Mental Health Services > Mental Health Carer Support

Getting Help

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What can I do if I am concerned someone may have a mental illness?

It is important to encourage the person to seek help. Talking with someone about the situation is also important for you. Your General Practitioner is a good place to start when dealing with any health problem including mental health issues. Advice and information can also be obtained from your local mental health service. Contact the public hospital in your area to find out what services are available. Other options for help include Private Psychiatrists, Community Health Centres, private mental health services, and community organisations.

What information will services need to know?

Asking questions is how services find out what is happening and how they might be able to help. Being prepared for these questions will help you feel less anxious and enable the services to assess the situation better. Here are some basic questions for you to consider:

Is the person talking about hurting themselves or other people?
Has the person already been diagnosed with a mental illness?
If yes, which one?
Who diagnosed the illness? When?
Are they currently under the care of a Doctor or other services?
If yes, who and what are their contact details
Is the person willing to accept help?
Does the person have any medical conditions?
Is the person on any medication?
What are these medications?
Does the person misuse substances? (alcohol, illegal drugs, inhalants)
What do they misuse? How often? How much?
Describe some of the specific behaviours you are concerned about (eg. The person won’t leave the house because ASIO follows them wherever they go)
How long have you noticed these behaviours?
Have they got worse over time?
What has prompted you to seek help now?

Other general types of information will also be needed eg. Name, date of birth, address etc.

What can I do if the person refuses help?

Sometimes people don’t feel they need help or refuse to accept help. This can be a difficult situation for families and friends who are concerned about the person. In these circumstances, the Mental Health Act can be used to get help for the person even if they do not agree. Talk with your General Practitioner or your Mental Health Service for information and advice.

What do I do if I’m concerned someone needs help urgently?

If the person is talking or behaving in a way that suggests they are going to hurt themselves or another person, help needs to be obtained urgently. Your safety is important. If you have been threatened or feel threatened, remove yourself to a place where you feel safe, away from the person first.
You can get help by calling the police or the ambulance on 000. The police and ambulance are authorised under the Mental Health Act to make an Emergency Examination Order to allow them to take the person to the nearest authorised mental health service even if the person does not agree. Your local Mental Health Service can also provide you with information and advice.

What happens after the person has been assessed?

This depends on individual circumstances and how unwell the person is. In some circumstances, the person may need to be admitted to hospital where they can receive the necessary treatment in an environment where they have access to specialist staff and are safe. Other people may be okay with getting treatment and support in the community from public mental health services, private mental health practitioners, other community services or their General Practitioner.

Last Updated: 23 February 2006
Last Reviewed: 23 February 2006