Getting Support Guide 

If you or your friend’s life is in danger, or you require immediate support, please contact 000 immediately. Help is available for you right now.  

Sometimes, changes in mental headspace can sneak up on us. Remember that many people have times of struggle and know that help is always available. You’re not alone. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health decline, it's important to recognize the signs early and seek support.  

Take a look at the checklist below: 

*Signs of Mental Health Decline  

• Noticeable alterations in sleep patterns and eating habits. 

• A constant sense of anxiety or unease. 

• Feeling unusually down  

• Rapid and dramatic shifts in emotions, feeling excessively irritable or consistently low. 

• Lack of energy to engage with family, friends, or participate in social activities. 

• Decline in academic, work, or social performance, like quitting extracurriculars, failing classes, or struggling with routine tasks. 

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering things, or forming coherent thoughts. 

• Feeling more irritated or drained than usual by sights, sounds, smells, or touch. 

• Struggling to find motivation or desire to participate in activities. 

• Experiencing a sense of unreality or disconnection from oneself and surroundings. 

• Overwhelming fear, suspicion, or uncomfortable anxiety. 

• Negative changes in relationships with family, peers, or co-workers.
   

*this is not a diagnostic tool 

Feeling off and reaching out for help can be worrying and scary. Remember, you are never a burden, and you deserve love, kindness and guidance from others. Talk to those you trust and seek professional help; you are worth making a positive change for yourself.  

We are here to make the process of getting help a little less confusing. Have a look at the three most common options below.  

Your Options for Mental Health Support 

Option A: Visiting Your Local GP

1. Access your local or private GP at your nearest medical centre or family clinic. Be honest and explain your situation and how you’ve been feeling  
2. You will most likely be given paper forms to fill out involving things such as rating your mood and how you’ve been feeling, followed by connected to the right specialist to receive free appointments  

Option B: Booking an appointment through UNSW Mental Health Connect  

1. Access UNSW Mental Health Connect and complete online form  
2. Your first scheduled appointment will last about 30 minutes. You will then be given a clear action plan and possibly referred to other services at UNSW or support in your local area  

Option C: Booking a free online therapy appointment  

Did you know there are plenty of resources that offer free appointments online? The most you will have to do is register, and sometimes it may require a little bit of waiting. Look through a list of services available for you below.  

ReachOut.com (18-25) provides free, online chat with peer worker as well as online resources  

MindSpot.org - 18+, free online counselling service for Australian adults experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and chronic pain.  

Suicide Call Back Service - 24/7 phone and online counselling to people affected by suicide: Ph: 1300 659 467  

SANE - free digital and telehealth services for people with recurring, persistent or complex mental health issues and trauma, and for their families and friends 

Online Self-Help Tools  

MindSpot Clinic: The MindSpot Clinic is a free online service for people dealing with symptoms of depression or anxiety. They provide free online screening assessments to help you learn about your symptoms and free treatment courses to help you recover, as well as help to find local support services.  

MoodGYM: MoodGYM is based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and helps you to understand the relationship between your thoughts and emotions. It uses a variety of methods to help you deal with stress and depression, from information modules and games to relaxation techniques.  

THIS WAY UP offers proven FREE online courses in: Coping with Stress, Intro to Mindfulness, Managing Insomnia, Student Wellbeing  

ReachOut.com helps under 25s with everyday questions through to tough times. Visit now to get the tools you need to make life easier.  

MyCompass is an online self-help program for people who have been feeling down, stressed or anxious or simply want to build good mental health. It delivers proven psychological techniques used by psychologists to help you recognise unhelpful thoughts, feeling and behaviours and gain the skills to manage them.  

E-Couch Anxiety and Worry Program is an interactive self-help program developed by the Australian National University, which you can access anonymously and work through at your own pace. It provides evidence-based information, self-help tools and toolkits.  

Made-4-Me Program from Mental Health Online is a free online program designed to help you learn skills and strategies relevant to your specific symptoms, including depression, anxiety and panic, and ultimately improve your quality of life. The Made-4-Me program includes information, videos, exercises, and optional support from a therapist via email, chat or video.