New data on causes of death from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that youth suicide rates remain unacceptably high.
In 2013, 348 young people aged 15 to 24 years died by suicide – more than any other cause, including road accidents, cancer, and assault. Concerningly, the new data shows an upward trend in the rate of suicide among young people aged 15–19, and the overall rate of suicide among young people aged 20–24 remains stubbornly stable. 
Nearly three times as many young men died by suicide than young women, with young men aged 20–24 exhibiting the highest rate of suicide among all young people aged 15–24. The previously observed upward trend in the overall rate of suicide by young women aged 15–19 remained high but reduced year-on-year.
“Addressing youth suicide is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Given the strong link between poor mental health and suicide, these findings reconfirm the need to intervene as early as possible, focusing on the prevention of mental illness and, in turn, suicide,” said ReachOut CEO Jono Nicholas.
The National Mental Health Commission’s Review of Programs and Services is anticipated to be released soon, providing an opportunity to rebalance the mental health system making it more efficient and effective, enabling more people to access help.
“We’re encouraged by the Federal Government’s deep consideration of the Commission’s review, and look forward to working together with the sector on reforming the mental health system,” said Nicholas.
“Large-scale reform of the system is greatly needed, but it will take time to implement. We must consider what can be done right now to expand the reach of existing, effective interventions, as we cannot afford to allow another generation to experience the devastating effects of mental illness and suicide,” he added. 
Online interventions have been found to be highly effective in engaging young people vulnerable to mental illness and suicide. Twenty per cent of young visitors say they’ve come to ReachOut specifically for information on self harm and/or suicide, and more than 75 per cent of young visitors are in high or very high psychological distress.1
E-mental health services such as ReachOut enable self-care and peer support that helps a young person deal with what they’re going through. ReachOut also motivates young people to seek further professional help, with 46 per cent of visitors saying they’re more likely to do so after using the service.2
“Online services can be expanded right now, and to great scale – connecting any person with internet access to the help they need,” said Nicholas.
“70 per cent of young Australians experiencing a mental health difficulty aren’t getting the help they need. We must invest in prevention and early intervention, and better integrate face-to-face and e-mental health services in order to get the right help to those who need it.” 3
ReachOut Australia and Ernst & Young will soon release A Way Forward: Equipping Australia’s Mental Health System for the Next Generation, a new report exploring how the system can cost-effectively connect more young people to the help they need as quickly as possible.
 
Young people can turn to ReachOut from anywhere and at any time, for peer support and to learn more about what they’re going through.
National 24/7 crisis phone services include Lifeline 13 11 14, Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
 
In 2013, 348 young people aged 15 to 24 years died by suicide – more than any other cause, including road accidents, cancer, and assault. Concerningly, the new data shows an upward trend in the rate of suicide among young people aged 15–19, and the overall rate of suicide among young people aged 20–24 remains stubbornly stable. 
Nearly three times as many young men died by suicide than young women, with young men aged 20–24 exhibiting the highest rate of suicide among all young people aged 15–24. The previously observed upward trend in the overall rate of suicide by young women aged 15–19 remained high but reduced year-on-year.
“Addressing youth suicide is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Given the strong link between poor mental health and suicide, these findings reconfirm the need to intervene as early as possible, focusing on the prevention of mental illness and, in turn, suicide,” said ReachOut CEO Jono Nicholas.
The National Mental Health Commission’s Review of Programs and Services is anticipated to be released soon, providing an opportunity to rebalance the mental health system making it more efficient and effective, enabling more people to access help.
“We’re encouraged by the Federal Government’s deep consideration of the Commission’s review, and look forward to working together with the sector on reforming the mental health system,” said Nicholas.
“Large-scale reform of the system is greatly needed, but it will take time to implement. We must consider what can be done right now to expand the reach of existing, effective interventions, as we cannot afford to allow another generation to experience the devastating effects of mental illness and suicide,” he added. 
Online interventions have been found to be highly effective in engaging young people vulnerable to mental illness and suicide. Twenty per cent of young visitors say they’ve come to ReachOut specifically for information on self harm and/or suicide, and more than 75 per cent of young visitors are in high or very high psychological distress.1
E-mental health services such as ReachOut enable self-care and peer support that helps a young person deal with what they’re going through. ReachOut also motivates young people to seek further professional help, with 46 per cent of visitors saying they’re more likely to do so after using the service.2
“Online services can be expanded right now, and to great scale – connecting any person with internet access to the help they need,” said Nicholas.
“70 per cent of young Australians experiencing a mental health difficulty aren’t getting the help they need. We must invest in prevention and early intervention, and better integrate face-to-face and e-mental health services in order to get the right help to those who need it.” 3
ReachOut Australia and Ernst & Young will soon release A Way Forward: Equipping Australia’s Mental Health System for the Next Generation, a new report exploring how the system can cost-effectively connect more young people to the help they need as quickly as possible.
 
Need to talk to someone right now?
Young people can turn to ReachOut from anywhere and at any time, for peer support and to learn more about what they’re going through.
National 24/7 crisis phone services include Lifeline 13 11 14, Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
Related
- 3303.0 – Causes of Death, Australia, 2013, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 31 March 2015
- 6.29 billion reasons youth mental health needs help, ReachOut Australia, 23 Feb 2015
- Crossroads ahead for Australian mental health system, ReachOut Australia, 10 March 2014
- Suicide remains leading cause of death among young Australians, ReachOut Australia, 2 April 2014
 
References
- Metcalf, A, Blake, V 2014, ReachOut.com 2014 Annual User Survey Results, ReachOut Australia, Sydney.
- Ibid.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008, 4326.0 - National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 2007, Commonwealth Government, Canberra.
