It’s becoming increasingly difficult to discuss youth issues without the inclusion of mental health.
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This week is National Youth Week and while we take this opportunity to celebrate the younger members of society – what they achieve, what they contribute – we are also reminded of the devastating statistics.
This week the national depression initiative, beyondblue, issued a letter calling for us all to keep a watchful eye on those around us, especially young people.
In it the organisation reiterated that suicide remains the biggest killer of young Australians every year.
The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that in 2013, we lost 348 young people (aged 15 to 24) to suicide in just one year.
Twice as many young people die as a result of suicide than as a result of car accidents.
Further research suggests that three in four mental health conditions emerge by age 24 and half by age 14.
A group of young drama students have taken the proactive approach to the great societal issue with a playwright workshop as part of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health’s MindPlay program.
The aim of the initiative is to project a range of mental health issues via the world of theatre.
Clearly, the issue of youth mental health shouldn’t be condensed to one week. Instead, it’s a dialogue that needs to remain open 365 days a year.
Young people need to be aware that support is out there and be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
We all need to make a commitment to take responsibility for achieving our best possible mental health, not just this week, but every week of the year.
