Revealed: Region’s concerning statistics on mental health

And while the data is concerning, PHN CEO Merrilyn Strohfeldt believes there’s a shining light at the end of the tunnel.

Merrilyn Strohfeldt has lost family members to slow and painful deaths and is a supporter of the voluntary assisted dying bill, Friday, August 27, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Around 70% of people in the Darling Downs and West Moreton regions are working to establish a mental health care plan with their GPs.

While one in four people living in the region have a mental health condition.

Although the statistics are concerning, PHN chief executive officer Merrilyn Strohfeldt said there’s a shining light at the end of tunnel and the answer is to talk.

“As a society, we are talking about mental health a lot more and starting to lose that stigma when asking for help,” she said.

“We’re starting to see a lot of men asking for help, which had been a problem, but we’re certainly getting better at that.”

Ms Strohfeldt said for anyone struggling, the first step was to open up about how they were feeling to their doctor, who will implement a mental health plan and organise referrals.

And with nine in 10 people reporting their wellbeing improved from accessing a support service, the data speaks for itself.

But now it’s time for everyone else to do the talking.

“It’s normal for people to have sad days and to feel anxious, but when you are persistently feeling this way and it is affecting you and the people around you, that’s a sign that things aren’t going great and you need help,” Ms Strohfeldt said.

“Mental health comes and goes, people will get better with the right support and they aren’t alone … it can happen to any of us and at any age.”

PHN offers various services for mental health concerns, which can be accessed at ddwmphn.com.au.