The Sam Project is focused on connecting with all Australians bringing both an awareness and an understanding of mental illness, in order to empower all Australians to live a mentally and physically healthy life.
1 in 5 Australians on an annual basis will experience a mental illness. 1 in 2 in a lifetime.
The WHO states that 90% of the people who suicide had a mental illness, mostly depression.
Suicide is the biggest killer of Australians between the ages of 15 and 44.
It is estimated that over 70% of mental illnesses is caused by our lifestyle, the world we live in today.
Every time the Bureau of Statistics releases the figures for mental illness and suicide they have increased and the “health system” has generally maintained the same methodology.
In order to assist in the reduction of mental illness, the following needs to happen:
Increase Education about mental illness so that people understand the causes, how to help themselves and the ones that they care about and especially prevention (what to do and what not do to ensure you give yourself the best chance of being healthy)
Changing the health system from just treating the symptoms to having a proper diagnosis that establishes the causes and having treatment that relates to the causes and not just the symptoms.
Acknowledgement that prevention is for the well population and is an action that stops something from happening.
Build a Support Network and a Sense of Community
Create Opportunities to foster the link between Physical Health and Mental Health