Actions taken by young people to deal with mental disorders: Findings from an Australian national survey of youth

Abstract

Aims: The study examined actions taken by young people to deal with mental disorders and the factors associated with help-seeking and self-help behaviours. Methods: Participants in a 2006 national survey of Australian youth (aged 12-25years) were contacted 2years later and participated in telephone interviews based on a vignette of one of the following disorders: depression, depression with alcohol misuse, social phobia and psychosis. Personal experiences of these disorders and subsequent self-help and help-seeking behaviours were examined. Results: Of the 2005 participants interviewed, 275 (14%) reported experiencing a mental disorder since January 2007, most commonly depression. The most f..