Which is expected to be made worse with the outbreak in Shepparton.
Local counselling clinics have seen a staggering 30 per cent jump in referrals and inquiries in just the past few weeks.
The increase is on par with figures announced by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday, October 14, with a 31 per cent rise in Victorians accessing Medicare-funded mental health services in the past four weeks, compared to the same time in 2019.
The rest of Australia — not including Victoria — has seen a nine per cent rise.
Across the state, the use of Beyond Blue was 77 per cent higher than the rest of the country, while Victorians used Lifeline 16 per cent more and Kids Helpline 24 per cent more.
Echuca Full Circle Counselling therapist Paul Medew said there had been a significant increase in people looking for services, particularly in the past few weeks.
“I think the lockdown has gone on for such a long time that people are starting to feel it in a way they hadn’t before,” he said.
“The lack of clarity around what is going to happen is really affecting a lot of people.”
Mr Medew said he had seen people with increased anxiety and depression, often caused by a lack of feeling in control.
“An environment like this is very unsettling for people and the everyday stresses of lockdown and people being uncertain really increases the tensions in families,” he said.
Thrive Wellness and Consulting psychologist Dr Cara Tucker said the clinic had gone from an average of 80 referrals a month to 115 during the pandemic.
“I’m seeing a lot of people feeling depressed and a lot of anxiety, which leads to the secondary emotion of anger,” she said.
However, she had seen a positive trend emerge as a result of the social distancing rules.
“Those who had anxiety when socialising are actually doing better,” Dr Tucker said.
“People that often struggled with socialisation before are actually loving it now, so some of those clients have backed off.”
Mr Medew said he expected the mental health of many in the community to improve now schools had re-opened.
“I’m relieved that schools have gone back, I think that’s going to be helpful for a lot of people,” he said.
“I think this experience has bought to the surface a lot of people’s feelings about their emotional wellbeing and the state of their relationships and families.”
Mr Medew encouraged people who were struggling with their mental health to do normal things, such as reaching out and connecting with people.
“I’d also advise people to avoid saturating themselves with negative social media and news, and look for the normalcy in life,” he said.
“Remain optimistic that there is a path forward and there are supports out there.”
If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 131 114, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636, Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 or headspace on 1800 650 890.
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