Aussies Are Struggling: Lifeline Just Recorded Its Highest Ever Number of Calls in a Day

Trigger warning: this article discusses mental health and suicide.

With the latest wave of coronavirus cases locking down states, closing borders and keeping people from their loved ones, it’s no surprise that more Australians are struggling with their mental health than ever before.

While many of us knew that the pandemic had made a huge impact on the mental wellbeing of Australians, earlier this week we hit a grim new milestone.

On Monday, 2 August, Lifeline Australia recorded its highest ever number of calls, at 3,345 in just 24 hours.

Despite the number being staggering, Lifeline Australia’s Chairman John Brogden explained that the calls meant Australians are reaching out for help instead of suffering in silence.

“This has been a tough period for all Australians, and it has pushed many of those already struggling into crisis—but we’re glad they know help is out there,” Mr Brogden said.

“The fact that so many Australians are reaching out—many for the first time—and seeking help is a good thing.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Lifeline and its volunteers have been working extremely hard to support as risk Aussies and help those experiencing the mental health effects of lockdown, isolation, and uncertainty from COVID-19.

It’s not just Lifeline that’s been under pressure from the growing impacts of the pandemic. Back in September, CEO of Headspace Jason Trethowan told a parliamentary committee hearing that the mental health system is being pushed to its limit.

“All parts of the system are under a fair amount of pressure,” he said.

“There's obviously huge amounts of demand from people needing care and needing support. Headspace has been no different to that as well.”

Mr Trethowan also pointed out that the wait time to get into an ongoing psychological therapy service is at an average of at least four weeks.

In a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), between March and April, it was found that over 15 million mental health services were funded by Medicare.

“Lifeline received almost 82,000 calls (a decrease of 2.3 per cent from the four weeks to 26 April 2020 and an increase of 18.4 per cent from the four weeks to 28 April 2019),” the report states.

“Beyond Blue received over 22,000 contacts (a decrease of 14.9 per cent from the four weeks to 26 April 2020 and an increase of 30.7 per cent from the four weeks to 28 April 2019).”

While these numbers show a decrease in services in 2021 compared to 2020, they do not account for the impacts of the latest round of lockdowns, and specifically the impacts that it may have on people in NSW right now.

As of writing this article, NSW has recorded another 262 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, with numbers steadily rising.

Because of the heightened need for mental health services, last year the government introduced a boost of $5.7 billion to mental health care.

This meant that an additional $7 million was going to support services like Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline, as well as the introduction of the Better Access Initiative, which doubled the number of Medicare-subsidised sessions you could get with a psychologist or mental health professional annually, from 10 to 20.

At this year’s federal budget, we saw another $2.3 billion go towards the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. It was divided into five key areas that added extra services for counselling, referrals, clinical support, treatment and treatment centres, mental health workforce funding, and support for Indigenous Australians.

It’s understandable to be feeling anxious or uncertain during these times, so these extra services and funding available to you if you need it.

If you need to talk to a mental health professional on a regular basis, chat with your GP about organising a Mental Health Care Plan, so that you can access Medicare-subsidised counselling sessions. Otherwise, if you just need someone to talk to, contact Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Kids Helpline or ReachOut.

Are you experiencing suicidal thoughts, sexual assault or domestic and family violence? Seeking to support someone who is? Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

Visit ReachOut to get support to help you with everything from everyday issues through to tough times.

Header Image: Fernando @cferdo via Unsplash