Findings of the Smiling Mind Report
It all begins with an idea.
The Smiling Mind is an evidence-based mindfulness meditation app which we at Northern Beaches Psychology & Assessment often recommend to clients. Developed by psychologists and educators, it is currently the No.1 health and wellbeing app in Australia. Smiling Mind is a not-for-profit organisation particularly targeted to youth mental health, but which also runs programs for adults and businesses.
The Smiling Mind team have recently released their annual State of Mind report on the mental health and wellbeing of Australians. We all know the past two years have been challenging and that we have lived in ways that we could not imagine just a short time ago, but perhaps we have not understood how profound the impact on our mental health has been. For example, in the 2019 report, 33% of respondents reported experiencing depression, but by the end of 2020 this had risen to 45%. Similarly, anxiety prevalence in 2019 was 48%, but this had increased to 57% by the end of last year, and stress has increased from 47% to 62%. Some groups have been particularly vulnerable to pandemic stress. Fifty six percent of women, 59% of culturally and linguistically diverse people, 71% of single parents, 76% of young people, 76% of the LGBTQI community and 79% of First Nations people experienced high to very high levels of psychological distress in 2020.
The news is not all bad. In 2020, respondents reported significantly higher levels of wellbeing. The Smiling Mind team describe wellbeing as a holistic measure of contentment incorporating low levels of psychological distress, positive mental and physical health, and other factors associated with a positive quality of life. Average wellbeing increased to 6.5 (out of 10) in 2021 from 6.2 in 2020. Wellbeing appears to improve over the lifespan with an average score of 7.5 for those aged 64+, versus 6.3 for those aged 18-25.
One of the explanations offered by the Smiling Mind for this increase has been greater awareness of the importance of looking after one’s mental health. This may have driven an uptake of tools, strategies and interventions to support mental wellbeing, reducing the risk that psychological distress will progress to more serious mental illness. Indeed 64% of Australians report taking active steps to support their mental health, although this remains significantly below the 89% of us who believe that mental health is as important as physical health.
So, what are these steps that people have been taking to build resilience? Forty-six percent of us reported that good quality sleep was the most important thing they could do to support positive mental health and cope with everyday life. Thirty eight percent of us thought that investing time in our relationships was important, and 37% reported that exercise was vital. Feelings of purpose (22%) were important, and a ‘sense of belonging’ was also central to wellbeing for 15% of us.
More good news lies in the fact that most Australians used at least one proactive strategy to address their mental health. The most common steps taken included seeing a mental health professional or general practitioner (34%), actively learning about mental health (28%) or speaking to friends or family who have some knowledge about mental health (23%). Others, though, have difficulty accessing mental health services because they find it hard to talk to friends and family about their mental health (47%) or they feel that the things that most affect their mental health are outside their control (31%). Cost can also be a barrier (41%).
What sort of picture do all these statistics paint? Clearly, we’re a people under pressure and the pandemic is a major source of that stress. Some groups in particular are struggling. Every cloud has a silver lining, though, and the pandemic has encouraged many of us to be actively involved in maintaining our mental health and wellbeing, and we often recognise steps we could take to look after ourselves. It remains, however, that it is difficult for many of us to access mental health services when needed.
We at Northern Beaches Psychology & Assessment know that it can be hard to reach out for help. At our service we’re always open to having a conversation with you to help you access mental health services, either though us, or other services available in the community. Sometimes it just takes a call to know that you’re welcomed, that you will be treated with kindness, compassion and understanding, and that help is available. We’re very open to contact with you if you or a loved one are struggling.
And, if you’re interested in the Smiling Mind report, it’s available here: https://info.smilingmind.com.au/hubfs/State%20of%20Mind/SOM2021_WhitePaper.pdf
Take care
Attitudes Towards Seeking Psychological Help
It all begins with an idea.
Mental illness is common. According to the Black Dog Institute, 20% of Australian’s aged 16-85 experience a mental illness each year, and almost half of us (45%) will experience a mental illness in our lifetimes. The most common mental illnesses are depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, and often these will occur in combination. For example, someone feeling anxious might misuse substances to reduce their distress, or a person experiencing a chronically low mood might also feel anxious about what the future holds for them. Of the 20% experiencing mental illness each year, 11.5% experience one or more illness (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009).
Accessing psychological support is important. While chronic disorders exist, the vast majority of those who seek support experience a reduction in their symptoms. Furthermore, a psychologist can provide you with strategies to use if ever a mental illness recurs, helping you to head off more serious episodes and rapidly return to full functioning. Unfortunately, more than half (54%) of people experiencing a mental illness do not seek treatment (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010). Indeed, only half as many as seek help for physical illnesses seek help for mental illnesses. These circumstances create a lot of unnecessary suffering and can make recovery more difficult if treatment is delayed.
Since starting our practice on the Northern Beaches, we’ve been interested in understanding what people’s attitudes are towards seeking psychological help, and what stops them from seeking a psychologist. Current research suggests that many factors can contribute to your likelihood of seeking help and that many factors stop us from seeking help when we are experiencing mental health difficulties. These include stigma (Jorm et al., 2007; Gulliver et al., 2010), not wanting to talk about presenting difficulties (Hinson and Swanson, 1993), anticipated costs (Vogel and Wester, 2003), feelings that you can “handle your problem on your own” (Rickwood et al., 2007; Gulliver et al., 2010; Chong et al., 2012b; Wilson and Deane, 2012), or that it will “go away” (Thompson et al., 2004; Sareen et al., 2007). While seeking help can be difficult, breaking down some of these barriers can open the door to a less distressing, more productive, and more fulfilling life. If you would like to discuss any of the concerns you might have about seeking help, contact us via the enquire now tab. Our team of Northern Beaches Psychologists would be happy to have a no-obligation chat with you, to assist you in making an appointment, or to discuss the mental health services that are available in our community.
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