Enough

Enough

Being a young person is hard enough, but when you add a global health crisis to the mix things are really tough. Before COVID-19, almost half of Australians aged 18-24 were experiencing moderate to high levels of psychological distress. And this had been on the rise for years. The pandemic has only made it harder. The OECD says the COVID-19 crisis has turned into a mental health crisis for young people. From The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald,Enough is a podcast about mental health in young people, through the pandemic, and beyond.  Young people tell us, in their own words, what’s going on for them, and how they’re dealing with it.

Episodes

  1. 20/04/2022

    ‘Our job is to be children’

    Warning: This episode discusses abuse, mental illness and suicide. Abbie* can’t live with her mum because of abuse in the household. Chris says he was rejected when he came out as trans. Maddison’s* mother is too damaged to care for her.  Many young people are affected by problems stemming from broken homes, domestic violence and other traumatic events. Long-term, there is a strong relationship between trauma and poor mental health but young people can bounce back with the right support. National charity Youth Insearch uses a peer support model to help young people like Abbie, Chris and Maddison rebuild their lives.  Jewel and Sophie attend a three-day camp where young people draw on their own experiences of pain, hurt and triumph over adversity to help others, making them realise they are not alone.   *Name has been changed If you are suffering, support is available. Call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636, Head to Health on 1800 595 212  or visit beyondblue.org.au. Crisis support is available 24/7 at Lifeline, call 13 11 14 or text 0477 131 114.  You can also contact Headspace for support at headspace.org.au or on 1800 650 890, as well as Kids Helpline at kidshelpline.com.au or on 1800 55 1800. Get in touch! If you have a question about mental health you'd like answered, leave us a voicemail on +61 2 9906 9915 or email us at enoughpodcast@theage.com.au or enoughpodcast@smh.com.a Enough is brought to you by the The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.  If you enjoyed this series, leave a review and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our website. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporters: Jewel Topsfield and Sophie Aubrey Producer: Margaret Gordon Sound mix: Kyle Hopkins Production assistance: Julia Carr-Catzel, Tammy Mills Head of premium content: Chris Paine Head of audio: Tom McKendrick Executive producer of audio: Nathanael Cooper Support our journalism: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    40 min
  2. 13/04/2022

    ‘I just thought about food every hour of every day’

    Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and suicide. Molli was convinced she had to be thin to be a dancer and started copying restrictive eating advice she was seeing on YouTube. Alex became obsessed with attaining an “ideal” muscular body after a break-up, and ended up nearly losing his life. Melani used binge-eating to cope with loneliness and became afraid to go to parties. Eating disorders took control of their minds until all they could think about was food.  There remains a widespread lack of recognition that eating disorders are a mental illness. Some experts say awareness is a decade behind that of depression and anxiety. Eating disorders thrive in isolation and during the pandemic, calls for eating disorder lines doubled, with young people most vulnerable.  As Molli, Alex and Melani have gone through treatment, they’ve worked at reframing their relationship with food, exercise and their bodies.  If you need help, support is available. Call the Butterfly Foundation on 1300 224 636 or Eating Disorders Victoria on 1300 550 236. Crisis support is available 24/7 at Lifeline, call 13 11 14 or text 0477 131 114.  You can also contact Headspace for support at headspace.org.au or on 1800 650 890, as well as Kids Helpline at kidshelpline.com.au or on 1800 55 1800. Get in touch! If you have a question about mental health you'd like answered, leave us a voicemail on +61 2 9906 9915 or email us at enoughpodcast@theage.com.au or enoughpodcast@smh.com.a Enough is brought to you by the The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.  If you enjoyed this series, leave a review and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our website.  Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporters: Jewel Topsfield and Sophie Aubrey Producer: Margaret Gordon Sound mix: Kyle Hopkins Production assistance: Julia Carr-Catzel, Tammy Mills Head of premium content: Chris Paine Head of audio: Tom McKendrick Executive producer of audio: Nathanael Cooper Support our journalism: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    58 min
  3. 06/04/2022

    ‘I just completely lost control of myself’

    Warning: This episode discusses anxiety and suicide. Isaac was in so much distress he was convinced he was having a heart attack. But like many others, he discovered it was actually a panic attack and he was experiencing anxiety. Minka’s anxiety started at age seven and ever since, she’s struggled to get to school.  Nelani’s was triggered when she was bullied over her accent. While for Portia, racism has been a big contributor to the panic attacks that have affected her life. Anxiety is the most common mental illness, and yet it often goes untreated and can balloon into something that can cause a person to avoid situations. But solutions are at hand. In this episode, you’ll hear from four young people - Isaac, Nelani, Portia and Minka - who share their story and offer hope for others living with anxiety.  If you are suffering, support is available. Call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or visit beyondblue.org.au. Crisis support is available 24/7 at Lifeline, call 13 11 14 or text 0477 131 114.  You can also contact Headspace for support at headspace.org.au or on 1800 650 890, as well as Kids Helpline at kidshelpline.com.au or on 1800 55 1800. Get in touch! If you have a question about mental health you'd like answered, leave us a voicemail on +61 2 9906 9915 or email us at enoughpodcast@theage.com.au or enoughpodcast@smh.com.au Enough is brought to you by the The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.  If you enjoyed this series, leave a review and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.  Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporters: Jewel Topsfield and Sophie Aubrey Producer: Margaret Gordon Sound mix: Kyle Hopkins Production assistance: Julia Carr-Catzel, Tammy Mills Head of premium content: Chris Paine Head of audio: Tom McKendrick Executive producer of audio: Nathanael Cooper Support our journalism: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min
  4. 30/03/2022

    'We don't wake up in the cot hating ourselves'

    Warning: This episode discusses self-harm, suicide and sexual assault. Alex, who is transgender, experienced depression and suicidal thoughts from the age of 11. But socially transitioning in Year 8 - with the support of his parents and school - marked a turning point in his mental health. Jack’s parents were delighted when he came out as gay but a horrible incident triggered a dark depressive episode. And Emily struggled with cultural expectations as she figured out her sexuality. Research shows that a disproportionate number of LBGTQI+ youth experience mental health issues. This is directly related to experiences of stigma, prejudice, discrimination and abuse on the basis of being queer. Emily, Alex and Jack talk about their mental health and the importance of acceptance from family and community.  Support for LGBTQI+ youth, their families and carers is available. Call QLife on 1800 184 527 3pm to midnight every day. Support is also available from Beyond Blue at beyondblue.org.au or on 1300 224 636. For crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 131 114.  You can also contact Headspace at headspace.org.au or on 1800 650 890, the Head to Health mental health service on 1800 595 212 and Kids Helpline at kidshelpline.com.au or on 1800 55 1800. Get in touch! If you have a question about mental health you'd like answered, leave us a voicemail on +61 2 9906 9915 or email us at enoughpodcast@theage.com.au or enoughpodcast@smh.com.a Enough is brought to you by The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.  If you enjoyed this series, leave a review and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporters: Jewel Topsfield and Sophie Aubrey Producer: Margaret Gordon Sound mix: Kyle Hopkins Production assistance: Julia Carr-Catzel, Tammy Mills Head of premium content: Chris Paine Head of audio: Tom McKendrick Executive producer of audio: Nathanael Cooper Support our journalism: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min
  5. 23/03/2022

    'I’m so grateful that I lived'

    Warning: This episode discusses suicide. Anita grew up hiding her feelings. Outwardly she was confident and happy but inside she was anxious and would often cry alone. Daniel was plagued by thoughts that others were judging him about his stutter. At 16, he had to be taken out of school because of panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.  In this episode we explore suicidal ideation. It is not in itself a mental illness, but people who experience persistent suicidal thoughts are at a higher risk of ending their own lives. Today, Daniel has learnt to manage his suicidal thoughts and Anita has survived two suicide attempts. Both have made it their mission to relay messages of help, hope and self-love. As Anita says: “There’s nobody in the world like you.” If you are suffering, support is available. Call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or visit beyondblue.org.au. Crisis support is available 24/7 at Lifeline.org.au, call 13 11 14 or text 0477 131 114.  You can also contact Headspace for support at headspace.org.au or on 1800 650 890, as well as Kids Helpline at kidshelpline.com.au or on 1800 55 1800. Get in touch! If you have a question about mental health you'd like answered, leave us a voicemail on +61 2 9906 9915 or email us at enoughpodcast@theage.com.au or enoughpodcast@smh.com.a Enough is brought to you by The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.  If you enjoyed this series, leave a review and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporters: Sophie Aubrey and Jewel Topsfield Producer: Margaret Gordon Sound mix: Kyle Hopkins Production assistance: Julia Carr-Catzel, Tammy Mills Head of premium content: Chris Paine Head of audio: Tom McKendrick Executive producer of audio: Nathanael Cooper Support our journalism: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    40 min
  6. 16/03/2022

    'Nobody could see how sad I was'

    Warning: This episode discusses depression, suicide and drug abuse Nathan went into year 12 thinking it was going to be one of the best years of his life. But the pandemic stole all the normal rites of passage and he was left struggling with depression. Depression is a serious mental illness. It can feel like you're in a black hole and like there's no hope or joy. For Kaara, it was a case of masking her depression with recreational drugs and reckless behaviour. Meanwhile Ava found the usual advice for dealing with depression frustrating and unhelpful. This episode explores how the three of them found their way through. And their most important message? You are not alone.  Get in touch! If you have a question about mental health you'd like answered, leave us a voicemail on +61 2 9906 9915 or email us at enoughpodcast@theage.com.au or enoughpodcast@smh.com.au If you are suffering from depression, support is available. Call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or visit beyondblue.org.au. Crisis support is available 24/7 at Lifeline. Call 13 11 14, text 0477 131 114 or visit lifeline.org.au. You can also find support at headspace or call them on 1800 650 890. Enough is brought to you by The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.  If you enjoy this series, leave a review on Apple podcasts and recommend us to a friend.  To read more, and to watch videos for the episode, head to our websites.  Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporters: Jewel Topsfield and Sophie Aubrey Producer: Margaret Gordon Sound mix: Kyle Hopkins Production assistance: Julia Carr-Catzel and Tammy Mills Head of premium content: Chris Paine Head of audio: Tom McKendrick Executive producer of audio: Nathanael Cooper Support our journalism: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    40 min

About

Being a young person is hard enough, but when you add a global health crisis to the mix things are really tough. Before COVID-19, almost half of Australians aged 18-24 were experiencing moderate to high levels of psychological distress. And this had been on the rise for years. The pandemic has only made it harder. The OECD says the COVID-19 crisis has turned into a mental health crisis for young people. From The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald,Enough is a podcast about mental health in young people, through the pandemic, and beyond.  Young people tell us, in their own words, what’s going on for them, and how they’re dealing with it.

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