Fact sheets and info
Bookmark and Share

Fact sheet 3

Getting help for depression or anxiety

There are times when we all have problems that seem too big to sort out on our own. If you’re feeling like this, one of the best things you can do is talk to someone. While it’s important that you let your friends know how you’re feeling, it’s often best to talk to an adult or a professional – just because they’re likely to know more about what to do.

factsheet3thumb

Who can help

When you know you need help, it can be difficult to decide who to talk to. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone you don’t know about what’s troubling you.

Many different types of help are available. A counsellor or doctor can help you to understand and work through your feelings. It’s important to choose someone who you feel comfortable with, who will listen to you, talk with you about how you feel and give you practical help.

Seeing a General Practitioner (GP) is a good place to start. GPs are used to recognising and treating common problems, including depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug concerns. They can help you to work out the best ways to cope with how you’re feeling and make a plan to get through it. If needed, they can also refer you to someone who is an expert in treating mental health problems, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.

If you have particular concerns that you want to talk through, there are counsellors who specialise in different issues - like family problems, schooling and careers, alcohol, drugs, pregnancy and abuse.

If you need to talk to someone right away or don’t feel ready to see a counsellor or doctor, you could try telephone counselling services, which are available free or for the cost of a local call, or online counselling (some numbers and websites are listed below).

If you’re hurting yourself or feel like you want to do so, or if you need urgent medical or psychological help, you need to get in touch with your doctor or a health professional (such as a counsellor, psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health expert) as soon as you can.

Knowing when you need help

It can be hard to know if what you feel is ‘normal’ – but if you’re feeling sad most of the time and you’ve lost interest in things you used to like doing, you may need some help to sort things out. Don’t bottle up your feelings or think that you should be able to handle problems by yourself – start by talking to someone you trust, like a family member, school counsellor or your General Practitioner (GP).

Why get help?

  • Telling someone what’s upsetting you can help you sort through your feelings.
  • Talking to someone can help you put things into perspectiveand may suggest options you hadn’t thought of before.
  • Talking through your worries can help you let go of stress and tension that has built up.
  • If you have depression or anxiety, getting the right type of help, and getting it early, can make it much easier for you get back on track.

What will happen?

Reaching out for help is often a big step. It may feel weird talking to a complete stranger about what’s on your mind, but it does get easier. Remember that the person is there to help you, however they can.

Your GP will usually ask questions to learn about you and how you’re feeling. For example, questions about your general health, your lifestyle, whether you smoke or drink, how you’re thinking and feeling, and how you’re getting on at school or work and with your family and friends. It might seem like a lot to talk about - but they need all this information to help them work out what’s going on and what might be the best way forward.

Even if the doctor asks about things that you find embarrassing or uncomfortable, it’s important to be honest. What you tell the doctor will be kept confidential. Unless the doctor has serious concerns about your safety or the safety of someone else, they won’t tell your family that you’ve had an appointment with them, or anything that happened during your appointment.

If you’re uncomfortable with the first person you talk to, it’s okay to try someone else. Some people find it easier to talk to a doctor who is the same gender, is closer to them in age or is not their family doctor. It can be useful to involve your parents, carers or a friend when you get help, so they can support you.

Where to go and what will it cost?

In Australia, going to a doctor is either free, or part of the cost is paid for you. To go to a community health centre or another doctor, you need to have a Medicare number or card. You can use the number from your family Medicare card or, if you are 15 or over, apply for a card of your own (see Youthbeyondblue fact sheet 24 for more information).

Community health centres offer free services, including counselling services. Some doctors and most medical centres ‘bulk bill’. This means that you don’t have to pay for the service as long as you can give your Medicare number. Some doctors only offer bulk billing to some of their patients, such as health care (Centrelink) card holders. But if your doctor doesn’t bulk bill at all, you’ll be able to get some of the cost back from any Medicare office if you have your doctor’s invoice or receipt.

If you need it, your doctor can give you a treatment plan and a referral for psychological help (both individual and group sessions), with most of the cost covered by Medicare.

Key points to remember

  • Deciding who you want to talk to is the first step. The most important thing is that you find someone you trust and feel comfortable with.
  • There isn’t any reason why you can’t talk to more than one person about how you are feeling. If you decide to speak to a counsellor or doctor, you can take a friend along with you.
  • To find a doctor or counsellor, ask friends or family, or look at one of the websites listed below.
  • You usually need to make an appointment before you see a doctor or counsellor – you don’t have to say why.
  • To get a refund from Medicare, take your Medicare card (or number) and any concession card with you and keep your invoice or receipt if they don’t bulk bill.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to ask the doctor or counsellor to explain something again.
  • Be honest about your feelings, thoughts, situation and lifestyle so that you get the best possible help.
  • Remember that your doctor can only share information about you with anyone else if they believe you or someone else is at risk of serious harm.
  • If you’re not comfortable with the counsellor or doctor, it’s okay to find someone else.

Remember, if you need to talk to someone right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Help Line on 1800 55 1800.

  • What does ’seeking help’ actually involve? Who should you go to and how do you do it? Take a look at the Youthbeyondblue video series which explores what it’s like to get help from a range of professionals. Go to www.youthbeyondblue.com, click on Vlogs and vids and go to the Getting help series.
  • The beyondblue website www.beyondblue.org.au has a list of health professionals who are experts in treating depression and anxiety.
  • If you want to apply for a Medicare card, application forms are available from Medicare offices, the Medicare website www.medicare.gov.au or by phoning 132 011. You’ll need to take the completed form to your local Medicare office, along with some identification such as a driver’s licence, a school card or a passport.

More information and support

You can speak to trained counsellors by phoning these 24-hour telephone counselling services:

  • Lifeline – 13 11 14 (cost of a local call; 24 hours)
  • Kids Help Line – 1800 55 1800 (free call from a land line; 24 hours)

Information and support is also available from the following websites:

The websites below can help you to find health services in your area. They list services that are either free of charge or low cost:

If you or a friend want to communicate with someone via email or online, Kids Help Line offers confidential, non-judgemental, emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sources

This fact sheet is based on information from:

  1. beyondblue – www.beyondblue.org.au and www.youthbeyondblue.com
  2. ReachOut.com – www.reachout.com
  3. Medicare Australia – www.medicare.gov.au