Assess your mental health on Healthy Mind Day
11 April 2002
Today is Healthy Mind Day NSW. Organised by the Mental Health Association NSW Inc, Healthy Mind Day is intended to raise awareness of depression and anxiety in NSW.
Each year about 800,000 Australians experience depression and one in 5 people will experience depression or anxiety in their lifetime, according to the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing of Adults.
Despite this prevalance, Beyondblue, the national depression initiative, says that most people in need do not receive adequate assessment or treatment.
Questionnaire
Healthy Mind Day is one day in the year when members of the general public are encouraged to visit their local pharmacy or designated screening locations to complete a questionnaire which will explore their own current state of mental health. This is the first time this event has been held in Australia, but such screening days are held regularly in the USA with great success.
The questionnaire takes just 5 minutes and will let you find out a bit about your current mental health. The questionnaire will be available in local pharmacies displaying the Healthy Mind Day poster and in some shopping centres.
You can also complete the questionnaire on-line through DepressioNet, where there will also be the opportunity to chat on-line with registered psychologists.
Mental health information
Information will be available about good mental health practices, mental health issues and mental health support services.
Dr Meg Smith, President of the Mental Health Association NSW Inc, said 'Healthy Mind Day is about providing information and professional care to assist in minimising or preventing the significant social and economic impact that mental health issues are having on our society.'
Contact the Mental Health Association NSW (see link below) for more details or to find out where your nearest screening location is.
Last Reviewed: 10 April 2002
