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“Young people who have the support they need as either carers or people living with a mental illness become better adults.”
What are the things you like about One Door?
One Door is really great, they help to support those in need of mental health care to improve their quality of life. They also work hard to reduce the stigma around mental illness through the promotion of mental health support services. Individuals who are diagnosed with mental illness are still people, they’re no different and that’s what One Door advocates for.
What is your vision for the future of mental health care in Australia?
A lot needs to be done in terms of the future of mental health care, but we’re heading in the right direction. 1 in 5 individuals can be affected by mental illness; it’s so common, so I think there needs to be an increased awareness and understanding around it. I’d really like to see schools introduce mental illness and health care into the curriculum, I feel that this would help young people to talk about it in an open environment, and slowly the stigma around mental illness would reduce.
What advice do you have for someone with mental illness or someone who has a loved one with mental illness?
The most important thing is to seek help early, don’t wait. The earlier the support, the better chance of recovery. Mental illness can really eat you up inside, if you don’t talk about it and seek help. I’d say that someone should work with their whole family or any loved ones who can support them. This will help to lead to better care and better outcomes.