Family violence and child abuse are on the increase, due to the lockdown. The consequences of these issues are well known – depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental problems cause people to waste their potential and talents, and consequently their lives. Under performance in studies, at work, in relationships are just a part of it. Abused children become abusive parents, law offenders, and violent people. In many cases this can cause suicide.
Even in normal times these mental problems are very common among us. Almost 50% of the people in Australian go through a period of depression in their life, mostly at younger age. On average, there are eight suicides per day in this country. Most people do not seek treatment for their metal problems, or give the treatment up very soon. The reason for it is the stigma connected with mental treatment – most people find it embarrassing to admit that they need help with mental condition. Now the situation is even worse.
What can be done about it? For a start, the mental problems need to be diagnosed as soon as they are sprouting. There is an organization called Mental Health First Aid (mhfa.com.au) who train people and organizations how to notice the first signs of mental issues and, more important, how to encourage people who suffer from them to seek help in a gentle and tactful way. Now, because of Covid-19, they offer training courses online. One way to help a person who shows signs of depression and anxiety is to advise them to go to the GP for a general check. Mental problems can be a result of a physiological problem that are not yet diagnosed. As we all know, body and soul are connected and medical problems have an effect on our mental condition. A GP is someone we trust with our personal and intimate problems. When the doctor tells a patient to go for mental therapy, he is more likely to be listened to.
Another way to avoid the damage of family violence is to distance oneself from the damaging vicinity. It is sometimes easier said than done. Young children are not in a position to escape their dysfunctional family, and that is where the school and the adults around them should come for the rescue. Nowadays there are help lines where people, including children, can call and ask for help when they are abused and need to be rescued from a dangerous family.
Speaking from personal experience I can say that distancing oneself from the toxic vicinity is the main way to avoid the mental damage it can cause to one’s life. Bad experience in the past taught me that when one changes one’s place, one’s luck may change as well. My abused childhood led me to become a life coach and specialize in beating depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The people who trained me, some of the best in Australia, had themselves gone through tough experiences in their lives and dedicated themselves to helping others to overcome mental problems. One way that can help in improving mental condition is keep fit, improving one’s physical condition which brings with it a sense of wellbeing. The famous saying of the old sages is: A healthy soul lives in a healthy body. From my personal experience I can say that this is very true.
Leah Zartz
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