A report by one of Australia’s main youth mental health services ReachOut.com says boosting online support networks will help reduce the strain on health system.
According to the report, three-quarters of mental health problems start in people under the age of 25, and up to 80 per cent of them do not seek advice or help.
The report found that e-health programs should be used as the “first line of defence” in mental health care.
ReachOut.com Chief Executive Jono Nicholas said online mental health aid had proven to be successful.
“We have an absolute challenge in Australia where there is a significant number of those that need help [but] can’t access traditional services,” he said.
“Online services not only are effective but have the opportunity to meet a lot of that demand and free up face-to-face services to really help people with complex or ongoing needs.”
Mental health care for young people costs more than $6 billion a year.
The report said if Australia continues to use only traditional service approaches a further $9 billion would be required over the next 15 years to cope with demand.
It claimed an early intervention treatment program, delivered online, could help thousands recover from problems such as depression and anxiety, and save the economy more than $350 million.
“Well, the evidence shows that for many people, particularly those with mild disorders, mild depression, mild anxiety or people facing real social challenges, online services are safe,” Mr Nicholas said.
“They are effective, and what we found in this study is that to grow capacity in the system, to make sure we free up the resources necessary, what you want to do is promote online services first.
“They can provide a gateway and a pathway into face-to-face services as well.”
‘How do I help my friends?’
Isabella White, 19, said her first experience with the effects of mental health problems began when she was in high school.
“I had a lot of friends who were going through some really tough times in their lives, but sort of threw me into whatever tough times I kind of struggled with,” she said.
“How do I help my friends? How do I help them through this situation when I don’t really know how to?”
Ms White said she was too afraid to approach doctors or psychologists during her teenage years, but found help via ReachOut.com.
“I saw a poster or a card or something in one of my – I think it was my local youth centre – and I thought ‘hey, so exciting, easy, I can do it at home, anywhere, whenever I want, so I may as well check it out’.”
“I found it really useful as a tool to kind of just recommend to my friends if they were having trouble with something but didn’t really know what to do about it.”
“Particularly for a teenage girl going through some personal issues, it’s hard to say to a person ‘you know, you should see a professional’, and its even harder for that person to say to themselves ‘I should see a professional’.”
“Online service ReachOut.com provides this kind of like a stepping stone so people can test the waters and decide if taking it to a more clinical kind of area is what they need or want.”
Around 45 per cent of Australians will experience some sort of mental illness throughout the course of their lives, the report said.