easy way to tell if a person suffers from mental illness. How do we tell apart depression which is a mental illness from sadness which is normal human emotion? The only way to know is to seek help from a professional for identification. The is pretty vague and some are left guessing. Are they are reacting as would another “normal” person’s reaction or is there something else lying underneath?

There are a lot of types and kinds of mental illness and each bears a signature of its signs and symptoms. However, there are features that point to a possible crisis. Features we can note to then get help to deal with a mental health crisis in Australia. Some of the prominent traits or indications are as follows:

• Uncontrollable or unrestrained worrying which is significantly different from previous.
• Extreme feelings of highs and lows, which are unmanageable.
• Inability to concentrate to the point of confusion
• Uncharacteristic racing streams of thought.
• Easily irritated, volatile and feelings of anger that feel unsafe.
• Delusional or hallucinations.
• Thoughts of suicide
• Thoughts of wanting to hurt ourselves or others

Young children and young adults can also experience mental health issues. On the other hand, young children are unable to express their thoughts in words and racing feelings. So the manifestation of a mental condition can be seen through their actions. This may include and is not limited to the following:

• Differences in school performance or attendance
• Sudden inability to follow simple instructions.
• New rule-breaking
• Hyperactive, inability to stay still.
• New nightmares or erratic sleeping patterns.
• Sits quietly alone and is more withdrawn.
• Not eating or losing weight.

When things get overwhelming, even if stress is considered a temporary trigger to unhappiness, help is available.

MHSA is the government's response to providing accessible health and welfare services for mental health in Australia. To understand the importance of this, consider the following statistics which can be found in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:

• In 2017-18, $9.9 billion was spent on mental health services.
• In 2018-19, 4.3 million people were prescribed mental health-related medications, and 453,000 received community mental health care.
• In 2018-19, 86,499 clients with mental health issues used Specialist Homelessness Services.
• The mental health workforce in 2018 consisted of 3,441 psychiatrists, 23,083 mental health nurses, and 27,027 psychologists.
• In 2018-19, 10.6% of the Australian population received Medicare-subsidised mental health-specific services.
• In 2017-18, 1.9% of the Australian population received clinical mental health care, and 1,655 specialised mental health facilities provided care.
• From 2006 to 2016, there has been an increase in GP mental health-related encounters for mental health care services.

These facts and figures highlight the significant investment and efforts made by the Australian government to provide accessible mental health services to its population. It is important for individuals to be aware of these resources and seek help when needed.

If we or anyone we know, love and care for, may suffer some kind of mental illness. Therefore, they might need help to deal with a mental health crisis. Hence, If we find out that professional help may be needed, let’s find the help needed. For those who do not wish to physically see a psychiatrist (if medication is or may be needed) or a psychologist (for counselling) then online mental health services are one of the options that we can use in Australia. Telehealth services are an option. Online mental health counselling makes it easier for those who need someone to talk to or with, so that the feelings of anxiety, stress, distress, anger and loneliness, can slowly start to be addressed.

Mental health services in Australia (MHSA) reflects the government’s national response to address the needs of making a health and welfare service available to us. When feeling lost, hopeless, when we feel like help is not available, below are some stats that we should consider. These facts and figures you can easily find in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:

We do not have to leave our homes to get the help we need. Our family doctor can help us find the right professional psychiatry and psychology services out there but the first step is ours to make. As an initial step, speaking with your GP about the presence of new concerning mental health symptoms might be a good first option. There are also multiple mental health emergency lines that are available, some online 24/7. We can find quite a few mental health emergencies in Australia by visiting the National Health Services Directory or by calling these helplines:

The following helpline numbers are available for emergencies and support services:

• Emergency Service: call 000
• beyondblue: dial 1300 224 636
• headspace: call 1800 650 890
• Men’s Line Australia: dial 1300 789 978
• The Samaritans Crisis Line: Crisis Line on 135 247 and Youthline WA on 1800 198 313
• Post and Antenatal Depression Association of Australia (PANDA) HelpLine: call 1300 726 306
• Multicultural Mental Health: dial 1300 136 289
• Sexual Assault Resource Centre: call 1800 199 888
• YouthFocus: dial 6266 4333