Health service sees spike in complexity of youth mental health cases in Darwin

A TOP End mental health service has seen an increase in the severity of mental illness in youths during the coronavirus crisis.

A Top End mental health service has seen an increase in the severity of mental illness in youths during the coronavirus crisis.

A TOP End mental health service has seen an increase in the severity of mental illness in youths during the coronavirus crisis.

Headspace, which is managed by Anglicare NT, first noticed a spike in cases in March but recently recorded an increase in the complexity of mental health cases in Darwin, notably with students.

Anglicare NT executive manager of mental health Jade Gooding said while the early months of school were typically busy, the coronavirus crisis and in particular social isolation exacerbated students’ fragile mental health.

“In the last couple of weeks young people have become quite unwell,” she said.

“They’re not being as social as they normally would be, there might be some subtle changes friends and family might not be picking up as quickly.

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“Things have functionally deteriorated more than what we would have predicted if they were spending more time with friends and family.”

Ms Gooding said headspace in Katherine was experiencing a decline in referrals due to biosecurity restrictions forcing their outreach program to postpone visits.

“Katherine is such an important intersection of many local communities and there’s normally people coming in and out all the time,” she said.

“As soon as biosecurity measures lift it will definitely lead to more services needed.”

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However, Ms Gooding said with restrictions in the Territory and interstate easing, anxiety among young people would likely begin to ease.

“We’re acknowledging this as COVID exhale,” she said.

“We were holding our breath not knowing where this was going but this is the start of the exhale and it should bring about a level of hope and start to reduce the anxiety or nervousness people were feeling.”