Twenty-one new fact sheets containing information written especially for young people are now available free from Youthbeyondblue.

Youthbeyondblue, the youth arm of beyondblue: the national depression initiative, developed the information with young people. The fact sheets don’t contain confusing medical jargon or sugar-coat the issues - just plain, easy-to-understand facts about problems people commonly experience as a part of growing up.

Topics range from depression and anxiety disorders (signs, symptoms and available treatment and where to get help) to advice on helping a friend or family member and tips on coping with stress. The fact sheets also look at what happens with depression and anxiety levels when mixed with alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

There is information on how to keep yourself healthy, like making sure you eat well, get a good night’s sleep, exercise and there are tips on how to improve study habits.

You can also get the facts about the tough stuff like suicide prevention, self-harm, dealing with grief, family break-ups and bullying. There’s even information for parents and carers.

The team at Youthbeyondblue have put these fact sheets together by drawing on years of research, expert advice from mental health professionals who work with young people and first hand information.

Importantly, they talked to groups of young people about what helped them through their tough times and took their advice on the things they thought would be helpful for others.

Youthbeyondblue also consulted with other youth organisations, including headspace, Orygen Youth Health, Reach Out and Mission Australia.

beyondblue’s CEO, Leonie Young, said that sometimes when people are going through a hard time or the early stages of anxiety and depression, it can be daunting to take that first step to get help.

“Life can be tough for teenagers and young adults - so we want everyone to know that help is available. Whether it is advice on studying and keeping healthy, or easy-to-understand information about mental health, our new fact sheets are a great place to start. If you’re struggling, it’s always a good idea to talk about it with someone you trust, like a parent, teacher, school counsellor, your doctor or a good friend.

“We realise that sometimes the things that really worry people can be hard to talk about, so a great way to try to overcome problems is to arm yourself - or a friend - with the facts and find out what help is available.

“We invite all young people to take a few minutes to look at the Youthbeyondblue information, because even if you don’t need it yourself, you may know someone who does. Remember to look for the signs of depression and anxiety in your mates, talk about what’s going on, listen to what they’re saying and if you think you need to - go and seek help together.”

You can order or download as many of beyondblue’s youth fact sheets as you like for free, from www.youthbeyondblue.com or you can call the beyondblue information line on 1300 22 4636 (for the cost of a local call from a landline) to have copies sent out to you.