It’s OK to seek mental help

DON’T be afraid to ask for help if you are feeling down.

Don’t be afraid to offer help if you know someone who is suffering mentally for one reason or another.

Mental illness should not be a stigma and there is plenty of help available.

We all know of people who have taken their own lives and in most cases there were no obvious signs.

One of the scariest things about mental illness is that it can affect anyone.

It doesn’t matter how good your life or social situation may seem to the outside.

So, while the world may think that everything is totally fine, internally everything is falling apart.

That’s what makes it so hard sometimes for people to look to others for help, because there is this expectation that something has to be physically wrong for someone to experience the symptoms of depression.

While offering support won’t always relieve someone’s distress, it is a great place to start.

We know that some conversations can be really tough, but, in reality, you don’t have to be an expert to start a conversation. Just by asking shows someone you care about them and that can make a really positive difference in their life.

Today, R U OK Day is held in Cairns and marks the end of The Conversation Convoy; a six-week journey around Australia which has aimed at giving people the confidence to support those who are struggling.

So be comfortable about asking someone if they are OK if you feel they are not.

It could be the one conversation that changes everything for the better. Nick Dalton nick.dalton@news.com.au