Adrian, Mental Health worker Lisa Crawford and Flourish Westclub band (D Street Riffs) member Karl Zirn. Photo supplied.
ACCORDING to a report from Flourish Australia, one in five people suffer from mental health issues in Australia (20% of the population).
800,00 Australians are living with complex mental health issues, including anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia and bi-polar disorders.
More than half of all mental health issues begin by the age of 24 and suicide is the leading cause of death for young Australians aged 15 to 24 years.
Fifteen percent of people who have complex mental health issues don’t have anyone to confide in and thirty-eight percent of people with complex mental health issues have experienced stigma and discrimination.
Flourish Australia is a community mental health service and registered NDIS provider that helps people with a lived experience feel supported and meet their everyday challenges.
Every person’s lived experience, when it comes to mental health, is unique and symptoms may vary. Some people experience only intermittent effects, whilst for others, the impact can be more disruptive and long term.
Adrian is currently being guided and supported by Flourish Australia, following a 9-year black journey with mental health.
A former soldier, office worker and community radio announcer, who suffered a nervous breakdown in 2013, Adrian came to Flourish Australia in 2016 and has benefited greatly from group activities in particular, including walking groups, art and music.
Music has been a huge influence on Adrian and others at Flourish, with the result some have joined together to form a band, known as the ‘D Street Riffs’.
Knocked back on two occasions for a disability pension, which was yet another stressful experience, Adrian was also knocked back by the NDIS in 2018.
Such stressful circumstances may have had a tragic result, particularly in Adrian’s early days of his mental health issues, but the staff at Flourish are providing a professional, caring, personal service, which is helping to guide troubled individuals through difficult times and circumstances.
Adrian describes his situation as being broken into pieces but Flourish is providing him with the glue to piece himself back together.
Complex mental health can be debilitating and in extreme cases prevent a person from doing their job, being with other people or even leaving their home.
Flourish Australia helps Australians find meaningful employment or a place to call home; make new friends or develop new skills and interests.
With a local staff of 33, Flourish Australia will connect you with the right people, support services and opportunities to go after your goals.
If you would like support, or know someone who would like support with their mental health, please phone Penrith Flourish Australia on 9393 9799.
