Drug abuse, mental health, discrimination and alcohol serious concerns among young Australians

Mission Australia, a non-denominational organisation, conducted a survey whose results were published on Dec. 5. The survey found out that mental health is the main issue young Australians face today.

Teenagers in Australia are increasingly becoming concerned about mental health, drug, alcohol and discrimination. This, according to the organisation, highlights the need to coordinate health services. Australia has to ensure that health services are accessible for all throughout the entire country.

The largest of the kind, Mission Australia Youth Survey 2016 interviewed 22,000 boys and girls in the age range of 15 to 19. Results showed that alcohol or drug and discriminations were the top two issues, with mental health gaining a top position for the first time in 15 years. Stress, body image and school problems are the other issues they mentioned. Catherine Yeomans, CEO of Mission Australia, said that health concerns are there from 2011. Young children are expressing suicidal thoughts. This is a worrying trend, she added.

A report in The ABC suggests that the Internet is doing its best in this regard. There are apps users can download into their Smartphones that can help detect users’ mental health based on the websites they browse, music they listen to and the people they communicate with. Supporting mechanisms available can analyse and better help those who need assistance. The report goes on to say that most of the apps available received positive feedbacks from users.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation conducted a review and found out that the keywords like relaxation, anxiety and depression dominated the field.

Research is still going on and campaigns are being organised.