Help for depression
26 Sep 07
Depression is currently the highest medical cause of disability worldwide and predicted to be the second highest medical cause of death and disability worldwide by 2020.
Beyond Blue
www.beyondblue.org.au is a helpful website that provides information about depression, anxiety, postnatal depression and bipolar disorders for individuals and their families living with these conditions. The beyondblue website also has online checklists, printed materials, education resources and referral pathways. Information about beyondblue, its programs, partners and research activities are also detailed with personal stories and web links to other relevant sites.
Lifeline
www.lifeline.org.au is another organisation from which help can be obtained.
Lifeline's 13 11 14 service is staffed by trained volunteer
telephone counsellors who are ready to take calls 24-hour a day, any day of the
week from anywhere in Australia. These volunteers operate from call centres in
every state and territory around Australia. Lifeline answers around
450,000 calls per year from people needing emotional support.
Anyone can call Lifeline. The 13 11 14 service offers generalist counselling that does not discriminate. Somewhere in Australia there is a new call to Lifeline every minute, people call about many things and needs of callers may vary across genders and age groups and between rural and metropolitan areas. Some common call themes include: abuse/violence, mental illness, life direction, suicide related issues, loneliness, etc.
Lifeline counsellors are ready to talk and listen no matter how big or how small the problem might seem. They are trained to offer emotional support in times of crisis or when callers may be feeling down.