Mental Wellbeing

We Care About Mental Wellbeing

Mental illness is tragically on the rise in Australia, particularly among teenagers.

Some of the main drivers that have been identified are social media, bullying, and the pressure to excel academically in an increasingly competitive world. This is more prevalent in some communities than others.

Regardless of the underlying causes, we at Elite Tutoring College understand the pressures that our students are under today. And we realise how easily these can trigger debilitating mental conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Sure, school results are important, but health is far more important. So we take mental wellbeing very seriously, and we recommend the following advice and resources to all of our students:

1. REACH OUT to Someone

If you fell over and broke your leg, would you want to keep it to yourself?

Well, mental illness is no different. It's nothing to be ashamed of or afraid of. You would be surprised how many people have been touched by mental illness in some way, either directly or through a loved one. Far more than you would realise.

The message we send to all our students is that if you're not OK, don't be afraid to reach out to someone. You probably feel very alone, but trust us, you're not!

2. Get HELP

Sadly, more than half of Australians who are suffering from depression never even seek help. There are several reasons for this:

• They don't believe they can get better.
  This is typical depressed thinking, and it's very unrealistic. The truth is that the prognosis for recovery in the vast majority of cases is excellent.
• They believe it's something they just have to live with.
  Because depression and anxiety are so-called "mood" disorders, and moods are meant to change, sufferers sometimes fall for the belief that they're just part of life. Depression and anxiety are no more "something to live with" than say diabetes or a broken leg. They're conditions with a medical basis that are very treatable.
• They're embarrassed or afraid of being discriminated against.
  Sadly, mental illness does still suffer from some stigma, even in a country as progressive as Australia. That's rapidly changing, however. This stigma stems largely from fear of the unknown, but given that one in five Australians experience a mental illness in any year and almost half of all Austrlians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, awareness and acceptance is becoming more and more widespread.
• They fear the treatments.
  Unfortunately, there is much misinformation in the media and the public as a whole surrounding treatments for depression and anxiety, and this gives rise to unfounded fears. The truth is that there is a wide diversity of excellent treatment options available, and every sufferer has a say in choosing which they feel most comfortable with.

The first course of action for anyone suffering from depression and/or anxiety is to get professional help without delay. This would start with a consultation with your family GP. The myth that all doctors will just "throw pills at you" is untrue. A good physician will take the time to discuss your issue with you in depth, before either prescribing an initial treatment for you or referring you to an appropriate specialist.

3. Make Use of Online Mental Wellbeing Programs

The Black Dog Institute BITE BACK Program is a self-guided online wellbeing and resilience program for young people aged 13 to 16 years old. Evidence shows that using BITE BACK can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety and increase wellbeing. This is a great 6-week program that you can work through yourself for as little as 30 minutes per week.

This Way Up is part of the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD) - a joint facility of St Vincent's Hospital and the University of NSW, and provides evidence-based, internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) programs. Their website offers self-help and web-based support programs for the treatment of anxiety disorders and related mental health conditions.

4. LEARN MORE About Your Condition

The more you learn about your condition, the less you will fear it and the less power it will therefore have over you.

Also, mental health issues are unique in that unlike other medical health conditions, each case is very individualised. So there's no one-size-fits-all treatment for every sufferer. With increasing knowledge therefore, you'll be able to work more effectively alongside your professional healthcare provider to treat your specific case successfully.

On the left side of this page (or the top, on mobile devices) is a collection of links to useful resources that will help you to familiarise yourself with and understand your condition, or to ask for help.