Silent crisis hits two in five Aussies

The Australian Bureau of Statistics study surveyed people aged 16 to 85 to paint a comprehensive picture of the nation’s mental wellbeing.

It’s the first time the study has been undertaken by the ABS in more than a decade.

The bureau gathered data from people on their experiences with suicide, self-harm and binge eating.

It found one in six Australians have experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviours and almost two and five people had been close to someone who had died by or attempted suicide.

During the peak of the pandemic restrictions, one in five people experienced a mental health disorder.

Some 3.4 million Australians had at least one consultation with a health professional for their mental health in 2020-21.

Nearly 40 per cent of young people aged 16 to 24 experienced mental ill-health, with young women more likely to be affected.

Anxiety was the most common disorder named by participants.

Meanwhile nearly 45 per cent of people who identify as LGBTQI+ reported having an anxiety disorder.

ABS statistician Linda Fardell said while the study was not Covid-specific, it provided significant insight into how the nation was coping with mental ill health.

“The study does provide information about levels of psychological distress and also the strategies that people used to manage their mental health in 2020-21,” she said.

The study was commissioned by the former health minister, Greg Hunt, prior to the pandemic.

Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ruth Vine said the study would make a “significant contribution to ongoing mental health reforms”.

Suicide Prevention Australia has warned the nation is at a “critical junction” fuelled by the pandemic and natural disasters.

Chief executive Nieves Murray called on the Albanese government to introduce a National Suicide Prevention Act.

“We are now at a critical juncture for suicide prevention,” she said.

“Research finds the largest increase in suicide rates can occur two-to-three years after a disaster, when initial support factors subside and immediate community responses fade away.

“An Act would ensure that every government department, whether it’s housing, education, social security or health, must look at their policies and priorities through a suicide prevention lens.”

Health Minister Mark Butler said the government understood the impact recent events have had on the nation’s mental health.

“We need to make sure we have the right resources in place for people to get the care they need, and it is encouraging to see more people getting support than the previous report,” he said.

Originally published as Silent crisis hits two in five Aussies, grim new survey reveals