Mental health care pioneer details disturbing trend in self-harm data
One of Australia’s modern mental health care pioneers says the existing crisis that’s only been inflated due to constant COVID-19 lockdowns is worryingly starting to surface in the death rate.
Despite the struggles of 2020, Australia’s suicide rate did not increase.
However, speaking on 3AW Drive, Professor Patrick McGorry said this year’s data was trending in a concerning direction.
“There has definitely been a significant cost to the mental health of young people – much more than any other age group, actually – and this is where the excess demand is occurring right now in the teenagers and young adults and it’s now starting to surface in the actual death rate, which everybody was patting themselves on the back that the death rate had not increased until now, but we are starting to see a signal of that.
“That’s on the back of very high levels of deliberate self-harm and suicidal ideation.
“There is absolutely a mental health consequence to the pandemic.”
But the former Australian of the Year told Tom Elliott he supported lockdowns, as tough as they were, until Australia had reached a vaccination rate of “80 or 90” per cent.
He called for more to be done in helping those who were struggling.
Press PLAY below to hear Patrick McGorry’s insight on 3AW