Mental Health

Most people have reasonably good mental health occurs when we face difficult challenges or major stressful life events and consequently, our health suffers that could lead to depression.

When we experience difficulties, it becomes hard to function. We may have difficulty concentrating, making decisions or sleeping and can cause problems with employment if it is not managed during the early stages.

When these difficulties are not severe, support from friends and family, along with useful self-help strategies, can help to restore our well-being.

However, at a more severe level, poor mental health can develop into a diagnosable mental health disorder. As a result, people will often need professional help to recover from or manage their condition.

Disorders

Mental health difficulties can become a mental health disorder when they create significant problems. Significant problems include:

– Experiencing several symptoms of a particular mental health condition, not just one or two

– Experiencing the symptoms over a long period of time and/or on most days

– Feeling distressed by the symptoms

– Feeling that recent events (such as moving house or breaking up with a partner) don’t easily account for your symptoms and distress.

– Finding it difficult to do daily activities, such as driving, cooking, working, studying, or social activities

Help Is Available

Mental health Online is a free service that is self-help and therapist-assisted treatment programs are designed to help you overcome difficulties related to:

– generalised anxiety disorder

– depression

– social anxiety disorder

– obsessive compulsive disorder

– post-traumatic stress disorder

– panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia.

Mental Health Online provides comprehensive and effective online services and programs free of charge. If you’re experiencing mental distress, our services can help you understand and address your needs through self-assessment, self-help and, if you choose, online professional support.

This great free service is an initiative of Swinburne University’s National eTherapy Centre (NeTC) and funded by Australia’s Federal Department of Health.

Even if you only have some symptoms of a disorder, the programs can help you prevent your difficulties from getting worse and developing into a diagnosable disorder.

If you’re not sure what might be going on for you, their free online self-assessment, e-PASS, will help you assess your symptoms and recommend what next steps to take.

It is also advisable to see your doctor to ensure that you’re looked after from all angles.

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