This weekend I attended the first youth mental health forum in Melbourne. It was run by the College and chaired by Prof Patrick McGorry.
Youth- our investment in the future,
are suffering the vast majority of mental health problems.
With timely interventions, they can deal with the problems, have great outcomes and avoid the accumulation of problems that mental illness causes by interrupting education, relationships, family relationships, social skills and developing sense of self. The wonderful young people who co-chaired the event were proof of this.
It is a pity that the detractors outside the conference picketing that we are only interested in medications, did not come to the conference as they would have seen that this is not so. All of the conference was about the non-medication treatment of mental illness.
We are left with some problems.
Manpower- how to get enough psychiatrists in the field.
Access- how to help young people identify their problem and know where to seek help
Families- also need support as they are going through the pain as well.
Rural needs are especially difficult given this large country of ours.
Most young people use their friends for help- how can the friends help and what does this do to the friends- such a huge responsibility.
Adult services are inadequate, too severe and do not understand the needs of young people.
Youth 12-26 years of age straddles our traditional child, adult model of the magical number of 18 years and results in a sudden abandonment of services.
Funding resources excludes general practitioners and psychiatrists and therefore excludes access to these important services for young people.
What are your thoughts tot he solutions?
Youth- our investment in the future,
are suffering the vast majority of mental health problems.
With timely interventions, they can deal with the problems, have great outcomes and avoid the accumulation of problems that mental illness causes by interrupting education, relationships, family relationships, social skills and developing sense of self. The wonderful young people who co-chaired the event were proof of this.
It is a pity that the detractors outside the conference picketing that we are only interested in medications, did not come to the conference as they would have seen that this is not so. All of the conference was about the non-medication treatment of mental illness.
We are left with some problems.
Manpower- how to get enough psychiatrists in the field.
Access- how to help young people identify their problem and know where to seek help
Families- also need support as they are going through the pain as well.
Rural needs are especially difficult given this large country of ours.
Most young people use their friends for help- how can the friends help and what does this do to the friends- such a huge responsibility.
Adult services are inadequate, too severe and do not understand the needs of young people.
Youth 12-26 years of age straddles our traditional child, adult model of the magical number of 18 years and results in a sudden abandonment of services.
Funding resources excludes general practitioners and psychiatrists and therefore excludes access to these important services for young people.
What are your thoughts tot he solutions?
