MENDING MINDS

THE INITIATIVES SUPPORTING BETTER MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BUSH

w: Amber Howison

Country people have had a lot on their plates over the past couple of years thanks to drought, COVID and floods. A range of services and charities are giving people in the bush somewhere to turn to if they need a hand bearing the load.

MENTAL HEALTH IN RURAL AUSTRALIA

There’s a lot to love about living on the land. Nothing beats the wide, open spaces, fresh air, as well as the feeling of being part of a small but connected community. It’s no wonder Australians living in rural areas often record higher levels of life satisfaction and wellbeing than their city cousins. But that doesn’t stop rural people from experiencing mental illness at roughly the same rate as their city counterparts. Devastatingly, the suicide rate in country Australia is 60% higher than in our major cities.

In the past, the issue of mental health in rural Australia has been swept under the rug of stigma and stoicism, but that is starting to change. Across rural and remote areas, initiatives and support services from the grassroots to the government level are tackling mental health stigma and offering a helping hand to those in need.

UNIQUE PRESSURES

Around 20 per cent of Australians living in both urban and rural areas experience mental illness. While the prevalence of mental health issues is similar in the country and the city, the stressors rural people face set their experiences apart. Some life challenges, like family, work, money and relationship issues, arise no matter where you live.

However, in the country, people can also find themselves grappling with isolation, financial insecurity, the stress and trauma of natural disasters and extreme climate events, and the long, irregular hours of farming work. And with drought, COVID and floods wreaking havoc across rural Australia in recent years, many country people are dealing with even more than usual.

FINDING HELP

While the events of recent years mean that mental health care for people in the bush has never been more important, accessing help or treatment is not always straightforward. Studies show farmers are less likely to access health care in general and mental health care in particular. Part of the problem is the lack of available services.

There are 2.7 times fewer mental health care services in remote areas and 5.6 times fewer in very remote areas than in the major cities. The lack of dedicated clinical mental health support and intervention services in regional and remote Australia discourages many people from seeking help until they are in crisis.

And when it reaches that stage, turning up at the local hospital for help isn’t an option – many country people have to travel for more than an hour to reach acute medical services.

For many who need intensive psychiatric or addiction help, the only option is to be retrieved by the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS). Between July 2014 and June 2017, the RFDS picked up 2,257 patients who suffered from mental or behavioural problems. Most lived in rural communities with low levels of mental health support.

“THE NEW SERVICE RURAL HEALTH CONNECT AIMS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN RURAL PEOPLE AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.”

The new service Rural Health Connect aims to bridge the gap between rural people and mental health treatment. The social enterprise, which links people living in rural areas with psychologists via video and phone calls, began in Central Queensland and now services all of rural Australia. Bulk billing and reduced fees are available for those who need them. Meanwhile, in NSW, the government-funded Rural Adversity Mental Health Program sets out to link country people with the mental health services they need. The program also distributes information about mental health and available help throughout rural communities.

CHANGING ATTITUDES

While a shortage of services and distance dissuade many rural Australians from seeking mental health help, attitudes also play a part. A sense of self-reliance, concerns about privacy, and a lack of confidence that seeking treatment will make a difference continue to discourage country people from accessing mental health help.

Then there is the stigma that still often surrounds mental illness. Despite mental health conditions being illnesses like any other, they continue to be dogged by outdated and incorrect stereotypes that can discourage people from seeking help. Grassroots organisation, ‘Are You Bogged Mate?’ aims to break down the barriers around seeking help for mental illness for rural men. Agronomist Mary O’Brien founded the charity after her community of Dalby, Queensland, lost two men to suicide.

‘Are You Bogged Mate?’ connects country men with mental health services and breaks down the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health issues.Meanwhile, the not-for-profit group Rural & Remote Mental Health focuses on prevention. By delivering programs and training in mental health literacy and suicide prevention in rural communities across Australia, it is empowering country people to look after their mental health, get help when they need it and assist others to do the same.

Alcohol, Australia’s most popular drug, is linked to a range of mental health issues, and alcohol consumption increases the further you get from the city. People living in regional and remote areas are more likely to drink more often or at more harmful levels than those living in urban centres.

There are many reasons for this, including the social attitudes in the country towards alcohol. Studies have shown that, in rural areas, frequent or heavy drinking is more likely to be seen as acceptable or even as a positive.

Booze in the bush

Alcohol, Australia’s most popular drug, is linked to a range of mental health issues, and alcohol consumption increases the further you get from the city. People living in regional and remote areas are more likely to drink more often or at more harmful levels than those living in urban centres.

There are many reasons for this, including the social attitudes in the country towards alcohol. Studies have shown that, in rural areas, frequent or heavy drinking is more likely to be seen as acceptable or even as a positive. One country woman is trying to change this. Shanna Whan founded Sober in the Country in 2015 after struggling with her own alcohol addiction. While she was recovering, she found there was a lack of alcohol support services for Rural Australians.

She says, “rural people are 150 per cent more likely to suffer from alcohol harm, and only 17 per cent of us will get the help we need.” Her grassroots charity is on a mission to change attitudes to alcohol in the bush and spread the message that it’s okay to say no to a drink. Her efforts were recognised when she won the Local Hero Award at the 2022 Australian of the Year Awards.

The future is bright

Just like physical illnesses, mental health problems are treatable, and people who experience mental illness can go on to live fulfilling and rewarding lives. As awareness of mental health issues and the help available for them grows, so too will the wellbeing of rural Australians.

Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from:

Call 1300 22 4636

Call 1300 659 467

Call 13 11 14