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If you or a friend need help with mental health

Find out where to get help if you’re worried about your mental health or want to help a friend.

On this page

Emergency help

You don’t have to tackle mental health challenges on your own. Talk to a trusted adult and find support through your school or community.

Your mental health and wellbeing

It’s great that you’re taking the time to understand your own mental health and what you can do.

We all face challenges that test our mental health.

It’s normal to feel sad, upset and angry at times. And some stress is a normal part of everyday life. Everyone’s moods move up and down. We can start the day feeling great, and our mood might change by lunch.

But if you feel sad, angry or stressed most of the time, it’s a sign you need help.

You might want to talk about:

Common mental health concerns for young people

Information on anxiety, depression, eating disorders, drug and alcohol use, feeling unsafe, discrimination, and bullying.

Signs you might need help with your mental health

You might need help if you’re:

How to ask for help (and start a difficult conversation)

It can be hard to start a conversation about mental health. Just telling someone you need help is a great and brave first step. Or you might want to go straight to your school or an organisation that can help.

You might worry about how the other person will react. But family, teachers and mental health professionals are here to help. Even if they can’t solve your issues, they can find experts who can help.

Finding someone you trust can also be hard. The main thing is that you feel safe with the person and trust them.

Read 6 steps to help you tackle difficult conversations.

Who you can talk to

Talk to anyone you trust or feel safe with…

At school:

At home:

In your community:

Helping a friend

Mental health problems can happen to anyone any time, and it’s nobody’s fault.

Friends often turn to each other for help before seeking out an adult, an expert (like a psychologist) or a service (such as headspace).

What’s the best way to keep a friend safe? When you think they need help, tell a trusted adult.

If you’re worried about a friend’s mental health, it’s essential that you speak to a trusted adult. It’s one of the best ways to look after them, even if you promised not to tell anyone. In serious situations, telling a trusted adult and getting help may be the only way for your friend to get better.

It can be hard reaching out to help a friend. You might worry they’ll get angry at you or stop talking to you out of fear or embarrassment. They might say they don’t need help. But the most important thing is that your friend gets better.

When to tell a trusted adult

Tell an adult if a friend:

If you or anyone you know needs immediate help, call emergency services on 000.

Signs your friend might need support

A friend may need mental health support if they:

How you and your friends can support each other

More guidance on how to support a friend:

Apps to help you support a friend are The Check-in and Chats For Life.

Where to get help

A mental health concern is no different to a concern about physical health. It can be managed and treated.

Reaching out to someone you trust is a great first step. As well as getting support from your school, many organisations can help.

Supports at school

Staff at your school care about you and want to create a safe place for you and your friends.

If things are getting too much, or you’re worried about a friend or someone in your family, talking to someone at your school is a good idea.

Your school might have a team of people or just a couple of wellbeing staff. There might be a counsellor, chaplain, Mental Health Practitioner or school-based GP.

In most schools, you can make an appointment to see someone by just dropping by or emailing.

If you’re not sure who to talk to or how to approach the wellbeing team, ask another trusted adult in the school, like your favourite teacher or Year Level Coordinator.

How the wellbeing team can support you

The wellbeing team can help with things like:

Mental Health support during school holidays

Mental health support, resources and advice are available for students and families to access over the school holidays. Two fact sheets for students and families:

These fact sheets are also available in 19 different languages. To access the factsheets, including translated factsheets, visit: mental health supports for students over school holidays.

Support for VCE students

Exams can be stressful. You may feel pressure to do well in exams to get into a certain course or to please your family. Eating and sleeping well, taking time to exercise, and doing things you enjoy can help manage stress during exam periods.

Acute or chronic illness, personal circumstances, disability or impairment may mean you need special consideration during exams.

Read advice on:

Online and community supports

Open all

headspace centres throughout Victoria have doctors, health workers and mental health professionals. Their services are free or low cost. Speak to your school about accessing headspace services, or find a headspace center.

A doctor (GP) can talk to you about your mental health, help you develop a mental health care plan and refer you to an expert like a psychologist or psychiatrist.

You might have a GP at school or a family doctor in your community. It doesn’t matter who you see, as long as you feel comfortable and supported by them.

Look for a bulk billing clinic to access this support for free if you have a Medicare card, concession, or health care card. You can get your own Medicare card and number if you’re 15 or older and enrolled in Medicare.

Specialist mental health professionals can help people with issues like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Psychiatrists and psychologists understand how your brain works, and use different types of therapy to help you develop better ways of thinking and behaving. Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors and can also prescribe medication.

You’ll probably need a GP referral to see a specialist mental health professional.

REACH OUT has more information on how psychologists and psychiatrists may be able to help.

For Koorie young people:

For young people from multicultural backgrounds:

For LGBTIQ+ young people:

Education & training

Updated 26 March 2026

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