Join Maz and Lauren from the Takeover for a Chat about Mental Health

This past Thursday April 7^th was World Health Day, and The Takeover’s Maz and Lauren opened up for a candid chat about mental health and removing the stigma attached with it.

We often think of our health as primarily regarding our physical bodies, which does make a lot of sense, but our mental health is equally as important. A couple of weeks ago, the Federal Government announced it will be committing $2.3 billion to its National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan in the 2022-23 Budget. This is a move welcomed by many, especially as new research shows the stigma around mental health and increased mental illness, undeniably in part elevated by the Pandemic, is costing us more than we may know.

Devastatingly, suicide has been listed as one of the “big five” causes of death in Australia, alongside heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer, and stigma seems to be a major factor. Two thirds (or 61%) of Aussies are not open about their mental health with others, and one in five (18% of) men never speak about their mental health. Additionally, one in four (24% of) young Aussies aged 18-24 struggle to ask for help or support with their mental health.

The message to combat this is simple: Check in with others and with yourself, and speak up if you need help.

If you or someone you know needs support, please phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, or reach out through any of these channels:

Lifeline text: 0477 13 11 14 (response times may be slow via text)

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Head Space: headspace.org.au

Call 000 if life is in danger

Sources: Media Cast News, Classics for a Cause study. The Classics for a Cause study was carried out on a national representative sample of 1,041 Australians aged 18 and over in March 2022. Methodology: The data sample was weighted against ABS data for age, gender and location using an online survey that is independently conducted and verified PureProfile.