Identifying the Signs and Symptoms

I’ve been often quoted that knowing the more common signs of a mental health disorder is equally important as knowing resuscitation, both can have a profound impact on the lives of our loved ones and the wider community.

When we look statistically at mental health in Australia, 1 in 5 Australians will experience a common mental illness within a 12-month period. The 3 most common mental illnesses affecting Australians aged between 16 – 85 include Anxiety disorders 14%, Depressive and Bipolar disorders 6.2% and Substance Use disorders. Of the 1 in 5 Australians experiencing a mental health disorder only 35% of them seek professional support.

So let’s stop for one moment and think about that statistic – 1 in 5 / 20% of all Australians will be affected by a mental illness in one year and now let’s think about our friends, family and work colleagues, statistically we will all know someone or will experience a disorder ourselves.

So knowing the above stats is important that we all have a basic understanding of the more common triggers, signs and symptoms of a worsening or developing mental health problem or illness to be able to support our own wellbeing and that of our loved ones.

Like any illness, early intervention is the key to a successful treatment and being able to recognise these more common signs can be the catalyst for positive professional intervention.

The below is a basic list of the more common triggers to a mental health crisis. Knowing that you or a loved one have experienced a potential trigger and then is presenting with two or more of these common signs & symptoms it is important that you or the individual seek clinical support.