Mental health and wellbeing

A range of services are available to assist you with mental health difficulties. Getting help early can reduce the severity of mental illness symptoms and the impact on people’s daily lives.

Forensic mental health services provide assessment and treatment of people with a mental illness and a history of criminal offending, or those who are at risk of offending.

If you are a compulsory patient under the Mental Health Act, you have rights and there are people who can help you.

The correct treatment for mental illness can help a person?s condition to improve or help a person to live well, despite the presence of some ongoing symptoms.

Mental health issues and illnesses may impact on a person’s thoughts, perceptions, feelings and behaviours. Most people can manage their condition with medication, counselling or both.

A range of services are available to assist you with mental health difficulties. Getting help early can reduce the severity of mental illness symptoms and the impact on people’s daily lives.

The grief felt by family and friends can be deeper when the cause of death is suicide.

Mental health first aid is the help you give to someone developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged between 15 and 44. We can all play a role in preventing suicide by looking out for possible warning signs and reaching out.

Some mental health conditions are associated with an increased risk of suicide. Protective factors can reduce suicide risk, such as mental health care, counselling and social support.

All suicide threats are serious. You don't have to be a trained professional to help a person contemplating suicide.

Antipsychotic medications work by altering brain chemistry to help reduce psychotic symptoms like hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) can help you change unhelpful or unhealthy habits of thinking, feeling and behaving.

Anyone who is struggling with a personal concern can seek help from a counsellor.

A range of services are available to assist you with mental health difficulties. Getting help early can reduce the severity of mental illness symptoms and the impact on people’s daily lives.

You have the potential to be a great support to your family member if they are diagnosed with an eating disorder.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be an effective treatment for some types of mental illness.

You can do a lot to help your friend or relative with a mental illness, but you need to look after yourself too.

Mental health first aid is the help you give to someone developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

A case manager or key clinician looks after your interests while you are a client of public (government) mental health services.

A mental health treatment plan explains the support provided by each member of a person's healthcare team.

People with a mental illness who are receiving effective treatment are no more violent than anyone else in the community.

Psychoanalysis is a treatment based on the theory that our present is shaped by our past.

Having friends and other social connections is good for your health and wellbeing.

Anxiety disorders are common mental health problems that affect many people.

Bipolar disorder is a type of psychosis, which means the person?s perception of reality is altered. It is characterised by extreme mood swings

People with body dysmorphic disorder constantly worry about the way they look.

People with borderline personality disorder may exhibit extreme behaviour, such as repeated self-mutilation or taking overdoses of medication.

The most important thing is to recognise the signs and symptoms and seek support.

Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity.

Eating disorders are a mental illness and can affect people of all gender, ages, cultures and body sizes.

Eating disorders are on the increase in children and young people. Identifying the signs and seeking early treatment is the best way to begin the journey to recovery.

Did you know that your mental health can affect your heart health and vice versa? Depression can affect how well people with heart disease recover, and increase their risk of further heart problems.

Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder in which the patient fakes illness to gain attention and sympathy.

Obsessive compulsive disorder can have a profound effect on a person's life.

OSFED stands for ‘other specified feeding or eating disorders’ and is one of the most common eating disorders in Australia.

Without treatment, frequent and prolonged panic attacks can be severely disabling.

Paranoia is the irrational and persistent feeling that people are ‘out to get you’ or that you are the subject of persistent, intrusive attention by others.

People with post-traumatic stress disorder often experience feelings of panic or extreme fear, which may resemble what was felt during the traumatic event.

In psychosis, the everyday thoughts that enable us to lead our daily lives become confused.

Diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder may be difficult because the symptoms are similar to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

People with schizophrenia do not have 'split personalities' and they are not intellectually disabled.

Dual diagnosis means someone has both a mental illness and a substance use problem.

Mental health issues and illnesses may impact on a person’s thoughts, perceptions, feelings and behaviours. Most people can manage their condition with medication, counselling or both.