In the pandemic years 2020 and 2021, one in five Australians experienced a mental health disorder.
The figures were released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Friday, in one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the mental health of Australians to date. The survey, conducted between December 2020 and July 2021, found more than two in five Australians aged 16 to 85, or 8.6 million people, had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life.
Months of isolation in her apartment caused Givens such a serious bout of depression that she spent three months in hospital receiving treatment. Her message to those who may still be experiencing mental disorders due to pandemic life is that they should not hesitate to ask for professional help, and should feel no shame.
Chief executive of the Australian Psychological Society, Dr Zena Burgess, said the research showed “our mental health is collectively breaking”. Radical change in federal funding policies was needed, she said.