Youth advocates for ‘lived experience’

These four young adults share the hope that their peers will benefit from an overhaul of Victoria’s mental health system.

Youth advocates Devika Krishnan, left, Alex Dalton, Bridget Moore and Emily Unity. Picture: Aaron Francis

These four young adults — each with individual tales of struggles against mental health — have met only a few times but they share the same sense of advocacy and hope that their peers will benefit from an overhaul of Victoria’s mental health system.

After the report was handed down on Tuesday, Emily Unity, who helps develop mental health workshops for schools with Headspace, said the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated mental health issues experienced by young people.

 

“I experienced loneliness on a level I had never experienced before,” the 24-year-old said. “I have read quite a bit of the (report) and it is really good the things that have been highlighted … we haven’t seen tangible action for some time.”

Ms Unity, who had her first diagnosis at 12, wanted young people to engage with others who had “lived experience” of mental illness.

Alexander Dalton, 18, a member of Headspace’s Youth Advocacy Group, started showing signs of depression at 11. “I felt like I was being tossed around the system with three therapists within two years.”

Bridget Moore, a member of the Orygen Youth Advisory Council, said targeted mental health programs needed to be implemented in schools to spark “open discussion”.

Devika Krishnan, 23, also a member of Orygen’s council, experienced depression at 13: “I honestly believe prevention is more effective than treatment.”