Assessments, HSC trials and exams, COVID lockdowns — it can all feel overwhelming at times. So who can you reach out to if you’re not feeling comfortable speaking to your school counsellor? Which mental health organisations in Australia can you reach out to if you’re feeling stressed and anxious?
In this article, we’ve talked to Rhea, a Youth Mental Health First Aid trained volunteer Welfare Officer at UN Youth NSW. She’s shared some advice about where to get help if you’re not comfortable talking to your school counsellor, the steps you can take before seeking help and other factors to consider.
Let’s get started!
Why is it important to consider seeking help?
Steps to Take Before Seeking Help
Services Where You Can Get Help
Factors to Consider When Getting Help
Why is it important to consider seeking help?
If you recognise some signs that your mental health may be deteriorating and find yourself experiencing stress and anxiety, it’s important to consider getting help. Especially with all the external factors such as COVID-19, lockdowns and social media, which can cause mental health and wellbeing to deteriorate rapidly.
Steps to Take Before Seeking Help
#1: Recognise the signs
One of the first steps to take before getting help is to recognise the signs that suggest you’re experiencing stress, anxiety, or other mental health issues. If you’re not feeling okay, it’s important to take a step back and just identify and acknowledge those emotions.
“Recognising the signs could be things like if you’re withdrawing from social circles, feeling tired all the time, or not wanting to get out of bed,” said Rhea.
#2: Self-care
Once you’ve identified the signs and emotions, a step that can often help you feel better is to practise some self care! Find something that you love, something that makes you happy, and try to do that activity during the week.
Whether it’s watching your favourite TV show, reading a book, or doing some physical exercise, do your best to find time for these things!
“Think about what used to make you happy or what would make you happy. Maybe it’s watching something on Netflix or physical exercise… try and pursue these methods of self care,” said Rhea.
#3: Chat to a friend
Another step you can take before seeking help is to reach out to your friends or family. Having a chat with someone may help you take your mind off those thoughts and emotions and leave you feeling more positive and energised.
If you continue to feel stressed or overwhelmed by the thoughts and feelings in your mind, it may be an indication to take the next step and get professional help.
“Have a chat with a friend to just have a little bit of a break from what’s going on in your head and if you’re still feeling those emotions, that is the step where you go to seek someone else or get professional help,” said Rhea.
Services Where You Can Get Help
#1: Online Platforms for Mental Health Organisations in Australia
If you choose to get professional help to support you with your mental health and wellbeing, online platforms are a great place to start. You have the option to talk anonymously and you also have greater control over the conversation so that you can feel completely comfortable with getting the help you want.
Online platforms are also more accessible during COVID-19 lockdowns which makes them a great place to find support. “I think that considering the situation we’re in with COVID, online platforms can be some of the best resources to get help,” said Rhea.
“We have so many online platforms where you can talk anonymously to someone who has some sort of professional experience, even if it’s just to figure out what exactly you’re experiencing… You have control over the conversation if you want to leave or if you’re not feeling comfortable,” she said.
There are a range of mental health organisations in Australia that offer online support if you’re not feeling okay. Here are some of them:
Reachout Australia
Reachout is an online mental health organisation where young people and parents can find resources, information and support regarding mental health and wellbeing.
From online articles to online peer support and pathways for professional help, Reachout Australia has a range of options to support you if you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your school counsellor. You can find out more about Reachout Australia and access their services by visiting their website.
Beyond Blue
Another mental health organisation you can access online is Beyond Blue. The organisation offers various services to support individuals who are affected by anxiety and depression including articles and information, phone, online forums, online chat and email.
They also offer treatments and can connect you with mental health professionals for further support. Beyond Blue resources and services are all available on their website which you can access here.
Lifeline
Lifeline is a national charity providing 24 hour crisis support. Lifeline volunteers will provide you a listening ear without any judgement and create a safe, comfortable space for you to share your thoughts, feelings and problems and help you find the support you need.
You can access Lifeline by phone (13 11 14), text (0477 13 11 14), or online chat.
headspace
headspace is a National Youth Mental Health Foundation where teenagers and young adults can find mental health and wellbeing support. The website provides heaps of online articles and resources regarding youth mental health.
They also have online and phone support called eheadspace. This can be particularly useful during COVID if you’re unable to visit any in-person headspace centres.
You can read more about these mental health organisations in Australia and how to access them here!
#2: Your General Practitioner
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your school counsellor, another option is to reach out to your GP and plan your next steps with them so that you’re still receiving professional support but it’ll be away from the school environment.
Depending on your circumstances, your GP can also refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist so that you receive the support you’re looking for. You can learn more about different mental health professionals including GPs and how they can help you here!
“GPs are trained to create a mental health plan so if you’re not comfortable talking to your school counsellor, you can go talk to your doctor and you can then go talk to a professional psychologist if you prefer to be away from a school environment… Sometimes you might not want your teachers to know or your peers to know so sometimes seeking external professional help can be beneficial,” said Rhea.
#3: Your Social Circle
While this isn’t an option if you’re seeking professional help, reaching out to your circle of friends and peers can be a great place to find mental health and wellbeing support. Whether it’s to share experiences, learn from their advice, or just to have someone to talk to, getting help from your social circle is an option if you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your school counsellor.
“Sometimes chatting to your friends and peers can give you some insights because more often than not, someone in your circle will have gone through similar experiences so they might have some advice for you or know someone for you to go see,” said Rhea.
Factors to Consider When Getting Help
#1: Find a platform you’re comfortable with
When you’re seeking help for mental health and wellbeing, it’s important to find a mental health organisation and platform where you’re comfortable with sharing your thoughts and emotions.
If you’re not comfortable with your school support services or don’t feel like reaching out to an external psychologist or your GP, maybe one of the mental health organisations in Australia like Beyond Blue or headspace is the place to start! Whichever option you choose, your comfort is key.
#2: Be self-reflective
When you reach out to someone, try to identify what made you consider getting help. Try to be very self-reflective and explore why you actually made the decision to get help. This will help the person who’s trying to support you to figure out what you’re experiencing.
Rhea encourages you to think of it like collecting all the pieces and giving them to the person so that they can help you put it all together.
“It’s important to be very cognisant of what’s going on in your own head. Think about how you’ve changed from your previous behaviours, what’s sort of raised alarm bells for you to think that you need help, so sort of identifying what actually pushed you to go seek help,” she said.
There you have it!
When getting help for mental health and wellbeing, it’s okay if you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your school counsellor!
There are plenty of options where you can get help outside of the school environment, such as one of the various mental health organisations in Australia which we’ve mentioned. No matter what you’re going through, remember that you’re not alone and that there are places where you can seek help.
Maitreyi Kulkarni is a Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently studying a Bachelor of Media and Communications (Public Relations and Social Media) at Macquarie University. She loves writing just about anything from articles to poetry, and has also had one of her articles published with the ABC. When she’s not writing up a storm, she can be found reading, bingeing sitcoms, or playing the guitar.
