Mental health problems are common in Australia – around 45% of Australians aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness or mental health concern at some point in their life.
Could you or someone you know be experiencing a mental health problem?
How would you know?
Following are three important steps:
- Get to know the early warning signs and symptoms of mental health problems: Early warning signs are subtle signs of change that indicate that action needs to be taken to prevent full blown symptoms of mental illness. The tricky thing about early warning signs is that you may not notice them. If in doubt ask your GP or someone close to you – someone you can trust.
- Take action – If you or someone you know needs help – then do something about it. Get help early – pay attention to the early warning signs, and prevent mental health problems from getting worse.–See your GP or talk to trusted professional.
- Plan for Action – make a plan to make change, develop strategies that help when you experience early warning signs. Put the list somewhere safe for future reference.