The Issue With Mental Health in Rural Victoria

 The Issue With Mental Health in Rural Victoria 

 

Mental health issues are a very significant issue in rural areas, due to lack of accessibility to help resources. There is major room for improvement in helping rural Victoria to have more facilities such as places to visit Psychologists and Therapists. 

 

There are a lot of different factors that go into this issue, such as natural events, isolation and lack of resources.

 

In rural areas, the regional economy is a key influence on mental health. Events such as drought, flood and bushfire can have heavy impact, especially in agricultural areas

 

I interviewed Hope Bilkey, who is living in Bright, Victoria and she says there is only one psychologist in her town. 

 

‘’There is only one psychologist in town and they are either completely booked out or you may face conflict of interest.’’

 

Elizabeth Keogh who also lives in Bright touched on dealing with the conflict of interest as well and being in a small town they wouldn’t be the only ones. 

 

‘’There is only one psychologist in town and if your mum or brother is seeing them you cant because it’s a conflict of interest.’’ She said.

 

Elizabeth loves living in rural Victoria as it is much more slow paced and peaceful then regional.

 

‘’I wouldn’t say living here is bad for my mental health, but the lack of access to health services is.’’

 

The reported prevalence of mental illness in rural and remote Australia appears similar to that of major cities. However, access to mental health services is substantially more limited than in major cities. Tragically, rates of self-harm and suicide increase with remoteness.

 

The public transport system is highly outdated in rural Victoria and for those without a vehicle face the issue of waiting lengthy times for busses and trains.

 

‘’Bus timetables are appalling and do not compensate for needs of people … I now need to travel one hour to Wangaratta (to see a psychologist)’’ Hope said.

 

Which means she spends a lot of time waiting around for busses just to seek some form of mental health assistance.

The rate of suicide among men aged 15-29 years who live outside major cities is almost twice as high as it is in major cities, which is caused from many variables that all fall under the accessibility issue.

Alisha Camilleri from Clonbinane prefers living in rural more so then regional.

‘’I don’t feel isolated I feel free.’’She says.

Alisha feels as though living in rural areas you’re not constantly reminded that people aren’t nice because you aren’t around people as much.

This shows that it isn’t rural Victoria that is the issue, it’s the lack of facilities and needs out in these areas to help with mental health and some changes need to be made.