Patrick McGorry, a professor of youth mental health at the University of Melbourne has said that population surveys show a very substantial rise in distress.
“What my colleagues tell me on the frontline is about a 20 percent increase in people presenting,” McGorry said. “Often in quite acute and complex presentations now too.”
McGorry, who is an executive director of Orygen, a youth mental health group, believes that Australia’s first economic recession in 28 years is exacerbating the problem. He argues that it could become a powerful driver for suicide in the coming months.
“We have already seen a rise in self-harm and suicidal behaviour,” he said.
In 2018, 3,046 Australians lost their lives to suicide.
The report stated: “Uncertainty regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic will evolve, with associated lockdowns, physical distancing, and quarantine measures, is driving uncertainty around the extent and duration of the resulting economic breakdown, further exacerbating psychological distress and mental health problems among previously healthy people.”
“Suicide prevention is a key priority for the Australian Government,” said Hunt. “Each death is a national tragedy and has a devastating effect on friends, families, and communities,”
This builds on the already record spending on mental health, with the Australian government expected to contribute $5.7 billion towards mental health in 2020.
However, McGorry argues that the recent mental health packages from state and federal governments will not be not enough and that Australia is desperately lacking in mental health infrastructure.
He likened the governments’ efforts to firing a hose into a raging bushfire.
“We’ve got to build the right infrastructure for the 21st century,” McGorry said, calling for more digital-friendly mental health support centres.
If you are thinking about suicide, living with a person who is considering suicide, or are bereaved by suicide, the Suicide Call Back Service is accessible at 1300 659 467.
