Depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illness affect many people. One in five people will suffer depression at some point in their life. The statistics don’t necessarily help you just now. However, what this means is that there are treatments, there is support, there are other people who do understand and who know what you are going through. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Depression and other mental illnesses are serious. They can be painful, debilitating, distressing and even life threatening. If you are feeling distressed, concerned or in pain, SEEK HELP.
For many of us the first step is understanding that we have a problem and that it might have a name and therefore a pathway for treatment and recovery.
The symptoms of depression are many. If you are suffering depression, you may be experiencing:
- Moodiness that is out of character.
- Increased irritation & frustration.
- Feelings of intense sadness.
- Feeling guilty out of proportion.
- Finding it hard to take minor criticisms.
- Spending less time with family and friends.
- Loss of interest in food, sex, exercise or other pleasurable activities.
- Being awake throughout the night.
- Increased alcohol & drug use.
- Staying home from work or school.
- Increased physical health problems like fatigue or pain.
- Being reckless or taking unnecessary risks (dangerous driving or excessive gambling).
If some of these symptoms have lasted more than two weeks, you may be suffering from depression and you really should seek help.
There are many resources to help you identify what is going on and how to take the next steps.
A Glove Box Guide to Mental Health - 2017
A Glove Box Guide to Mental Health is a partnership between The Land and the Rural Advisory in Mental Health Program (RAMHP).
It has been produced with the input and guidance of mental health professionals and has the support of services across the nation.
Self-test for depression
The Black Dog Institute specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. This self-help test is useful for the first step of identifying what might be going on for you.
The institute also has really useful factsheets including:
Is it just me?
Headspace specialises in dealing with mental health issues for young people. You can visit headspace Wagga Wagga on Morgan Street. They can help with counselling services and other support options. Their website has many resources including personal stories. It can be really helpful to understand that it isn’t just you. Here you’ll find videos and personal stories from other young people that can be really helpful. Share experiences, stories, the pain and steps to getting help.
RUOK?
An invaluable site for resources prepared for multiple environments -schools, workplaces.Find tips and advice on how to ask the unaskable.»»» Ask RUOK?
»»» Listen without judgement
»»» Encourage action
»»» Follow up
How can I help?
depressionNet has a range of resources for families and carers of people living with mental illness. It has a really helpful list of ideas about things you can do and say when someone you care about suffers depression.
Mindspot
Online assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression
The Mindspot Clinic is a free telephone and online service for Australian adults troubled by symptoms of anxiety or depression. Mindspot provides free Online Screening Assessments to help you learn about your symptoms, free Treatment Courses to help you to recover. They can also assist finding local services that can help.
SANE
lived experience forums
The ‘Lived Experience Forum‘ is for people living with mental illness or experiencing mental health issues. It provides a safe, anonymous place for to share stories and experiences and help one another.
SANE launches new mental health campaign for 4 million Australians
Inspiring stories
SANE Australia has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of online support and social connection for the four million people affected by complex mental illness.
Stories of eight inspiring Australians affected by bipolar, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, anorexia, major depression and suicide, will be broadcast across television, radio and online in 155 communities nationwide for the next 8 weeks.
The campaign primarily focuses on people living in rural and regional areas where there are significant barriers to getting mental health support.
As the mental health sector continues to face funding uncertainty, SANE Australia is encouraging people to visit the SANE online forums to get the help they need.
Watch the videos and read the stories
Visit the forums
Read more about the project in the media release
Wagga Wagga Mental Health Recovery Program
(Sub-Acute Mental Health Unit)
Wagga Wagga Mental Health Recovery Program (Sub-Acute Mental Health Unit). The recovery program is in the new mental health building at Wagga Base hospital. It is an 8 week residential course of education, practical living skills, care coordination and support.
Tool kit - Carers of people with mental illness
lived experience forums
A self-help resource to help people living with mental illness
carers-toolkit | PDF 190kb
Anxiety and depression checklist (K10)
This simple checklist aims to measure whether you may have been affected by depression and anxiety during the past four weeks. The higher your score, the more likely you are to be experiencing depression and/or anxiety.
Your answers and results are completely confidential and we don’t store any of your information. After taking the test, you can print the results for your records or to give to your GP.
These questions relate to how you’ve been feeling over the past four weeks. Tick a box next to each question that best reflects your thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Maternal mental health and wellbeing
Depression and anxiety can affect anyone at any time – but we know women are more likely to experience these conditions during pregnancy and the year following the birth of a baby (also known as the perinatal period).
Find information to help you take care of yourself and get some extra support when you need it. After all, you are your baby’s most important asset. Caring for yourself is as important as caring for your baby.
https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au
EMERGENCY 000
Everyone knows of Lifeline – don’t think your crisis isn’t worthy of calling the national help line. But did you know they also offer an online chat service every night, 7 nights a week?
eHeadspace is this foundation’s offering to young people struggling with life stuff. In their group chat sessions, you can anonymously ask experts anything you like and get top notch guidance back. It’s also excellent for learning from other people, too.
Kid’s Help Line isn’t just for kids in school. They also offer crisis help as well as tools for 18-25 year olds, and like Lifeline have a WebChat counselling tool you can use between 8am and 12am. It’s particularly good if you want to chat discreetly to someone without everyone around you knowing what’s going on.
This service is geared specifically to men with family and relationship concerns, and offers a hotline and online chat module. They also have a range of articles that deal with issues within these topics, including “toolkits” for specific issues like anger management and communication.
The Mental Health Line is a single number, state -wide 24 hour mental health telephone access service. Anyone with a mental health issue can use the Mental Health Line to speak with a mental health professional and be directed to the right care for them.
Wagga Wagga Mental Health
Recovery Program
02 5943 1700
(Sub-Acute Mental Health Unit, Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital). The recovery program is an 8 week residential course of education, practical living skills, care coordination and support.
If you’re contemplating suicide, or experiencing suicidal thoughts – this service will have you in touch with a professional counsellor immediately. They operate 24/7 and you can call, use video chat, or chat online.
Sometimes just knowing what you’re dealing with can help a shitload, often allowing you to see your thoughts through the lens of a mental health issue. Black Dog Institute has self-test online programs for sussing if you’re dealing with depression, bipolar or anxiety. They also have a few apps that can help people dealing with these, like Snapshot, which allows you to track and monitor your depression or anxiety, so you can see patterns and also access help quickly if you need it.
beyondblue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
The Butterfly Foundation was created to offer support for people suffering from eating disorders and body image issues, as well as people who are close to them. They offer a hotline you can call, as well as a chat module and an email service.
Australia’s first ever nationally-oriented counselling and referral service for LGBTQI+ folks, QLife offer a help line you can call, plus an online chat and also offer the opportunity to email them with a response within 24 hours. When you need IRL help, you can find someone who supports the LGBTQI+ cause.
Call 1800 737 732
A national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service, 1800RESPECT has a crisis hotline and online module with trained counsellors on hand to assist. They also explain what will happen when you call, if you’re feeling nervous or concerned.
1800 858858
This support service is specifically for gambling issues, which can be incredibly debilitating and leave those suffering feeling hopeless with a hesitation to reach out. They have a hotline as well as a chat module and forums. Their site also offers a space for you to assess your gambling, SMS support you can set up, and guides for how you can self-help.