Bushfire victims flood Lifeline for mental health help: 400 calls a day

Singer Julia Stone has called for more support for the nation’s bushfire survivors who are left calling Lifeline 400 times a day.

EXCLUSIVE: Songbird Julia Stone has called for better mental health services for Australians having a “rough time’’, revealing her own struggle with anxiety.

The award-winning Australian folk singer-songwriter and poet has created a powerful bush poem, Invisible Fires, to shed light on the ongoing trauma of bushfire victims.

She said many survivors felt “forgotten’’ as COVID-19 turned global attention to the deadly pandemic.

“It’s important we don’t forget about those who have been physically and mentally affected by the Black Summer bushfires, even though the world has moved on as we grapple with the effects of a global pandemic,’’ she said yesterday.

“The bushfires made worldwide news and all eyes were on Australia, when so many resources were being put towards helping people and communities.

“With the pandemic, the focus went in another direction but the trauma and challenges of the bushfires didn’t stop.

“It’s going to take years and years to rebuild.’’

Suicide prevention service Lifeline is still fielding 400 calls a day from traumatised victims, a year after the devastating bushfires swept across Australia.

NRMA Insurance and Lifeline have partnered with Aussie music icon, Julia Stone, to highlight the continued need for mental health support for people affected by the Black Summer bushfires. Picture: Sean McDonald @smcdphotography

NRMA and RACV Insurance, owned by IAG, have donated $2 million to Lifeline and collaborated with Ms Stone to create a mesmerising video, based on an MRI brain scan that morphs in response to the lyrics of her poem.

Ms Stone volunteers as a counsellor for an anxiety help line once a week.

She said it was upsetting to refer troubled callers to professional help, only to discover they had to wait months to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

“So many psychologists and counsellors are not taking more patients, and some fill up their waiting lists for months,’’ she said.

“It’s really upsetting when someone agrees to get help and the help’s not actually there.

“There should be so much more money for suicide awareness and education, and we need to have mental health talked about more openly.’’ 

Ms Stone, 36, revealed her own struggles with anxiety in her late twenties.

“I had a very knowledgeable and helpful psychologist,’’ she said.

“I learnt that’s it’s OK to not be OK.

Poem that Julia Stone wrote. "Next To Me" Handwritten. Picture: Network News

“We have a “chin-up” … culture of minimising pain and suffering and thinking we should be grateful for what we have.

“But all humans are susceptible to challenges to their mental health – that’s OK and it doesn’t make you a failure.’’

Ms Stone is now contemplating studying to become a psychologist.

“I think now is an extremely challenging time for everybody for different reasons,’’ she said.

“People were already having a rough time with mental health issues, and the pandemic has added a layer of suffering that is really palpable.’’

Lifeline chairman John Brogden said many bushfire victims “won’t experience trauma for months, even years to come, and Lifeline will be there for them 24/7.’’

“Julia Stone’s heartfelt poem will help people know that they do not need to suffer in silence.’’

IAG executive general manager Luke Gallagher said the insurance giant has received more than 12,700 claims relating to the Black Summer fires, which had taken an “emotional toll’’.

“I know many of our people were brought to tears hearing the experiences customers shared with them,’’ he said.

“The fires were more than one year ago but the emotional trauma is still most evident.’’

Lifeline 13 11 14

Lifeline Bushfire Recovery Line 13 43 57

www.lifeline.org.au

Originally published as Bushfire victims flood Lifeline for mental health help: 400 calls a day