10 Things You Need To Know About Mental Illness In Australia On RU OK Day:

It's time to ask RU OK?


Article heading image for 10 Things You Need To Know About Mental Illness In Australia On RU OK Day:

RU OK Day is the perfect day to get talking about mental health in your workplace, your home and with your friends. 

Here’s 10 things you might not know about mental illness:

  1. In each year, approximately one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness.
  2. Mental illnesses are the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia, accounting for an estimated 27% of the total years lost due to disability.
  3. About 4% of people will experience a major depressive episode in a 12-month period, with 5% of women and 3% of men affected.
  4. Approximately 14 % of Australians will be affected by an anxiety disorder in any 12-month period.
  5. About 3% of Australians are affected by psychotic illness; such as schizophrenia, where there is a loss of contact with reality during episodes of illness.
  6. Approximately 2% of Australians will experience some type of eating disorder in their life, with women 9 times more likely than men.
  7. Prevalence of mental illness decreases with age, with prevalence greatest among 18-24 year olds.
  8. Women are more likely than men to seek help for anxiety disorders (18% compared with 11%) and mood disorders (7.1% compared with 5.3%).
  9. A national survey showed that 35% of people with a mental disorder had used a health service and 29% consulted a GP within the 12 months before the survey.
  10. Anxiety disorders are most common in a recent survery of Australians with mental illness – 14.4%, followed by affective disorders - 6.2% (of which depression is 4.1%), and substance use disorders – 5.1% (of which 4.3% is alcohol related).

 RUOK is a suicide prevention charity which encouraged people to ask RU OK? in their school, work place or community.

We encourage everyone to take the time to ask those around them RU OK? But sometimes, some conversations are too big for family and friends. If you’re worried about someone and feel urgent professional support is needed, contact your local doctor or Lifeline on 12 11 12.

14 September 2017




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