Last partial update: July 2016 - Please read disclaimer before proceeding

Incidence of mental illness in Australia

Of all the illnesses people may face, mental illness is probably the most debilitating. It can compromise a person’s ability to achieve happiness and contentment, their ability to achieve their full potential in both home and work environments, and their ability to pursue the goals needed to achieve optimum physical health.

Approximately one million Australians (5 per cent) suffer from significant mental illness with 50 per cent of these being affected long term. With the inclusion of substance abuse (mainly alcohol), it accounts for about 20 per cent of Australia’s illness burden. The figure below shows the incidence of mental illness by age in Australia.

Mental intro graph 1

Source – Australian Institute of Health and welfare 2000. Australia’s Health 2000: the seventh biennial health report of the Australian Institute of Health and welfare. Canberra:AIHW

Unlike most physical illness, mental illness is more common in younger people, with the onset usually occurring in mid-to-late adolescence. The illnesses tend to become chronic, affecting future psychological development and compromising the most important and productive part of people’s lives. The fact that it is people in this age group who are responsible for the care of young children is especially important, as it means these children are adversely affected by their parents’ mental illness and are likely to learn the inappropriate behaviours of their parents. For this reason, parental mental illness needs to be sought out and treated as early as possible. Parents need to be given all the support they can get from family members and friends, especially when they are exposed to the extra stress of bringing up very young children!

The major mental health problems in Australia are depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and substance abuse, particularly alcohol. Mental illness is more common in people who are separated/divorced (25 per cent), in people who have not been married (over 20 per cent), in those living alone, and in those who are unemployed.

Unfortunately less than half of children and adults with chronic mental disease seek help and receive treatment. Everyone with a mental illness should seek help from their family doctor or community mental health worker. Unfortunately, despite being such a huge health problem, only about 5 per cent of the Australian health budget is at present spent on mental illness. This means that treatment resources are sometimes ‘thin on the ground’ and it makes the additional support provided by friends and relatives for mentally ill people especially important.

Mental illness mostly starts in the young Prevention needs to startt in childhood

About 50% of adult mental illness starts before the age of 14 years and 70 before thge age of 25 years. Prevention needs to start in childhhod.

Further information on mental illness

Mental health resources

Mental Health Branch of the Department of Health and Aged Care www.mentalhealth.gov.au
This site provides information about crisis supports and contacts, general mental health information, mental health information brochures / publications about specific topics such as depression, anxiety, information about suicide prevention etc.
Ph 1800 066 247

Beyond Blue: The National Depression Initiative www.beyondblue.org.au

ybblue (Beyond Blue’s youth program) www.youthbeyondblue.com
Beyond Blue’s youth program

Black dog institute www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
Provides information for clinicians and patient education.

Black dog institute for young people aged 12 to 18 years www.biteback.org.au
Provides information for clinicians and patient education.

Sphere (For GPs) www.spheregp.com.au
Sphere is a national education health project aimed at increasing GPs rates of identification, effective treatment and management of common psychological problems.

Moodgym www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
An interactive program of CBT, more aimed at depression, developed by the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University.)

Reachout www.reachout.com.au
A resource for young people with depression.

Self-Injury www.self-injury.net
A web site with information about youth self-injury; an increasing problem in western society. It is run by a young adult who has previously self injured and gives information about overcoming the problem.

Lifeline www.lifeline.org.au Ph 13 1114
Lifeline provides an immediate counseling service for all people)

Kids Help Line www.kidshelp.com.au
A national 24 hour counseling service for children and young people)
Ph 1800 551 800

CRUfAD, The Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression www.crufad.com
CRUfAD is a group of researchers and clinicians concerned with anxiety and depression. It is a joint facility of St Vincent's Hospital Ltd and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. The self-help section of the web site has useful information about both anxiety and depression for the general public.

Anxiety Panic Hub www.panicattacks.com.au
A consumer web site with a focus on meditation / mindfulness.

The Panic Anxiety Disorder Association www.panicanxietydisorder.org.au
Provides good consumer information

Toughin it out www.toughinitout.com
A program detailing survival skills for dealing with suicidal thoughts.

Mindmatters http://cms.curriculum.edu.au/mindmatters/index.htm
A program that introduces mental health education to secondary schools.

Inspire Foundation www.inspire.org.au/
For people aged 14 to 25

National e-Therapy Centre Swinburne University www.anxietyonline.org.au
Help with all types of anxiety disorders

Live Well Live Long

An introduction to mental illness in Australia

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