Depression is one of the greatest challenges of modern man. The world Health Organisation (WHO) has predicted depression will be the greatest health burden in the world by 2020. Depression takes many different forms and can be extremely debilitating. It can affect anyone, even those who appear strong and in control.  Many people with depression do not feel comfortable seeking help. Depression is a health condition that can be helped.
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Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions, especially in the modern world. Anxiety is a natural response, that has evolved helping mankind survive over thousands of years. However, to the extreme, it is a mental health disorder. It affects a great range of people, from all walks of life, of all ages. It can be extremely debilitating if not treated.

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD can be extremely debilitating for a young person going to school for the first time. Children effected with ADHD are often unable to concentrate on a basic level, to sit in a classroom and learn. Some of them are enormously disadvantaged by this condition. Some of them are labelled as “bad kids” which often leads to them acting this label out. It is also not uncommon for a talented child with ADHD to function at a much lower level than their potential, but enough to go through school missing their opportunities to excel. ADHD is one of the mental conditions that responds very well to medication. There has been a great advancement in developing new medication for this condition over the past decade.
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterised by obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviour. It can be extremely challenging affecting not only the patient but also their families and acquaintances. Sometimes it is hereditary and sometimes it is associated with a certain type of personality. If treated appropriately, the affected person can expect to experience a normal life.
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Grief and trauma are common and often unexpected. Loss of a loved one is most traumatic. However, it can present in many ways such as loss of identity through forced migration, loss of wealth through wrong business ventures, loss of social status due to changes in professional relationships et cetera. The impact can be grave and extremely incapacitating. It is, however, an issue that can be helped by experts.

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Personality disorder is often a result of an interaction between one’s genetic vulnerabilities and their negative experiences in early life, leading to the habit of using maladaptive coping mechanisms to survive. Whilst for the affected person, it’s the only way to survive, for others, it can be unbearable. This then leads to the person being labelled and mistreated, which in turn, adds to the struggle with their interactions. Personality disorders can take many forms. They are often considered as permanent character qualities, nevertheless, changing maladaptive coping mechanisms can be undertaken through long-term psychotherapy.
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Post-traumatic stress disorder, often referred to as PTSD, is a condition that was first introduced to scientific literature after the Second World War, mainly focusing on war veterans, who experienced near-death experiences. This concept has evolved to a much larger body of evidence about human reactions to stressful situations. Situations from near death experiences to long-term, low-grade trauma, that can affect personality development. PTSD is a challenging issue to deal with, however, it can be treated with appropriate psychiatric interventions.
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Autism spectrum disorder mainly revolves around one’s ability to interact with the world. Whilst, other aspects such as speech, stereotypical behaviour, anger outbursts, temper tantrums and oversensitive senses are also part of the illness, lack of or limited social skills remains the core issue. It also comes in a range of severity from high functioning (those who are successful in their profession, albeit looking eccentric to others) to a very low level of function (when patients struggle with basic functions such as development of speech). Young people suffering from autism spectrum disorder can be helped if they are diagnosed early and supported through appropriate pathways. Read more here

Autism Spectrum Australia

Suicidal thoughts are often considered to be part of major depression. The reality is that it is far more common than that. People think about ending their lives for a range of reasons and in different contexts. It is not a representation of one mental illness. It is not even necessarily an indication of a mental illness. It can be a reaction to life circumstances or simply a coping mechanism with catastrophic consequences for survivors. It is an important issue that can be helped through appropriate professional services.

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This is one of the biggest challenges of modern psychiatry. A category that carries the highest mortality and morbidity amongst mental health problems. Eating disorders require a close cooperation between multiple disciplines. Eating disorder unfortunately, is very common in Australia, especially in the more affluent suburbs. It takes different forms and requires specialist help. Often despite receiving specialist help, it takes several years to fully recover.
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Tourette Syndrome is a condition that is characterised by a waxing and waning pattern of tics. It can have a devastating emotional impact on young people affected with the condition, if not appropriately assessed and treated. It can also be associated with a range of other emotional and behavioural challenges, which can affect normal development.
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Sleep, perhaps, is the single most important protector of one’s health and at the same time, one of the most challenging issues when it is disturbed. Sleep is a time that not only our body rests, but also a time for our brains to sort out its conflicts and challenges, preparing for the next day. Lack of sleep can lead to a range of mental and physical health issues, including poor concentration, impulsivity, sadness, self-harm behaviour, weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood sugar et cetera. The list is very long, but help is available.

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Many people use legal or illegal substances in their daily lives however substance use can negatively affect your wellbeing. Psychologists work with individuals to reduce the harms that alcohol and other drugs can cause.

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Parenting is considered one of the greatest experiences in life, yet one of the most challenging. Anyone who has ever raised a child would know the difficulties parents face, whilst at the same time, appreciate how pleasurable the experience can be. Needing help with parenting does not diminish us as parents. We often need help from outside the family, to look at our interaction, give advice, guidance and provide skills to manage all types of situations. It is best to get advice from people who are passionate about parenting, have relevant qualifications, training and are parents themselves.

Circle of security

Family is the greatest source of love and support for its members. Nevertheless, the home environment can become unpleasant if there is disharmony, anger, rage, severe physical illnesses et cetera, leading to significant mental health issues. It is crucially important to use the love and resources within the family in the most conducive way to restore or to build harmony within the family.

Siblings can be the best resource to each other. They naturally love each other, are connected through blood and understand each other and their family better than anyone outside the family circle. Nevertheless, this closeness can sometimes lead to unbearable rivalry. An important issue which can switch a great opportunity to a damaging dynamic. We can help you, if this is your situation.

Family connections are crucial to our health and well-being. Being or feeling disconnected from part of or all the family, is sadly an extremely common situation. Reconnecting with the family is not always easy, but help is available, if one is motivated enough to make it work.

Relationship break-ups are incredibly common. People can stop loving each other, which might lead to separation or divorce. It’s a difficult time, after a while with the right help and support relationships move on. But what about the young people in between? Children in a broken relationship are blood related to both sides and will be invariably affected. We cannot change the reality of life, but we can help children of broken relationships to have a more normal experience of life so that they can grow balanced and healthy.

Bullying is a very common issue and is extremely difficult to manage. The challenge is that it sometimes presents itself in disguise, leading to a significant decline in function or development of significant mental health issues. In some instances, the cause of the bullying is hard to identify. A timely intervention is crucial.

Not going to school, commonly, is the last resort for the young person in distress to indicate that their life is not going as well as everyone around them might think. It can be helped with timely intervention. The biggest trap, however, is to sweep it under the carpet by just leaving the school or resorting to home-schooling.

Australia is a country of migrants, with thousands of migrants from all around the world arriving in this beautiful land to start a new life. Nevertheless, how can we all live as one nation in harmony? It is a challenge, but also a great opportunity to create the most innovative, diverse, motivated and productive society in the world, if we learn to integrate. Lots of work has been done by mental health experts on this hot topic.

Emotional instability is extremely common among young people, so much so, it is seen as normal teenage behaviour. Whilst emotional instability can be managed with the support from the family and friends, more severe forms can mimic serious mental illnesses and needs timely intervention by qualified mental health practitioners.

Life is full of stressors. Without stress, life would be mundane. Stress is just an exaggerated form of motivation. That is why, omitting stress from one’s life is neither possible nor sensible. We must learn how to manage it to our advantage.

Young people often underestimate their talents, their beauty, their value et cetera. This can be a heartbreaking reality for adults around them. Self-confidence is often considered the most valuable tool for success and hence a very important issue to be addressed when young.

Mind and body interaction is one of the most complicated concepts in modern medicine. Stress and emotional burdens can imitate almost any medical illness. It can also interact with mental health issues, making them present in complex and unusual forms, that is challenging for medical practitioners to identify. A multidisciplinary approach involving psychiatry, alongside other medical specialists is the best approach.

These are issues that often lead to the person being labelled, rather than helped. Whilst it is easy to sympathise with a depressed or anxious person, it is often extremely challenging to understand that a violent, agitated person is someone who also needs help.