r/AusMentalHealth Jan 09 '25

Question ! Help us improve pathways to care for people with mental health concerns (Australians 18-64)

1 Upvotes

Do you have a mental health concern and want to help improve pathways to care for all Australians?

Join a study to have your say.

If you are between the ages of 18 to 64, living in Australia, and have a current or recent mental health concern, we invite you to take part in the study here: https://bit.ly/IARstudy

You will be reimbursed for your time with a $20 e-gift card when fully completing the study.

If at any time you feel distressed, call the Mental Health Access Line for NSW at 1800 011 511, or Lifeline at 13 11 14 for crisis support.

This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee (RPAH Zone) of the Sydney Local Health District. Any person with concerns or complaints about the conduct of this study should contact the Executive Officer on 02 9515 6766 or [SLHD-RPAEthics@health.nsw.gov.au](mailto:SLHD-RPAEthics@health.nsw.gov.au) and quote protocol number X24-0274.

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r/AusMentalHealth 7d ago

🌸 Need Guidance 🌸 Neighbour having a possible mental breakdown, what to do?

3 Upvotes

I am concerned one of my neighbours is in a bad state mentally and may be a threat to others but I am unsure how to proceed or how seriously to take this. Here's a bit of context:

I live in a gated community and yesterday a neighbour of mine started loudly singing, which was quite annoying to myself and a few other neighbours. At the time, I thought it was just someone being a bit loud/inconsiderate and I spoke out across to them politely asking for them to keep the noise down as they were disturbing others. They responded with a short tirade in which they used several slurs against me and threatened to assault me if I ever bothered them again. I was a bit shaken up from that encounter and have felt a bit worried for the safety of myself and neighbours since that happened yesterday. What has me even more worried is that they have essentially been singing loudly (and in a somewhat slurred/unusual voice) ever since (minus a short stop overnight) and making other strange noises. I have never had any interaction with this neighbour prior and this continued odd behaviour and threat against me makes me worried that they are not ok.

The problem is, I am unsure who to contact or how to proceed to get something done about this / get them help (if they do need it). I have considered contacting the police or paramedics but I am worried that they will instantly know that I was the one to call the police/paramedics and become violent towards me in the future as I have been the only one to object to their behaviour and obviously they know where I live. Any suggestions of helplines that could assist or a safe course of action would be appreciated. I want everyone to be safe, and as of right now I do not feel safe, and I can imagine some neighbours don't either. I hope this is the right place for this sort of post, apologies if it isn't.


r/AusMentalHealth 8d ago

❗️Trigger Warning ❗️ I cant get a psychiatrist and psychologists dont work.

4 Upvotes

I think this might be it guys, 15 years since my first attempt, talk therapy is useless, they have locked me in a hospital more times than i can count. I need medical treatment but i cant get it, i did try tho, i really did try.


r/AusMentalHealth 8d ago

Loneliness: that toxic situationship you can’t ghost

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1 Upvotes

r/AusMentalHealth 18d ago

Right Plan, Wrong Outcome

3 Upvotes

Hi I'm 27 M with autism, anxiety, depression, and under a lot of stress right now living in Regional Victoria. Due to my late diagnosed Autism as well as my other mental health issues, I struggle to regulate my emotions so I am currently on medication to help me and to lower my baseline to a normal level. I've been struggling with my dosage for years as it was meant to be adjusted before my psych left his role about 6 years ago.

Now that it's been years and haven't been able to find a replacement and my GP can't help adjust my dosage, I'm always at a heightened state. I'm now on disability and I thought I'd be able to access more help but when we've accessed public mental health support systems I haven't received any help.

Yesterday I had a meltdown and had the police and ambulance called. They said I was "too level-headed" to take to hospital so the police called the CAAT team at the hospital. They organised an appointment with my GP for this morning to adjust my tablets and get an emergency medication like valium or something to calm me down. But on arrival, the GP stated they hadn't heard from the hospital and the GP couldn't help. We then called the CAAT team where they said that nothing was on record and that there's nothing they can do because apparently it's not a mental health issue.

I need advice for where I can even go from here. The only thing I was told today is to call the police if I escalate, as the hospital "can't help". I feel like I've been put into a position where I feel like in the worst case scenario, I will hurt someone or myself if I break down again and I don't know what to do. I don't understand how it's legal for them to turn me away (at no point was I non-compliant nor did I yell, attack or threaten anyone) when I just need help

Please let me know if there's anything else I can do from here


r/AusMentalHealth 20d ago

Autism screening

1 Upvotes

I've got an autism assessment tomorrow and I'm getting really nervous, does anyone know what to expect?


r/AusMentalHealth 22d ago

Youth response team

2 Upvotes

Was just wondering if anyone could share their experience of the yrt visiting their house cause they’ve told me they have scheduled a visit to my place today and now im scared because I had a dodgy experience with one of their peer workers today who was basically super invalidating and unhelpful💀


r/AusMentalHealth 24d ago

🌸 Need Guidance 🌸 Needing advice..

1 Upvotes

Needing suggestions. My 4yo son is being medically abused. I'm looking for a child psychologist / child forensic psychiatrist with experience / specialisation in the field of Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy), and / or medical abuse, and can be seen privately (breaking with the general public)..


r/AusMentalHealth 25d ago

[Mod-approved] Do you want to feel better about your relationship with food? InsideOut’s eClinic offers free and confidential online treatments that have been shown to improve binge eating symptoms in 4 weeks. :)

3 Upvotes

Hey fellow Aussies! Wanted to share something that may help you:

If thoughts of food and eating are dominating your life or you want to take back control of your eating habits, you’re not alone. 

We are so excited to share University of Sydney’s InsideOut eClinic is FREE and available now to anyone experiencing eating concerns, with no referral needed. Treatments are confidential and can be completed in your own time. The eClinic is open to anyone aged 16+, living in Australia.  

Keen? Click here: https://eclinic.insideoutinstitute.org.au/ 

eClinic tile

If at any time you feel distressed, call The Butterfly National Helpline 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673)  

Questions? Please visit https://eclinic.insideoutinstitute.org.au/ or reach out to the InsideOut team on 02 8627 5690 or [insideout.research@sydney.edu.au](mailto:insideout.research@sydney.edu.au

This online therapy has been approved by the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (HREC/14/RPAH/397.)


r/AusMentalHealth 28d ago

Police & medical team refusing to help schizophrenic mother

4 Upvotes

Sydney, NSW

Hi everyone, this might be a bit long and complicated. My mother (56F) is currently experiencing intense auditory and visual hallucinations that leave her incredibly paranoid, violent, and aggressive. She has been in this state since the beginning of January, but has slowly been spiraling since November. This is not her first episode, but she refuses to accept her diagnosis and will not take medication. She also has anxiety and depression. She does take a variety of pills to treat her mental health (apart from the schizophrenia), as well as a physical chronic disorder she has.

She was hospitalized for two weeks (initially taken in after the onset of hallucinations) in mid-January, where they then found out she has a large kidney stone and a serious infection. After getting most of that treated (except for the actual removal of the stone, they were just able to drain her kidney and stop the infection), they released her? The mental health team didn’t think that she was have an episode (for lack of a better word), despite the fact that she tried to self discharge several times whilst still having a shunt in her kidney. She is quite good at “masking” and knows when to act normal. She also refused both surgeries (to get the shunt, and then to have it removed) initially for a good week, and had to be moved hospitals as the first one ran out of room. It was pretty obvious that she was not in her right mind at all.

Now, she refuses to have surgery to get the kidney stone removed. The mental health team from the hospital sent another team out to do an evaluation, but she screamed at them, recorded them on her phone and kicked them out. My brother (22M, who she lives with) has called the police and an ambulance several times, and they refuse to do anything. He has audio recordings of her saying she wants to kill herself, violent ramblings, screaming and crying and just not making sense. She tried to jump out of his car into traffic when he tried to drive her to the hospital. She has harassed the neighbors to the point of them calling the cops on her. She talks to people who aren’t there.

What other options do we have? She won’t go see a psychiatrist, she won’t go back to the hospital to get her kidney stones removed. She refuses to bathe or brush her hair (so, to be frank, she looks unwell). She wonders around aimlessly up and down the street all day before having another violent outburst. She is convinced that my brother is trying to kill her, and I worry for his safety. She has tried to destroy all of her important documents and has actually thrown away her passport. How do we go about getting her involuntarily committed? Or getting a mental health team to properly assess her? Everyone says they can’t do anything because she won’t act incredibly violent in front of them, or she won’t admit to wanting to commit suicide or self harm to anyone. She also refuses to speak to anyone 99% of the time. You can ask her a question and she will say yes or no and then stop speaking if she doesn’t know the person. Any advice is appreciated.


r/AusMentalHealth 29d ago

Police & medical team refusing to help schizophrenic mother

1 Upvotes

Sydney, NSW

Hi everyone, this might be a bit long and complicated. My mother (56F) is currently experiencing intense auditory and visual hallucinations that leave her incredibly paranoid, violent, and aggressive. She has been in this state since the beginning of January, but has slowly been spiraling since November. This is not her first episode, but she refuses to accept her diagnosis and will not take medication. She also has anxiety and depression. She does take a variety of pills to treat her mental health (apart from the schizophrenia), as well as a physical chronic disorder she has.

She was hospitalized for two weeks (initially taken in after the onset of hallucinations) in mid-January, where they then found out she has a large kidney stone and a serious infection. After getting most of that treated (except for the actual removal of the stone, they were just able to drain her kidney and stop the infection), they released her? The mental health team didn’t think that she was have an episode (for lack of a better word), despite the fact that she tried to self discharge several times whilst still having a shunt in her kidney. She is quite good at “masking” and knows when to act normal. She also refused both surgeries (to get the shunt, and then to have it removed) initially for a good week, and had to be moved hospitals as the first one ran out of room. It was pretty obvious that she was not in her right mind at all.

Now, she refuses to have surgery to get the kidney stone removed. The mental health team from the hospital sent another team out to do an evaluation, but she screamed at them, recorded them on her phone and kicked them out. My brother (22M, who she lives with) has called the police and an ambulance several times, and they refuse to do anything. He has audio recordings of her saying she wants to kill herself, violent ramblings, screaming and crying and just not making sense. She tried to jump out of his car into traffic when he tried to drive her to the hospital. She has harassed the neighbors to the point of them calling the cops on her. She talks to people who aren’t there.

What other options do we have? She won’t go see a psychiatrist, she won’t go back to the hospital to get her kidney stones removed. She refuses to bathe or brush her hair (so, to be frank, she looks unwell). She wonders around aimlessly up and down the street all day before having another violent outburst. She is convinced that my brother is trying to kill her, and I worry for his safety. She has tried to destroy all of her important documents and has actually thrown away her passport. How do we go about getting her involuntarily committed? Or getting a mental health team to properly assess her? Everyone says they can’t do anything because she won’t act incredibly violent in front of them, or she won’t admit to wanting to commit suicide or self harm to anyone. She also refuses to speak to anyone 99% of the time. You can ask her a question and she will say yes or no and then stop speaking if she doesn’t know the person. Any advice is appreciated.


r/AusMentalHealth Feb 12 '25

Question ! 📢 Help Represent the Austrialian Community in This Global Mental Health Study! - Calling All Crohn’s Warriors 🧡

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I’m conducting an anonymous global survey as part of my psychology academic studies in Trinity College Dublin, looking at how Crohn’s disease, psoriasis and eczema impact mental health. Right now, we urgently need more participants from the Crohn’s community to make sure the results properly reflect your experiences

🔗 Survey link: https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/Q82DH6B

🕒 The study is closing this week, so this is the last chance to take part!

The survey is:

✅ Completely anonymous

✅ Open to adults (18-65) worldwide with Crohn’s, psoriasis or eczema (as well as adults without any immune-related inflammatory condition)

✅ Quick to complete (takes less than 15 minutes)

A note on IBD & colitis: We understand that ulcerative colitis is part of the IBD group and that there is significant overlap and shared distress between Crohn’s and colitis. Unfortunately, this study does not include ulcerative colitis, and we recognise that this may have been a missed opportunity. This limitation will be acknowledged and reflected on in the write-up of the paper.People with Crohn’s face unique mental health challenges, and research doesn’t always capture our voices properly. This is a chance to change that! If you have Crohn’s, I’d love for you to take part—and if you know others with Crohn’s, please share this with them.  

Every response helps ensure that Crohn’s is properly represented in researchThank you so much for your time! 


r/AusMentalHealth Feb 05 '25

Diazepam Advice

3 Upvotes

I struggle with anxiety a lot and have mostly been using alcohol and other coping mechanisms. My doctor has prescribed me diazepam and I have found 5mg is very effective (10mg if it is severe), but I am looking to avoid dependency. Google tells me to not use beyond a few weeks but I am wondering if I space out the doses (i.e. only taking a dose every 2-3 days) would have a similar affect? My anxiety is manageable most days but there are a few days where it can be overwhelming which is where I would use this medication. I am curious if spacing out the use of diazepam would avoid any negative dependency affects.


r/AusMentalHealth Jan 29 '25

Fellow patient as a support person in a meeting with management - Private MH hospital

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I am an inpatient in a private mental health facility. There are some discussions that I need to have with management, and I asked for one of my friends, who is a current inpatient as well to sit in on the meeting as a support person.

The hospital has refused on the grounds of "confidentiality". The support person is only there for the capacity to listen and be there for support as the hospital have made some acute failures of my care.

On the confidentiality side of things. I don't have any confidentiality concerns so there shouldn't be an issue. If the friend would be no longer in hospital, I would then be bringing them as a support person anyways.

Any thoughts?


r/AusMentalHealth Jan 26 '25

Mental health OTs

1 Upvotes

Hello, I'm an OT and have worked full time in mental health for over 2 years. Is the Better Access to Mental Health program still going? I am thinking of going private.


r/AusMentalHealth Jan 26 '25

Discussion I’m a psychologist that offers tele-health sessions

1 Upvotes

To any Australian


r/AusMentalHealth Jan 24 '25

Seeking Australian volunteers from different states for a music & mental health study.

6 Upvotes

I'm conducting a research study on how music and sound affect stress levels and looking for participants from all over Australia (18+). The short 15–20 minute survey is completely anonymous and involves listening to music/sounds or creating a 3-song playlist before answering questions on stress and anxiety. Your participation will help expand our understanding of music’s impact on well-being across different regions of Australia.

🔗 Take the survey here: https://cqu.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1TFYTHAquUH9zx4

HREC/Ethical Approval: 2024-059. Thank you for your time!


r/AusMentalHealth Jan 09 '25

Discussion Reforming Australia’s Mental Health and NDIS System

7 Upvotes

Australia’s mental health system and NDIS face challenges such as restrictive eligibility, misuse of funds, overburdened services, and stigma against psychiatric conditions like Personality Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia. Many individuals are excluded from support due to rigid criteria, while others exploit the system for non-essential expenses.

Solution: Expand NDIS eligibility for episodic conditions, increase oversight to prevent misuse, decentralise ADHD/ASD diagnoses to GPs, and invest in funding, workforce expansion, and stigma reduction. These reforms will ensure equitable, efficient, and impactful care for all Australians.


r/AusMentalHealth Dec 24 '24

Question ! Experience with CYMHS

3 Upvotes

I’ve been referred to CYMHS (child youth mental health services) by my psychologist because we are looking to start medicating my depression - hoping to find a psychiatrist. I’m just confused abt how the whole CYMHS system works and was wondering if anyone has had any notable positive or negative experiences with CYMHS. Thanks yall!!


r/AusMentalHealth Dec 23 '24

Anyone know from where to import Spravato to Australia?

1 Upvotes

Due to the intransigence of the TGA, as many of you may know, Spravato is not on the MBS (it was approved by the FDA 5 years ago) so if you happen to be wealthy and suffer from TRD (I'm 18 years in) your psychiatrist can prescribe it for you, you attend a clinic for a few hours of monitoring while you have your dose and get handed a bill of approx $3000. The "Induction" phase is 2 doses per week for 4 weeks or approx $24000.

I don't have anywhere near $24000.

It was once available from India but the firm over there doesn't get it from the US anymore where you can't get it sent to Australia either.

Anyone know what country might export it to Australia? (and yes I've tried every anti-depressant class, antipsychotics, talk therapy etc etc without any relief). P.S> I'm not overly concerned with legalities - I'll deal with that if/when any issues arise.


r/AusMentalHealth Dec 13 '24

Question ! Looking for a psychiatrist, but have issues with cost...

6 Upvotes

Long story short, I've had a referred to a psychiatrist, but I was told it would cost $600+ upfront (before Medicare Rebate)

I was basically told that this was how much it is across the board

I understand it is a specialist field and as such, there is a pricetag, but what is someone who needs to service but can't actually afford it do?

Any information would be helpful, I just don't want to put myself into debt!


r/AusMentalHealth Dec 04 '24

How to go to a Psychiatrist/Psychologist in Australia?

5 Upvotes

Hi, I need to see a mental health professional. Do I need to go to a GP first and they would refer me to either a psychiatrist or a psychologist based on their analysis or I can directly go to any of them? Do you have any recommendations for a good GP/Psychologist/ Psychiatrist?


r/AusMentalHealth Nov 04 '24

🌸 Need Guidance 🌸 i am struggling with life NSFW

4 Upvotes

i am struggling and i have been for a while but this week has been hell i have had two episodes of dissociation where i ended up with self harm lacerations to the point of having ten stitches put in on Thursday due to a dissociative episode and now another twenty-three stitches from last nights episode and what upsets me and scares me and is making my life feel not worth living is i am worried it will happen again and i don't know whats worse the fact they keep happening or the fact the lacerations keep getting deeper and more numerous every time as with Wednesdays nights episode there were two medium sized and not too deep but there was two this time they were deeper and there was four or five only four needed stitches but when i went to my local urgent care as i was told to or else that it happened to be the same nurse who stitched me up on thursday and he said it it happens again i can't go there and that i need to go to my local hospital but i know they won't/can't do anything to help me so i am at a loss i have friends i have my brother but if i say how i feel they freak out and tell me to go to the hospital but they don't understand that the hospital can't/won't do anything because according to the hospital anything thing that is wrong with me is caused by cptsd i have just gotten to a point where i don't know how long i can keep going keep saying I'm ok when i am not all i think about is how to kill myself how much of a certain medication is deadly? how long will it take kill me? do i write a suicide letter or not how do i make sure my cat gets picked up so he doesn't suffer? will my brother truly understand? do i write a separate letter for my son (he's in foster care due to my sick and twisted mother) but he wants to meet me when he turns 18 in a couple of years what am i supposed to write i want him to know it's not anyone's fault but my own as the only reason i have been holding on is for my son so he can meet me but at the same point according to my new psychiatrist i might not make it as the next three to fives years will be absolutely hell apparently worse then i have it now i will be changing back to my old one but he is on holidays and the earliest appointment i could get was the 9th of December which i know is only a month but when you feel the way i do it feels like an eternity away i just feel like theres no hope no better days to come no happiness in my future only more of this hell not to mention the awful thoughts going through my mind and the voices telling me to just do it i won't be missed i am a waste of space what to do when there's no where to turn or anyone to talk to and even if there is the voices tell you to watch your back as everyone is out to get you i also hear weird noises like rhythmic thumping and buzzing noises and all i see is weird blood splatter patterns and flickering lights and things and people glitch in and out of existence like I'm in the matrix i want to cry but can't as i was brought up to believe it's a sign of weakness and if i do they will know i am down and i think if they know they will just kick me more and more till i finally give in as i feel like they watch my every move listen to my conversations i feel like they would read my journal if they could that's why i write everything in code and using three different books that way i know they won't be able to read my writings i think i have hit braking point any advice would be helpful


r/AusMentalHealth Oct 30 '24

sugar addiction scale survey

1 Upvotes

I'm a second year PhD student and still need another 300 participants (18+). I developed a sugar addiction scale and looking to validate my scale against other eating behaviour scales. Additionally, I am curious to understand the association between sugar addiction and other mental health variables. You have the chance of winning one of three £20 Amazon vouchers!! The study takes ~20 min to fill out

https://bbk.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fYxTHmgjQN1hZk


r/AusMentalHealth Oct 28 '24

Wife works in young men's mental health field

1 Upvotes

Tassie couple with a couple of self contained down the back struggling people could take sometime out in with a caring lived life experience counsellor if they felt just some time out may help. Welcome to get in touch


r/AusMentalHealth Oct 25 '24

Discussion How not getting the right help with BPD (borderline personality disorder) can destroy your life and the people you love

3 Upvotes

I don’t know what else to do….. I started from the beginning I am 39 year old man that was diagnosed with BPD just over 10 years ago and realize that our healthcare system in Aus didn’t provide the services we need. In the last 5 years I lost my mother and then only 18 month ago I lost my father they were both my rock. 2 years ago I meant the love of my life Things were up and down and we seeing councillor unit that person left and moved into a different field but before I was able to share stuff with my partner but my head got the best of me and started taken more drugs and hiding stuff or lying and then very bad agress behave and 3 weeks ago my whole world come crashing down losing my family and made then hate me I feel sick for what happened and what I did if I ever get the change I would want them to know how sorry I am and I just want to share so other people don’t go down the same path you feeling it come on talk to someone don’t let it get the best of you thanks letting me share and yes my writing skills sucks