Telling someone that you are struggling with something can be difficult. Reaching out for support may feel scary and you may feel vulnerable. However, reaching out to others could be the first step to feeling better! If you think you might struggle to put your words together, or you are unsure of what to say, you could write your thoughts down. It could be in dot points or in the format of a letter.
You can use the below sentence stems to help you reach out for support if you are currently facing challenges:
- 'Hey, can I talk to you about something that's been weighing on my mind?' - 'I feel like I've hit a wall and I need someone to talk to about what's been going on' - 'I'm not feeling like myself. Can I give you a call?' - 'I know we don't speak much, but I'm having a rough time. Can we talk?' - 'I'm struggling with something and I could use your advice or support.'Where can you find additional support:
- Support lines can be useful, especially if you have difficulty reaching out to your immediate network. It can take some time to be put through to someone, but once connected, the team will be able to provide you with short-term support. - You can also speak to Mental Health Practitioners. Finding and booking appointments with professional services can feel overwhelming, so you could consider asking your family or friends for help. If you can't book with registered psychologists, consider seeing provisional psychologists who may have more availability.Please find below support line numbers that you can contact if you need support:
- Lifeline 13 11 14 (24 hours) https://www.lifeline.org.au
- SuicideLine 1300 651 251 (24 hours) http://www.suicideline.org.au/
- Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 (24 hours) http://www.kidshelp.com.au/
- eHeadspace http://www.headspace.org.au/
- BeyondBlue 1300 224 636 (24 hours) http://www.beyondblue.org.au/
- Mensline 1300 78 99 78 (24 hours) http://www.mensline.org.au/
- Parentline 132 289 http://parentline.com.au/
- Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service http://www.wdvcs.org.au/