Australia’s Leading Experts on Children & Teenagers in one Event

25% of young people aged 16-24 experience mental health problems
75% of young people hospitalised in 2007-2008 was due to mental and behavioural disorders
30,706 young people were prescribed antidepressants in 2008*

The growing pressures associated with teenage years is increasing and taking its toll on the young people of today. Life is complicated and life style choices challenging, the stress this is causing has seen a rise in mental health problems experienced by teenagers.

There seems to be 4 main area which affect adolescents; anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders, although they are not medically linked they often have similar symptoms.

The growth of mental health issues among the young has seen 30,000 families a year affected by mental health issues. It is clear that the stigma that goes with mental health needs to be dropped in favour of validating and helping teenagers with the issues they are now facing.

The practice of medicating young people grew in the 1990’s as a way of handling their challenging behaviour. This trend has continued to grow with 30,706 young people under 18 years of age being prescribed with antidepressants in the 12 months to June 2008. In the same period, 4,000 children under 10 years of age were also given mood-stabilising drugs, with a staggering 500 of them under the age of 5 years old.

Adolescent psychologist, author of “Surviving Adolescents” and Generation Next speaker, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg says that the most important thing for a parent to remember is to keep the lines of communication open on all levels especially emotionally, “if children and adolescents feel loved within the family, that there is a place for them at home, they may still push boundaries but their risk-taking will be less hazardous. So rather than just monitoring their behaviour, keep tabs on their emotional life. Look for changes away from a familiar or predictable pattern of behaviour.”

Dr Carr-Gregg points out several warning signs to watch out for:
Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
Gloomy clothing, writing and music
Poor hygiene and grooming
Hopelessness
Decreased interest in doing ‘stuff’
Persistent boredom and or low energy
Social isolation
Guilt and low self-esteem
Increased irritability, anger or hostility
Disruptive behaviour at school
Alcohol and drug abuse

If the current movement continues then 20% of adolescents will have experienced depression by the age of 18, and yet many of them will not seek medical help for their condition.

Research has shown that antidepressant medication (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – SSRI) can help stabilise children over the age of 12 years old. It is most effective when used in conjunction with other treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy as part of an overall mental health plan.

Many parents feel they have failed if their child resorts to medication, however Steve Hambleton,  Australian Medical Association vice president said “there is a whole lot of resistance from parents and the individual but it doesn’t mean you have failed or you should give up,”  he added “it can be a useful part of the clinical regime.”

Kids & Co. was set up by clinical psychologist, Anna Cohen, and offers psychological assessments and a treatment service to children, adolescents and their families who are experiencing difficulties. They combine treatment methods that best suit personal and family needs.

Ms Cohen said “we really believe there is a place for medication for teenagers, but not for all teenagers. If we have a chemical change on our brain, the medication puts that back into a healthy balance.”

She added “the problem is, a lot of parents have heard lots of horror stories about kids on medication and there’s often a comment made to me that young people on antidepressants are more likely to suicide – but that is not the case. There is a huge stigma attached to it. It’s terrifying to acknowledge that your young person is depressed.”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: Sunday Telegraph

* Australian Institute of Health and Welfare publication Australia’s Health 2010; Australian Department of Health and Ageing

headspace is supporting this series of national seminars relating to the health and wellbeing of young people.

The next Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People 2010 Seminar will be held in Sydney on Friday September 10, 2010

WHAT: Topics this year include major and current issues

• Cyber-bullying
• Drugs and Alcohol
• Body Image & Eating Disorders
• Teen Depression
• Resilience
• Sexualisation, Consumerism, the Media and Mental health

Feedback from our previous event:
• ”It was very insightful. I got such a lot out of hearing from the wonderful line up of speakers you organised for us. I congratulate you on putting such a powerful line-up and message together.”
• “Thank you again for organising such a great event- it was a wonderful success and hopefully the start of many more in the future!”
• “Congratulations and thank you on a well informed and planned conference. My colleague and I loved it. I know next year I would like to send my middle years staff.”
• “The day was a very valuable one and I know that there will be more teachers from our school attending the next one.”
• “The conference speakers were engaging and stimulating and to be honest I have thought of little else since…! It was extremely uplifting to listen to people who love what they do, who are passionate about young people, passionate about their area of expertise and who are generous enough to share their knowledge, insights and understanding to improve the lives of others. Congratulations to everyone involved, I for one have been moved into action and inspired to act!”
• “Thanks once again for such a wonderful conference. I got so much out of it. I plan to use much of the info I gained on the day on a whole school basis. It’s great to have practical info that can be adapted to a school setting.”
• “It was a terrific seminar and every speaker was dynamic and to the point, well worth having a second one. I will share the details with colleagues.”
• “It was wonderful to learn in such a funny and stimulating way. The power of humour…! I will tell all colleagues about what a great professional event it was and how they can possibly get to the next one.”
• “Thank you for your vision, passion and dedication for the wellbeing of young people.”
•  “It was a terrific seminar and every speaker was dynamic and to the point, well worth having a second one. I will share the details with colleagues.”
• “Again thank you for a wondrous seminar.”
• “I will promote the next conference for you, as last week was fantastic!”
• “Thanks for putting on a great conference.”
•  “Thank you so much for your part in organising the wonderful event…..It was inspiring to hear such a collection of speakers on the one program, all most informative and entertaining. I …. shall be passing on the information to others.”
•  “The event WAS wonderful and I am happy to see that you are hosting another so soon.”

 
95% of the delegates felt that the seminar was definitely worth attending

Australia’s leading experts in one event:
• Michael Carr-Gregg, Adolescent Psychologist and Beyondblue Ambassador
• Dr Sloane Madden, Expert in Body Image and Eating Disorders, The Children’s Hospital, Westmead
• Paul Dillon, Drug and Alcohol Research and Training
• Susan McLean, Cyber safety Expert
• Lyn Worsely, Psychologist, Developer of The Resilience Doughnut
• Evelyn Field, Psychologist, Author of Bully blocking, National Centre Against Bullying
• Dr Ramesh Manocha, GP, Mental Health Researcher, University of Sydney

For Education, Health and Welfare Professionals:

“The Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People 2010″.
Date: Friday, September 10, 2010
Venue: Mathews Lecture Theatre, University of New South Wales, Randwick, Sydney
Time: 9am-5pm

To look at the full programme, download the brochure or register go to Generation Next

Or phone 1300 797 794

Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha

Despite the fact that there has been much research into the addictive and destructive nature of gambling, there has been a landmark victory for Melbourne pub the Pink Hill Hotel. They have been given the go ahead to build a children’s play area which will give children full view of the pokies and their parents in action.

No doubt the idea is that the parents can watch over their children while they gamble, but in reality it will only serve to desensitise impressionable young children to the nature of gambling. It is the children who will be learning how to gamble while watching their parents at play. 

If they are exposed to it at such an early age then there is far more likelihood that they will take up gambling as they get older.

Anti-gambling groups are up in arms, warning that creating the playroom will only encourage and endorse problem gambling; allowing parents to utilise the children’s area as a child minding service while they play the pokies.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (VCGR) has granted the Beaconsfield pub permission to build a children’s playroom to “be fully enclosed with soundproof glass so that children are visible to parents from the gaming room or bistro”. In effect this is putting a crèche in the middle of an adult’s entertainment area.

The VCGR has since withdrawn permission for the playroom to be fitted out with “soundproof glass so that the children are visible to parents” however they are still allowing the child minding facility to remain in the middle of the gaming area. They seem to have completely missed the point; that children will still be exposed to gambling and it will, in effect, provide childcare facilities while parents play the pokies.

VCGR executive commissioner Peter Cohen said “I am not concerned about children seeing poker machines because I don’t think that’s as harmful as … children being unsupervised.”

“I’m a realist. People will gamble. If they are going to gamble, I would rather they have their children supervised.”

The local community have also come together to fight the VCAT on this issue to get the planning permission overturned. A hearing into the matter will be held in November.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: Sun Herald

In Australia, anxiety disorders are common. One in 25 teenagers (13-17 years old) experiences anxiety disorders in any given year.

Anxiety is not the same as depression, although the two conditions share many causes and some symptoms often occur together. There are six main types of anxiety disorders, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

Many people feel anxious sometimes and these anxious thoughts can often influence the things we do. For example, the thought “I think I left the iron on” can lead to us returning home to make sure that it’s turned off.

Usually, these thoughts happen only occasionally and can be helpful reminders. However, if these thoughts happen regularly, again and again, it can cause difficulties.

People who have OCD often feel like they have to carry out certain behaviours (e.g. cleaning things that are already clean) over and over in order to feel OK and reduce their anxious feelings.

These behaviours usually provide only temporary relief. But if people with OCD don’t carry out these behaviour patterns or rituals, they often think that bad things will happen to them.

While OCD is relatively rare in young people, it can be serious and requires treatment by a health professional.

What are the signs and symptoms of OCD?

People may have OCD if they have a lot of unwanted intrusive thoughts or strong urges to do certain things. Some examples of signs of OCD include:

• obsessive hand washing because the person is scared of germs

  counting things for no apparent reason, and

constantly checking that doors are locked etc.

Getting Help

A General Practitioner or counsellor can help. OCD is treatable and talking to someone about it is the first step towards getting better. Treatment will help a person with OCD to control the strong compulsive feelings that lead to the repetitive behaviour.

Your doctor may offer you some information to read or put you in touch with someone who specialises in the treatment of anxiety disorders or refer you to a psychologist covered by Medicare.

Where can I get more information?

youthbeyondblue  or  1300 22 4636
headspace  
Kids Help Line  or 1800 55 1800
ReachOut.com  
Anxiety Network Australia

Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: Youthbeyondblue

420 million Internet porn pages
4.2 million Porn websites
68 million daily porn search engine requests

Playboy used to be synonymous with all that was porn. Scantily clad women with “come hither” looks. Even Cosmopolitan was considered “risqué” with its sealed sections.

But the porn of today is a very different story; it has absolutely nothing to do with love and relationships, very little to do with sex and everything to do with degrading women, violence and profit. It seems there are no boundaries which cannot be crossed as men become desensitized to even the cruellest, humiliating, sadistic and brutal material.

The young people of today, especially boys have grown up with porn, many see porn on a regular basis long before they get their first girlfriend and experience any kind of relationship, before they experience the tenderness, empathy and affection that usually goes with intimacy.

Gail Dines, regarded as the world’s leading anti-pornography campaigner, has just published a new book Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality. It exposes why the porn available to our teenagers today is destroying their chances of a healthy long lasting relationship later in live.

“We are now bringing up a generation of boys on cruel, violent porn,” she says, “and given what we know about how images affect people, this is going to have a profound influence on their sexuality, behaviour and attitudes towards women.”

The porn today explores feelings of hate, fear, disgust, anger, loathing and contempt. Every sex act is designed to deliver the maximum amount of humiliation. Whether it is choking her or violent intercourse, the aim of porn sex is to demonstrate how much power he has over her. These images are now common place on the net and are shaping the way men think about sex, relationships and intimacy.

Dines found that many men believed that porn sex was what women wanted, and they became upset and angry when their sex partner refused to look or behave like their favourite porn star.

“I have found that the earlier men use porn,” says Dines, “the more likely they are to have trouble developing close, intimate relationships with real women. Some of these men prefer porn to sex with an actual human being. They are bewildered, even angry, when real women don’t want or enjoy porn sex,” she said.

During her research for the book, one student told her “I love porn and I try out the sex on my girlfriend, but she isn’t interested. I dumped the last girl I was with because she wanted to keep the sex straight. That’s not for me. If women don’t want to try different things, then I am not interested.”

Research statistics on porn access by boys over the internet is staggering:

• 30% of 13 year old boys view porn on a regular basis
• 30% 14- to 16-year-olds saw sexual images online by the age of 10 years old
• 81% of teenage boys polled looked at porn online at home, and
• 63% could easily access it on their mobile phones.

In essence, the today’s teenagers have access to hardcore porn 24 hours a day.

Porn culture doesn’t only affect men. It also changes “the way women and girls think about their bodies, their sexuality and their relationships,” says Dines.

“The more porn images filter into mainstream culture, the more girls and women are stripped of full human status and reduced to sex objects. This has a terrible effect on girls’ sexual identity because it robs them of their own sexual desire.”

Images have now become so extreme that acts that were almost non-existent a decade ago have become commonplace, including oral and anal penetration.

For the producers of porn it is not about sex; it is all about money and the profits. Dines spent 3 days at an Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas during 2008, she interviewed many porn producers and found that their interests lie not in bodily contact but purely in the profits, niche markets, and bulk mailing. Nobody talked about sex, just his or her business plan for increasing revenue. 

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: New York Post

We read the story – about an 11 year old girl in the US, Jessi Slaughter, who received a tirade of threats after posting a video of herself on YouTube.

We saw the pictures – the freeze frame of what looked like a traumatised child in her bedroom in floods of tears.
 
On the surface it looked like she was the victim of yet another case of cyber-bullying led by a group of ‘trollers’ – people who use the internet to deliberately provoke reactions by baiting their victims.

“How can we let this happen to an innocent young child?” we all said! (well I did anyway).

However if you looked a little closer at this story it showed an out of control girl who had invited provocation by posting a self indulgent rant filled with expletives on the net.

If you really want to watch it, go to Watch Haters… Piercing… StickyDrama =D here and see all 4 minutes and 36 seconds of her rant – but be warned despite the fact Jessi is only 11 years old, the language is extremely graphic.

She is anything but innocent; her language would put a sailor to shame and she is far from traumatised, in fact her behaviour is actually aggressive and quite bizarre. She seems to be under the illusion that she is some kind of celebrity or has a certain amount of fame because of the videos she has ‘stared’ in and then posted.

“You hater bitches, you’re just jealous of me because I’m more pretty than you. More people like me, I have more fans, yeh and all that shit” I’m perfect and you’re not. No one can be this pretty with no make-up on… Just stop hating on me. I’m just a normal girl who’s perfect in every way.” 

She almost seems to be performing like she has an audience or ‘fan’ base; her gestures are exaggerated and contrived. This girl has definitely been doing this for some time, (apparently previous posts also include pictures and stripping). 

She has an attitude which is way beyond her years and completely defies logic or a sense of reality. She tells her ‘haters’ to “suck her nonexistent p…s. Suck it and get AIDS and die,” and ends her video post with “it’s a big f*** to all those haters, OK”.

So then I asked myself did she bring the death threats and backlash upon herself. Is she the modern day cyber version of the boy who cried wolf?

So where do her parents stand in all this and why were they not aware of their daughter’s behaviour? Her mother said she doesn’t use the computer and hasn’t seen the clip, while her father added to the furore by posting a rant of his own.

Leading adolescent psychologist, Generation Next speaker and author of “Real Wired Child” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, points out that “parents need to understand that there are potential dangers in life not just in the technology but also in young people’s inability to always predict the consequences of their actions.”

Her YouTube tirade has also caused many valid comments including:

“Has anyone seen her original video? The one in which she is making the death threats? When will parents start taking responsibility and stop all this rubbish!!” (Mick of Sydney)

“What this highlights is how little parents know about what their kids are doing on the internet. She is 11. She should never have been allowed to make a video like the one she did.” (Anthony of Brisbane)

“The first move should have been to discipline the child and have her understand that she caused the problem. It appears the parents do not understand what their child was doing and what she instigated.” (Captain of Darwin)

“She posted a “bait” video on YouTube, she got what was coming to her. Mandatory filters aren’t the answer, parents taking responsibility is the answer. (effektd of Melbourne)

Professor Matt Warren, the head of Deakin University’s School of Information Systems said a “child isn’t ethically aware of what they’re doing,” and added “parents will be concerned about their child going out all hours, but they don’t care about them staying on the internet all hours.”

On the other hand, Dr Helen McGrath – a contributor to the Commonwealth Government’s Cyber-safety Joint Committee said it was unrealistic to expect parents to keep an eye on their children 24/7 and that the burden lay with schools to give young people the tools to look after themselves.

“It really comes back down to making sure they understand what they’re getting into,” she said.

I put it to Dr McGrath that these children (and we are talking about children here) are too young to understand the implications of what “they’re getting into” and that is why parents, not schools, need to take a firm hand in what they do and do not allow access to on their children’s computers.

If ever parents needed a reason to censor their children’s internet activities, Jessi Slaughter is it. 

Cyber bullying is a real concern and for more information you can access either:

Cybersmart   or  Cybersafetysolutions

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: news.com

“What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and all things nice” you would certainly think that if you watched California Gurls, the latest video clip from Katy Perry.

“It’s all edible. We named it ‘Candyfornia’ instead of ‘California,’ so it’s a different world,” Perry said. “It’s not just like, ‘Oh, let’s go to the beach and throw a party and then shoot a music video!’ It’s more like, ‘Let’s put us California Gurls in a whole different world!’

The clip is a sugary mixture of pink candy floss, Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a board game. Featuring Snoop Dogg, the clip takes us through Candy Land in which girls (looking so good you could eat them) are held captive by ‘King’ Snoop Dogg. Perry moves around a candy inspired board game to free them.

It culminates in a battle when Perry defeats the’ king’ with her guns made from whipped cream, which are attached to her breasts and she squeezes to make the cream come out. This is so ‘soft porn’ it’s not true and is almost too embarrassing to watch.

Just to clarify, Snoop Dogg, used to be a pimp who seems to have little respect for women. About his time as a pimp he has said “I wasn’t a gorilla pimp where I was beating the girls up” but explains he was simply offering a service “cause I know so many mother f***ers who like buyin’ it” (Rolling Stones November 2006), not a great role model for adolescent boys.

Long gone are the days when a musician or group could simply stand there and deliver their song and it be filmed. Today we are offered a whole fantasy to go with the music, a visual journey for us to get lost in.

But what is it that we are being sold here? The lyrics for many songs are borderline pornographic with little room for words of true love or romance – it all seems to be about superficial physical attraction and instant sexual gratification. When these lyrics are translated onto the screen what we see is a video clip that has become a short ‘soft porn’ movie.

The lyrics in Perry’s song make no secret of the fact that California girls are body conscious, on the look-out and available “Sex on a beach. We get sand in our stilettos. We freak and we’re cheap”.

We, or rather young girls, are being sold the idea that girls/women are here to look good enough to eat, to be delicious and to be enjoyed by men. They are being told that girls should flaunt their sexuality and make it clear that they are ready and available.

Maggie Hamilton, Generation Next speaker and author of “What’s Happening to our Girls? said “much information girls glean about sex is from magazines, TV and the movies… often sex in the media is presented as immediate, exciting, causal and risk free.”

“When girls access the media they learn almost nothing about the subtle difference between sensuality and sexuality, understanding and expressing desire, the importance of intimacy and boundaries, and life beyond instant gratification” she added.

This clip would visually appeal to young girls; it is full of all the food and colours they love at that age; ice cream, gummy bears and candy floss. They are being hooked into a world which then tells them “you are here to look pretty, taste good and give pleasure to men”.

These messages are conveyed by the way all the girls are dressed/wrapped up as ‘sweeties’ that can be eaten and are the property of Snoop Dogg’s own personal candy stash. It is reinforced by the way the women in the clip smile and give the camera the ’I’m here for you’ look.

At one point Katy seductively licks an ice cream while looking wide eyed and innocent. Later she slowly sucks her fingers as she slips some gingerbread man into her mouth.

Then we see Perry lying naked on a cloud singing about how California girls are “fine, fresh and fierce” however all the girls in the clip have a vacant/available expression on their faces like no thoughts have ever passed through their heads.

This clip is insidious because it looks like a superficial sugar candy coated innocent romp through Alice in Wonderland while actually taking a voyeuristic journey that shows women as objects for the pleasure of men . In essence it is soft porn and the worrying thing about this video is that it will be watched by thousands of young girls on a Saturday morning as they get their weekly fix of Video Hits.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Community Alcohol Action Network (CAAN)

This is a great website full of resources about the effects of alcohol; especially on young people.  Its aim is to equip people at a local level to help them change the drinking culture we have in Australia – to make it a safer environment for people to drink.

CAAN works to reduce cultural pressures that encourage Australians to drink unsafely. They include the alcohol industries’ marketing strategies, popular culture’s celebration of binge drinking, and social expectations that lead to complacency regarding alcohol problems.

CAAN’s strategy includes alerting the media, the public, and policy makers to:
• aggressive marketing and promotion of alcohol
• failure of the codes that regulate alcohol advertising
• encouragement of unsafe drinking via popular media
• violation of licensing regulations (e.g. free drinks, drinking competitions)
• development of dangerous products (e.g. ‘super strength’ pre-mixed drinks), and
• the need for greater controls over availability.

The website has great facts and figures on the following topics:
Alcohol and its effects – the liver breaks down 91% of alcohol.
Standard drinks – a standard drink is defined as one that contains 10 grams of pure alcohol.
Minimising the risks from drinking – we know that drinking too much alcohol can cause problems, but how much is too much?
How to drink less- how to pace yourself, monitor your alcohol consumption and make healthy choices during a night out.
Alcohol Use in Australia – facts and statistics about the prevalence of alcohol use in Australia.
Alcohol – Recent Reports and Research.

Our drinking culture
Parents and teachers alike have all expressed a sense of helplessness about underage drinking, in the face of strong social and cultural pressures to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Young people’s opinions and acceptance of alcohol are guided by the beliefs and expectations of the society they live in.

Australian society embraces alcohol and has always done so. Excessive alcohol consumption is not frowned upon. In fact, it is celebrated and plays an important role in many of our social customs. We tolerate heavy and unsafe drinking including underage drinking, sending a message to our young people that it is acceptable for them to drink.

The alcohol industry feeds this culture, last year alone the Foster’s Group spent $30-35 million on advertisements. In addition to that, alcohol companies invest millions of dollars each year in sponsorship. Most national sports teams and sports events in Australia are sponsored by alcohol brands.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Community Alcohol Action Network (CAAN)

When people talk about ‘mental health’ they’re referring to the health of your mind and this also includes how you feel about yourself and how easily you cope with problems. When you are experiencing good mental health, it makes it easier for you to enjoy day-to-day activities and the world around you.

Your mental health can be affected by many different things and many different reasons. One of the signs that your mental health isn’t as healthy as it should be is that you don’t feel as good as you used to. If you have a mental health condition, it can affect:

• the way you feel
• the way you think and act
• how you interact with others
• your ability to concentrate.
 
We all feel low from time to time, but when you feel sad or anxious for a long time, generally for more than two weeks, it’s a sign that something might be wrong and it’s a good time to talk to a friend, family member, trusted adult or – even better – your doctor.

Depression is a mental illness which can affect anyone at any time, so it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms and to look out for these in yourself and also your friends and family. It is also important to listen to friends and family members when they are feeling down and talk to them about what is going on.

Part of the reason that mental health isn’t spoken about as much as it should be is because people may feel ashamed or embarrassed about having a mental health problem and often don’t want anyone to know about it. This is called “stigma” and it prevents people from seeking help and talking to trusted friends and relatives when they need to.

It is really important to talk about how you’re going, as everyone has a right to be well and to enjoy life. Talking about how you are feeling, whether it’s good or not-so-good, and getting things off your chest, may help you to start feeling better. By talking openly about mental health problems, it helps to reduce stigma and may encourage others to seek information and help when needed.

Things that prevent young people from seeking help for depression and anxiety can include:

• stigma and fear of what people will think and say
• not knowing where to go or who to talk to
• wondering if it is just a normal part of growing up (it’s not!)
• fear that they may be seen as weak if they speak to parents, GP or another health professional.

The truth is that depression and anxiety disorders are illnesses, not weaknesses, and it’s important to talk about what’s going on and to seek help. There is a lot of information that can help you – or a friend – take that first step.

Remember to:

• Look for the signs of depression and anxiety disorders
• Listen to your friends’ experiences
• Talk about how you’re feeling
• Seek Help together.

Depression and anxiety are illnesses and help is available. With the right treatment, most people recover.

For more information about depression, anxiety and related disorders visit www.youthbeyondblue.com or call the beyondblue info line on 1300 22 3646. 

Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Youthbeyondblue has a range of free fact sheets available to download from the Youthbeyondblue website.

The fact sheets don’t sugar-coat the issues or contain medical jargon – just plain, easy-to-understand facts about problems people commonly experience as a part of growing up.

Topics range from depression and anxiety disorders (signs, symptoms and available treatment and where to get help) to advice on helping a friend or family member and tips on coping with stress. The fact sheets also look at what happens to depression and anxiety levels when mixed with alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

There is information on how to keep yourself healthy, for example making sure you exercise and eat well and get a good night’s sleep. There are also tips on how to improve your study habits.

You can also get the facts about the tough stuff like suicide prevention, self-harm, dealing with grief, family break-ups and bullying. There’s even information for parents and carers. 

The team at Youthbeyondblue put these fact sheets together by drawing on years of research, expert advice from mental health professionals who work with young people and first hand information.

They also talked to groups of young people about what helped them through their tough times and took their advice on the things they thought would be helpful for others.

Other youth organisations, including headspace, Orygen Youth Health, Reach Out and Mission Australia, were also involved.

Beyondblue’s CEO, Leonie Young, said sometimes when people are going through a hard time or the early stages of anxiety and depression, it can be daunting to take that first step to get help. 

“Life can be tough for teenagers and young adults – so we want everyone to know that help is available. Whether it is advice on studying and keeping healthy, or easy-to-understand information about mental health, our Youthbeyondblue fact sheets are a great place to start. If you’re struggling, it’s always a good idea to talk about it with someone you trust, like a parent, teacher, school counsellor, your doctor or a good friend.”

“We realise that sometimes the things that really worry people can be hard to talk about, so a great way to try to overcome problems is to arm yourself – or a friend – with the facts and find out what help is available” she said.

“We invite all young people to take a few minutes to look at the Youthbeyondblue information, because even if you don’t need it yourself, you may know someone who does. Remember to look for the signs of depression and anxiety in your mates, talk about what’s going on, listen to what they’re saying and if you think you need to – seek help together.”

You can order or download any of beyondblue’s youth fact sheets for free, from www.youthbeyondblue.com or you can call the beyondblue information line on 1300 22 4636 (for the cost of a local call from a landline) to have copies sent out to you.

Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.