Mental Health Month: Free mental health support available for those who need it
17 October 2023
October is Mental Health Awareness Month, which promotes the importance of mental health wellness and encourages us to talk openly about our mental health and wellbeing to help break down the stigma that can still be associated with mental illness.
According to the World Health organisation, by 2030 depression is expected to become the largest single healthcare burden in the World. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2017-18 one in ten Australians (10.4%) had depression or feelings of depression, and that was before we experienced the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, COVID-19 and several severe flooding events.
Within the Nepean Blue Mountains region, which includes Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith local government areas, it is estimated that up to 17% of the population are likely to experience a mental illness within a 12-month period. In addition, 23% of the population are expected to be at risk of a mental illness.
Wentworth Healthcare, the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, fund a range of community-based mental health services in the region. They want local residents to know that there is free mental health support available for people of all ages.
Wentworth Healthcare CEO, Ms Lizz Reay said, “Mental health issues, just like physical health issues, can affect anyone at any time. Yet, even though conversations about mental health and wellbeing are now more mainstream, there are still people who need support who continue to suffer alone.”
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