Lexi Metherell has taken a look at a pioneering online service which began in Australia.
LEXI METHERELL: Sophie Sauerman was in high school when her life turned upside down as her sister developed an eating disorder.
SOPHIE SAUERMAN: I found myself getting really frustrated because I just couldn't understand why she just wouldn't eat food. I was like, it's so simple, you know, just eat food. It's not a big deal.
LEXI METHERELLL: She turned to the internet and stumbled on a site called Reach Out.
SOPHIE SAUERMAN: I didn't feel justified going to a psychologist to basically say, hi, what's anorexia and how can I help my sister? Because I felt like I didn't need one-on-one psychology sessions to help me with that. I thought I could just get the information from another source.
And Reach Out was really, really great as a kind of like a level between going to a psychologist.
LEXI METHERELL: Like Sophie, Isabella Merrilees-White also advocates for the online service. She used it in high school to help her and her friends who were struggling and who were reluctant to talk to professionals.
ISABELLA MERRILEES-WHITE: Particularly as a teenager I think from my experience that seems like a really big step. And it's hard to kind of say I'm in a lot of trouble, I really do need some help. It's a lot easier to say, oh, I'm not feeling good, I'll check out this website because I can do it on my phone and it's free and it's not something that even anyone else has to know about.
LEXI METHERELL: Reach Out isn't a clinical service. Instead it provides advice on mental illnesses, issues like sexuality and bullying, monitored forums, and information on seeking professional help.
Rosie Swanton manages its active social media presence.
ROSIE SWANTON: I think generally social media gets a pretty negative rap. And what we see here at Reach Out is that it's actually a really powerful way of getting mental health messages across to people who may not otherwise engage with mental health messaging; people who don't necessarily understand what anxiety or depression is, but they know that they didn't sleep well last night and they're feeling kind of crap today.
And they're much more willing to engage with us through these kind of conversational channels rather than having to go access a serious mental health service.
LEXI METHERELL: With the Federal Government expected to soon lay out plans to reform the mental health sector, mental health professionals are urging it to make so-called e-health a core part of the system.
Reach Out's chief executive Jono Nicholas says the site is accessed by 300,000 people a month and costs just $2 per user.
JONO NICHOLAS: We've actually had in Australia for 15 years growing evidence showing the impact and effectiveness of online mental health services, not only from Reach Out but other great online services. And that evidence is clear that online services are effective; they're safe. Australia is a world leader in that and Reach Out one of those services that are leading the world.
And most importantly, it's not a binary choice. It's not about replacing a psychologist or less social workers. It's about giving people the option to help themselves first, to understand their issues better. And then if they want and need to talk to someone, those services are available.
LEXI METHERELL: The site aims to intervene early in the onset of mental illness.
And Sophie credits it with preventing her situation deteriorating.
SOPHIE SAUERMAN: I mean I think I was really, with my sister going through what she was going through, I was definitely at risk of developing my own mental health illness just because it was so difficult. And it was through using Reach Out and online services that I was able to avoid that.
ASHLEY HALL: Reach Out youth leader Sophie Sauerman ending Lexi Metherell's report.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Lexi Metherell
Quelle/Source: ABC Online, 21.01.2015
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