Concerned about your mental health or someone you care about?
There are many sources of help and information. The internet is a great resource to find out more about mental health difficulties and ways they can be dealt with. The best idea, though, is to visit your doctor and talk about what is concerning you. You may find that your doctor is able to put your mind, or if there is a problem that needs to be dealt with, your doctor will be able to give you a strategy to get through the difficulties. Strategies are likely to include a general health check, and may include counselling or medication or both.
If you live in the Royal Flying Doctor South Eastern Region, simply make an appointment to see the doctor at your nearest clinic. There are also RFDS Mental Health and Counselling staff who attend all clinics in the region and who can help with ways to get through depression, anxiety and other social and emotional difficulites.
Useful websites
Beyondblue
Probably the best known mental health organisation. The site has excellent fact sheets, particularly on depression and anxiety, their symptoms and treatment. Well worth a look. The fact sheet on “Tackling depression in tough times” is written specifically for people in rural areas and has many useful contact details.
http://www.beyondblue.org.au
Black Dog Institute: Fact Sheets
Excellent and detailed fact sheets on depression and bipolar disorder
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/factsheets/index.cfm
NSW Mental Health Association
A comprehensive range of fact sheets covering most mental health problems
http://www.mentalhealth.asn.au/be-informed/fact-sheets.html
CRUfAD - Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression
Very useful and detailed information, including education and self-help
http://www.crufad.com/index.php/patient-services/self-help