We like to think that the bleak days of overt racism in Australia are long behind us. The time when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were forced to live in separate areas, and weren’t even counted as people in the national census until 1967, is not so far in the past, but at least it is well and truly over.

Anyone feeling comfortable about this would probably have had their complacency shaken by an extensive survey of Indigenous Australians released last week, which revealed almost every respondent had been subjected to some kind of racism.

The survey, conducted by VicHealth, Lowitja Institute, University of Melbourne and our friends at beyondblue, showed 97 per cent had been targets of verbal or physical abuse in the past year. Seven in 10 had been targets of eight or more racist incidents during the past year.

Clearly, the days of systemic racism are not that far behind us at all. In fact, let’s be clear, they’re not entirely over.

The picture the survey paints of the relentless discrimination encountered by our Indigenous countrymen and women is extremely confronting, and also provides us with a real insight into link between racism and mental illness.

Half the respondents to the Victorian survey reported high or very high psychological distress. Unsurprisingly, those people who had experienced more incidents of racism were more likely to score highly on the Kessler scale for psychological distress.

We don’t know how many of the survey respondents were aged between 12 and 25. But we do know that the broader implications of racism and allied forms of discrimination are felt acutely among young Indigenous Australians, who often feel the direct effects and consequences of racial discrimination – in the form of intergenerational poverty, ill health, unemployment and family breakdown.

At headspace, as a unique mainstream youth mental health and wellbeing initiative, we have a responsibility to our Indigenous youth, and there is no argument that we need to do more to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and their families in our services.

We know we are at the front line of the battle to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young Indigenous people. We’re looking at innovative ways that our online and telephone counselling service eheadspace can be more accessible to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth who are not only geographically isolated but who are perhaps socially isolated in urban cities and towns (census data shows more Indigenous Australians live in Sydney than anywhere else).

Our challenge is to ensure that we are not inadvertently placing barriers to access, and that our centres develop appropriate strategies so that Indigenous youth feel comfortable turning up to one of our centres.

I do think we are making a difference as we see greater numbers of Indigenous young people access headspace services but we know we have still a way to go. But this survey shows things will only get substantially better when Indigenous Australians as a whole get some permanent respite from the corrosive impact of discrimination that, sadly, still exists in our community.

blog post from headspace CEO Chris Tanti

It is one of the most iconic images in Australian sporting history – the moment John Landy stopped during the 1500 metre final at the MCG at the 1956 National Championships to help fellow runner Ron Clarke, who had been tripped and lay sprawled on the track. That act of selflessness is immortalised in bronze and the statue stands in the sporting precinct on Swan Street in Melbourne.

It’s history now that Landy went on to win the race. But the spontaneous gesture of helping someone in need, despite the younger Clarke being an emerging rival to Landy, is an act that still resonates strongly 56 years later.

I have drawn on that image to illustrate the impact helping someone can have. One of our newest headspace ambassadors, Ash London, talks about this in the powerful video we produced with her for mental health week. Ash is candid when she speaks of a close friend with depression who needed her help. I was taken with the self-effacing manner in which she describes the personal sacrifices she was willing to make to ensure her friend was ok.

It’s obvious Ash had her friend’s back. For her this is just what friends do.

But for many of us simply asking a friend or a family member if they’re doing ok can either be quite daunting or we feel we’re invading their privacy. And often people don’t know what the signs are that something could be wrong.

Some signs that suggest a young person might be experiencing problems include new, noticeable and persistent changes that last at least a few weeks and obvious and persistent changes in behaviour, feelings and the way they think.

Behaviour change could look like changes in appetite, sleep patterns, increased use of drugs or alcohol, avoiding school/work, poor motivation or withdrawal from people. And a young person may be experiencing long bouts of unhappiness, depression, irritability, fear, anger and loss of pleasure in things they once enjoyed.

It sounds like a lot of things to keep an eye on. But a bit of advice I always give to people, especially parents, when they ask what are the signs that something is not right is to always trust your instinct. More often than not you will know when something is really different.

As a parent I also know that talking to your son or daughter about their feelings, relationships and other issues can be tricky and can feel like a space neither of you want to be in. But there are ways you can start a conversation without your child looking at you like you’re from another planet (well, I can’t guarantee that they won’t still do that, but it’s worth a try).

If you think your child is having difficulties at school or with their peer group, it’s important you let them know you understand some of the pressures. You were once young too and they may be surprised to hear that you also faced challenges. Be open to discussing any issue, no matter how sensitive, but help them find their own answers. Don’t pretend to be the expert and have all the answers for them.

Whilst they may not say it to your face, most young people will appreciate the fact you took the time to listen to them and are supporting them to be confident and true to themselves. They need to know it’s ok for them to talk to people other than yourself about these issues – talking is the crucial thing.

This kind of caring and supportive approach is also something friends can adopt.

And while all this may sound daunting, letting your loved one know you’re in their corner is one of the best things you can do.

So check to see how your friend or family member is doing. It could be a quick phone call, a text, over a coffee or a walk around the block.

Sometimes you might just need to stop and pick someone up off the ground and help them back onto their feet.

For more information and support visit http://www.headspace.org.au

I think most of us remember a time when we were kids where all we wanted was to be in control of our lives. And, if we don’t we’ve probably got kids who are now repeating the cycle.

Given my age, I’m old enough to now have a distant memory of how frustrating it was to be controlled by parents who knew best. Now I’m on the receiving end of the anger and frustration of my own kids, who have very firm ideas about what they want and when they want it!

It goes something like this: “Dad, why do I have to do what you say?” Or “I only want pasta. I won’t eat vegetables”. Or “All my friends play 4 hours of Minecraft before school. Why can I only play it on weekends?”

To parents everywhere, it’s all very familiar – particularly if the question is asked more than ten times within the hour and then at least 5 times in each subsequent hour of remaining daylight.

Some things will always be the case. But there’s a lot of talk at the moment about whether today’s young people have grown up in an environment where they have been given more control and less structure than previous generations. This in turn gives them a heightened level of expectation that they are actually going to get their way.

Commentators say parents have started chasing the approval of their kids, haven’t said ‘no’ enough and now are reaping what they have sown: kids who think they will always get their way and, later, young adults who still live at home, don’t know how to iron their shirts, and drink all their parents’ alcohol.

Mia Freedman had an interesting piece in the paper a few weeks’ ago. She sees the issue as more than just a parenting one – the community as a whole has become too affluent, comfortable and consequently has become obsessed with #firstworldproblems (as they say on Twitter).

She tells a story about a friend whose husband doesn’t want to take their kids on a European holiday because the kids might be bored in the car. Freedman also relates how her own children now won’t go on a 10-minute car ride to the shops without snacks and drinks: a story to which I can unhappily relate to!

In the US, concern about this phenomenon has spawned a plethora of new books with titles like “The Price of Privilege”, “The Narcissism Epidemic,” and “A Nation of Wimps”.

I’m always conscious that in these kinds of debates, the voice of young people can recede into the background and stereotypes come to the fore. I think about all the outstanding, switched-on, compassionate, strong young people I come across in this job and it makes me extremely hopeful for the future. These are all kids raised in this so-called era of narcissism.

But it’s my job to ensure that we’re properly examining social changes, to ensure our centres are best equipped to support them. It worries me that new research conducted by sociologists at Boston College shows that incoming students are more worried “about how they will handle the logistics of everyday life” than how they will navigate the complex world of higher education.

It makes me think about all the times I’ve avoided teaching my kids how to perform household tasks because it’s simply easier for me to do it. Ultimately, we’re not doing our kids any favours by being what some people call “bulldozer parents”, who try to clear obstacles, hardship and toil from our children’s paths. That doesn’t prepare them well for life.

It seems to me that life is just a series of traffic lights, telling us to ‘go’, ‘stop’ or ‘be cautious’. In a world that is full of advice from a multitude of ‘experts’ – none of whom are short of an opinion – how do we reassure ourselves that we are on the right track; that the traffic light is telling us the right thing?

Ben Hart, the Public Affairs Manager for headspace recently put me on to an article in the New Yorker which, like Mia Freedman’s, examined the issue of permissive parenting (some of its content forms the basis for this blog – I recommend having a read).

At a swimming lesson with the kids I was sitting next to a guy from Germany who too was dealing with the emotional turmoil of his children being taught how to swim. We both noticed, in between my reading of the New Yorker, each other’s children struggling.

We got talking about parenting and the challenges. I mentioned the article and the author’s contention that the French are much better than the Americans at child rearing as French parents think that an important step in child development is learning to cope with the word ‘no’.

He had a different take on the issue and said that the French are largely negligent parents and that’s not healthy either.  “Who are they trying to kid? The French have others look after their children and completely ignore them for their entire lives!” It was extreme view but nonetheless an interesting perspective.

The point I think is that, just as parenting is no simple task, equally there are no simple answers (like “be more French in your parenting” for instance).

We do what we can to ensure that our children are resilient and have the skills they need to head out into the world as confident, capable adults; to be able to cope with disappointment and sadness. This requires more work that just saying no, or, at the other end of the spectrum, alternating between distracting them and appeasing them.

It’s up to all of us to find that balance.

By Chris Tanti

Earlier this year when The Voice contestant Shauna Jensen sang her heart out, but wasn’t chosen by any of the celebrity judges, her response was straight-to-the-point.

“Are you mental?” she asked. “I thought I was damn gooood!”

Beyond Ms Jensen’s newsworthy level of self-belief, the ‘mental’ comment barely rated a mention the next day. After all, it’s just a turn of phrase. Right?

Here at headspace, it got us thinking. What if, instead of posing that question, she asked the judges: “Are you retarded?”

I think there would have been, quite rightly, an outcry. So why does the broader community seem to think it is ok to words relating to mental illness – ‘crazy’, ‘mental’, ‘psycho’ to name just three – as general negatives, but some slang terms relating to race, sexuality and gender are off limits? And does it really matter?

We turned to young people on our Facebook page about the comment on The Voice, simply asking “Do youth think it’s ok?”

The response was varied. Shaun Chandler wrote: “It’s ok to a point. Saying it like they did isn’t ok but if you’re just having a joke with your mates and they say it to you it’s fine.”

“Seriously, it’s just TV. It doesn’t matter. I did not watch the show but I have a mental illness and I don’t care either way,” said Rebecca Mausenbaum.

But the vast majority said that it wasn’t really ok.

“It’s not cool and I think it should be tackled head on. Any kind of labelling is not cool in my opinion,” was a very typical response, from Robbie Alexander.

And this from Sharon Dusting: “It’s a reflection of general ignorance in the community. But I think there’s a real risk in becoming too hypersensitive and ‘precious’ about it. I think the fact that it’s being talked about is perhaps enough to raise the awareness of the individual involved and to make them think twice in future.”

I think Sharon makes a really good point. The problem, from my perspective is that no one seems to be even talking about this. It’s not a debate yet. I think it should be.

In line with this, I’ve written to the organisations who regulate our media, asking them to consider showing some leadership in this area by putting some thought into what they think is or isn’t acceptable. Whether this ends up as regulation, or suggestions, or something in the middle is up to them.

This isn’t about banning words like ‘maniac’ and ‘lunatic’ – language is not absolute and there will always be appropriate uses for these words. But, equally, there should possibly be some concrete rules around really offensive use of these words, in the same way as there are currently rules around racist language.

At the end of the day, media rules might be a small piece of the jigsaw but they aren’t the main game.

What matters most is whether people are thinking about how their language affects others. At the moment they do when it comes to some things, but not when it comes to others.

Personally I believe language is powerful and can create stigma, and can reduce the likelihood that a young person will seek help for issues they are going through. Maybe I’m right and maybe I’m wrong but we’ll only find out if we talk about it.

Samantha Wild (above) from the Wakka Wakka mob is a Youth Advisor to the headspace Youth National Reference Group and is a member of the headspace Indigenous Taskforce. To mark the week Samantha has written a blog post for us reflecting on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people:

NAIDOC week is a celebration of all the wonderful achievements of our people. Although there are often challenges, I want to acknowledge young people for the survivors and leaders that they have become.

I think many young people have great strength and resilience through the many challenges they may have faced.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people live in a reality where death and dying is all too common. We are losing our aunties, uncles, nephews, nieces and elders at an alarming rate.   This means that our communities are often faced with the struggles of grief and loss.  The worst, but all too often event in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is to lose the life of a young person to suicide.

The reason I have worked with headspace over the past few years is to hopefully prevent suicides in the community.  I believe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people need to be supported and equipped with a knowingness of identity and culture to be strong spirits.  

Tips for young people to improve their social and emotional wellbeing

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need to find a balance of all aspects of life to achieve optimal social and emotional wellbeing – including physical, emotional, and spiritual and connectedness with family.   Having a well balanced diet with heaps of fruit and vegetables and, if you can get your hands on it, some traditional food or bush tucker is ideal.

Spirituality means something individual to each of us, but I’m using it to describe the special connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with the land, seas and air all around us.

Whether you live on traditional country or not we have a special connection with the outdoors.  Take time to explore your local community and find the places that are special for you.  You never know it might just be where our ancestors gathered 40,000 years ago.  Take time to listen to or find out about Dreamtime stories.  The Dreamtime is the key to understanding our existence and what makes us special.

If you know any traditional language, use it, even if it is simple terms.   If you haven’t been raised with language then seek out an elder who can share their language with you.

Take some time to practice art and dancing in your local community and get to know other young people in your area.  These are sacred rituals which have been passed down for generations.

At last but the most important part of spirituality is family.  Whether family are your greatest supports or your biggest obstacles, there is always a family member who wants to be your safe haven or your guardian angel.  Keep these people close to you and they will support and guide you.

Emotional wellbeing is all of these things – connectedness to our people, tradition, and culture.  The Dreamtime stories tell me that our ancestors are watching all of us and helping us achieve greatness everyday.

If you’re going through a tough time with grief, loss or anything else headspace can help. Visit www.headspace.org.au for info and support.

For more information on NAIDOC week including events around the country visit www.naidoc.org.au

Like any similarly-sized group of people, Australian doctors will have a wide range of views about politics and social issues.

With that in mind, we shouldn’t be surprised when a tiny fraction – 150 doctors – come together to form a group advocating a position on something. In this case, it’s Doctors for the Family, which are attempting to advance the cause of ‘traditional’ family values. (I find it’s helpful to remind myself that 89,850 medical practitioners haven’t signed up at this point in time).

Over the past few days it has emerged that Doctors for the Family recently submitted a paper to the Senate Inquiry into equal marriage.

The submission argues that children growing up in an environment with a mother and a father do better “in all parameters” than children who do not. This statement is used to support the view that equal marriage will have significant negative social and health impacts on Australians.

I have no problem with anyone putting a view, as long as it is well-argued and based on facts. Unfortunately, this group’s submission is neither.

In fact, I will go further and say that these doctors abrogate their professional and personal responsibilities as medical practitioners by deliberately misrepresenting research to prosecute a homophobic, outdated and false argument against equal marriage.

Shame on them.

Having spent some time talking to same sex attracted friends and others over the weekend I am reminded of the Latin phrase Primum non nocere, meaning ‘First, do no harm’, which is one of the basic precepts taught to undergrad medical students.  Seems that this group needs to head on back to school…

Of the two studies the group cites in support of outlandish and false “in all parameters” statement, neither compares the effect of parenting by same-sex couple to that of heterosexual couples. In the first study, by the University of Sydney, same-sex parenting is only mentioned twice, and in both cases recommending that gay and lesbian groups (along with migrant groups, churches and other community organisations) be enlisted to help families improve their parenting skills.

The second, an American study, does not mention same-sex parenting at all.

In both cases, the studies could actually be viewed as arguments in favour of equal marriage, in that they generally contend that children who grow up in a stable environment, parented by two people who are in a committed relationship, achieve better outcomes on average.

As we prepare to celebrate International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) on Wednesday, the reality is that the body of research in this area is still relatively small but growing. The research which does exist shows that same-sex parenting achieves as good, if not better, outcomes than heterosexual parenting.

A study by the Australian Psychological Society, which reviewed over 200 other pieces of research, concluded: “It is family processes (such as the quality of parenting and relationships within the family) that contribute to determining children’s well-being and outcomes, rather than family structures.” [i]

“The research indicates that parenting practices and children’s outcomes in families parented by lesbian and gay parents are likely to be at least as favourable as those in families of heterosexual parents, despite the reality that considerable legal discrimination and inequality remain significant challenges for these families.”

I don’t think that it is gratuitous to note that the 150 doctors who added their names to the Doctors for the Family submission are explicitly seeking to prolong that discrimination and inequality.

The APS study shows that groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine vehemently disagree with the position of Doctors for the Family.

“No data have pointed to any risk to children as a result of growing up in a family with one or more gay parents …. children who are born to or adopted by one member of a same-sex couple deserve the security of two legally-recognised parents,” said the Academy of Pediatrics. [ii]

The Society for Reproductive Medicine goes further: “The literature that does exist… found no evidence being raised by a homosexual father had any negative effect on children…indeed identified differences tended to favour gay fathers”.[iii]

I can go on. Research in the Australian Journal of Social Issues found “the number of adults and the sex of the adults in a household had no significant bearing on children’s well being – one adult or two, female or male, heterosexual or homosexual… the happiness of the relationship between the two adults in the household, and the openness of warmth and communication between the adults and the children do have a major impact on the child.”[iv]

On a personal note, I was struck by Barack Obama’s words last week in explaining his decision to reverse his opposition to equal marriage, citing “my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together”.

I think about my Head of Corporate Affairs Elisabeth Tuckey who is raising three beautiful children with her long term partner Fiona. She’s one of the best, most committed mothers I know (and not just because of her amazing baking skills).

The child welfare and child protection system is overwhelmed by reports of abuse and neglect of children at the hands of many heterosexual couples. These are undoubtedly complex cases but what it illustrates is that a heterosexual union is does not necessarily create a nurturing environment.

I’m lucky that I have many friends and acquaintances like Elisabeth in my life. I see tenderness and love in these families that is exchanged between the adults and their children.

I’m betting that those 150 doctors who put their names on that submission don’t have an Elisabeth in their lives to show them how wrong they are.

With these young people there are barriers, but at least we can hold on to the possibility we can help them. But there’s a feeling of helplessness that comes with the realisation that beyond the hard-to-reach, there’s the impossible-to-reach: those that we can’t get to because others place insurmountable barriers in our way.

One of these groups is young people in immigration detention.

An international campaign that aims to end the detention of asylum seeker children was launched last week. It’s a chance for me to reiterate just how damaging this practice is to some of our most vulnerable young people

In Australia there are 1079 children in immigration detention. Of these, 506 are in remote, secure locked or guarded detention facilities and 32 percent have been there for over a year.

One study of immigration detainees have shown rates of mental illness are 3.6 times higher for those in detention for more than 24 months than those released within 3 months. Another study found all adults and children detained within a sample group had at least one current psychiatric disorder. 26 disorders were identified among 14 adults and 52 disorders among 20 children.

These young people have fled seriously harrowing conditions including persecution, war and poverty – conditions that no child should be subjected to. More often than not, it’s not a matter of wanting a better life – it’s a matter of life or death.

They have not committed a crime, they have not harmed anyone and they do not pose any threat to you or I.

However, their journey to seek refuge from these conditions commonly ends in being detained for months on end, only to exacerbate the trauma they were fleeing from and breed a host of mental health issues that can have severe long term effects.

headspace has the tools to provide services to these young people, but we can’t because they don’t have access to headspace centres and we can’t access them in detention.

At headspace we aim to help young people before problems escalate, but at this stage, at very best we can offer our services when these young people are released – hopefully not too late. And as an organisation we are looking at how we can do more to attract them and their families to our services.

In politics and in the media, I see a lot of fear mongering going on when it comes to this topic. I see political decisions based on chasing votes and pandering to fear and prejudice. What we are left with is inaccurate perceptions, simplicities and myths rather than facts. Asylum seekers are dehumanised and we end up with an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ situation.

This is an issue that demands attention and needs to be out on the policy table: locally and globally. We are after all talking about basic human rights. The incarceration of young people who came here to find refuge, safety and a better life, is quite simply wrong.

We’re doing what we can to put the case for change, working with likeminded organisations to push the issue. We’ve recently submitted papers to Federal inquiries, outlining the mental health impact of detention on children and young people. We’ve also signed the Mental Health Council of Australia’s petition to the Federal Government urging them to review the standards of mental health care in all immigration detention centres.

The campaign that launched last week hopefully will also make some inroads. But what we need in the near future is no less than major policy change and legislative reform to release all children from detention. And in the meantime, appropriate resources and services need to be made available in these detention centres.

The bottom line is that asylum seeker children should not be detained. Detention centres provide the direct opposite of protective factors and conditions necessary for young people who have been exposed to trauma. They need safe, stable accommodation appropriate to their age, gender, cultural background and family situation and importantly they need access to mental health support services.

It’s so important that people get informed, involved and speak up on this issue. Only then will the impossible become the possible and services like headspace can help these vulnerable young people.

She was the person who didn’t act.

If I could go back do it again / I’d be someone you could call friend / Please please believe that I’m sorry she sings.

The song underlines the point that bullying has a damaging effect on not just the main protagonists, but also on a much wider circle of people. It’s an impact that can take years to heal.

Miller-Heideke I’m sure support the words of headspace Ambassador, AFL player Dan Jackson, who wrote eloquently about this very issue last Friday in a column for the Herald Sun marking National Day Against Bullying and Violence.

In the column, he urged young people to stand up and show courage instead of being bystanders.

“The most important message parents and other role models can teach kids is the message my dad taught me: to have courage, stand proud and speak out for those who dare not speak out for themselves,” he said.

It’s a sentiment I wholeheartedly support. Imagine if everyone who witnessed bullying – whether at school, in the workplace or at home – stood up and said clearly and strongly that it wasn’t going to be tolerated.

Bullying would very quickly be a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, we all know that bullying isn’t going to be eradicated that easily. Until it is, there are things that we can do as parents and friends to support someone who is being bullied to ease the burden on them:

*Listen to them and take seriously their feelings and fears.
*Don’t call them names (even in a joking way), such as ‘weak’ or ‘a sook’, make sure others don’t make the same mistake.
*Parents can try to give their child as much power as possible to find solutions so he or she can feel more in control. Solving problems by themselves, with your support, can really boost their self esteem.
*Focus on the things they do well. This will make them feel more confident.

Of course, if the bullied person has been traumatised, they may need someone to talk to.

If that’s the case, headspace is there to help with centres around the country, as well as the eheadspace online and telephone support service

You never know, even bullies may find a visit to headspace useful – headspace, after all, welcomes everyone.

Click here to see a list of centres or here to go to eheadspace.

Watch the video we produced to tackle bullying featuring our ambassadors Ruby Rose, Dylan Lewis, James Mason and many more.

Time: 1.00pm to 2.00pm (AEDT)

Please note comments and questions will be moderated before publishing. If your question has already been asked it may not be published.

So who’s in that category? There are a couple of big groups, in particular boys and young men. And young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This disadvantage can be caused by financial factors and a lack of access to services, opportunities, employment and education.

The desire to encourage more males to use headspace services is the driving force behind our partnership with groups like the AFL Players’ Association. I’m realistic enough to understand that our AFL ambassadors Campbell Brown, Nick Duigan, Dan Jackson, Simon Hogan and Robert Murphy can connect with young men much better that I ever could.

The video that Dan and Nick did for us ‘How are your mates going’, talks to young men about how they can spot a friend in trouble.  And Simon has told us about how, following his decision to sign on as a headspace ambassador and speak out publicly about his battle with depression, he was told by a Geelong GP that it had immediately resulted in young men making appointments to talk about their issues.

It’s heartening when we see evidence that we’re heading in the right direction in terms of engaging with these hard-to-reach groups.

A study released this month of 1260 young people using two headspace centres in Sydney showed that 53 per cent were male and around a quarter of the whole group were not involved in any form of education or employment. (Disclosure: Prof. Ian Hickie, who is involved in running the two centres and who was also until very recently on the headspace Board, was one of six researchers who oversaw in the study).

Throw in the fact that 6 per cent of headspace clients are indigenous (double the percentage of indigenous people in the population) and a there’s cause for optimism.

There some other good figures in the new study as well. The fact that seven out of 10 headspace clients were in the early stages of mental illness shows we’re becoming that ‘fork in the road’ where young people chose to seek help rather than go on battling a worsening mental illness alone. And the study says headspace has a “remarkable” rate of self-referrals or referrals through family and friends, showing a pleasing level of trust out there in the community.

“The willingness of young people to use headspace service challenges existing beliefs about the extent to which young people with mental health problems do not perceive a need for care,” the report says.

In other words, young people are more likely than you think to seek help if you provide a place that is youth friendly and doesn’t cost a lot.

There’s still a long way to go but I have to say that’s music to my ears.