Study in Australia shows young people with mental illnesses don't seek treatment because of substance abuse

From ABC news in Australia:

A new study says many young people do not seek help for mental illness because they are also suffering high rates of substance abuse.

Young men in particular were more likely to have drug and alcohol problems and to not seek help for emotional problems.

A paper in the August issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry looked at the findings of the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

It found that one in four Australians aged 16 to 24 experienced a mental disorder in the previous 12 months, but few accessed mental health help.

Lead author Nicola Reavley from the Orygen Youth Health Research Centre says the level of emotional distress in young people is high, yet despite the availability of interventions, many young people do not seek treatment.

Delays in seeking help can have lifelong consequences.

Researchers found young people had the highest rates of mental disorders but the lowest rate of receiving help.

Help for young men was particularly low, with just over 13 per cent receiving help.

The rate of substance disorders in the 16 to 24 age group was high, with harmful use of alcohol the most common problem.

Many of the people surveyed were unaware that drinking seven or more drinks in one session could put their health at risk.

"Such views may go someway to explaining the relatively low levels of help-seeking for alcohol disorders in the 16 to 24 year olds," the authors say.

Researchers say while early intervention is encouraged for young people with mental health problems, there is little focus on the same early intervention for teenagers drinking at risky levels.

"A large number of young people who drink at risky levels do not engage with health services for any health problems," the authors say.

In order to rectify the situation, Ms Reavley says there needs to be much better coordination between mental health and drug and alcohol services at the primary care, or general practitioner level.

On a population level, the authors say it is important to tackle the misconceptions about alcohol so that teenagers recognise the danger of excessive drinking.