THERE are more young people seeking help from Tamworth’s primary youth mental-health counselling service than anywhere else in the nation.
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As a mental health crisis among children across Australia increases, new figures from headspace in Tamworth show that – although the service offers help in many other areas, such as sexual health, family relationships and alcohol or drug use – 74 per cent of the young people who attend the clinic are seeking help with mental health issues.
This is 8 per cent above the national average for headspace centres across the nation, Tamworth headspace centre manager Linden Ross has said.
Mr Ross’s comments follow a report released this week that revealed children as young as five are seeking help for mental issues more than ever before.
The figures from the Kids Help Line said 22 per cent of children wanted help with mental-health issues while 19 per cent were struggling with family relationships.
“From a headspace perspective, we’ve been in the community for three years and in that time we generally have seen around 4000 young people per year – and 74 per cent is in relation to mental health,” Mr Ross said.
“From year to year, mental health has been increasing within the service, but while young people living in Australia generally experience mental health issues growing up, rural people generally encounter a higher risk factor.”
The local expert cited unemployment, levels of education and socioeconomic factors among the top issues plaguing the minds of young people.
Tamworth’s headspace assists young people aged between 12 and 25 years old.
“We’re seeing depression and anxiety as the main issues coming through the centre,” Mr Ross said.
“Everyone is different; those with general anxiety are spending most of the time worrying about a variety of everyday things.
“They have anxiety in social situations and are embarrassed they could be judged because of it.”
Mr Ross said Australia had a problem with talking about mental health, and because of this stigma it made it harder for the community to recognise the issue.
“One in four young people experience mental health issues in their life,” he said.
“Talking openly about it makes things better for everyone – once young people get help, they feel they can actually talk about it and it’s not such a big fear.
“Headspace is focusing on empowering young people to make choices about their mental health. They can call in or come and have a yarn with our team and understand who they can get help from.”
