Useful Websites: Mental Health

Reach out for help

Your local doctor is a good starting point to find out what services are available and best for you. Other helpful resources are listed below.

Need to talk to someone?

In Australia and NZ, you can call lifeline 24 hours a day on 131114 (Oz) or 0800 543 354 (NZ) to talk.

In the USA and Canada call suicide prevention lifeline on 1-800-273-8255.

In the UK and Ireland call Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 (UK) or 1850 60 90 90 (ROI) or see www.papyrus.uk.org.

For non-urgent situations, you could see your GP, or look up information online.

Places to get mental health info

Australia

www.sane.org
www.headspace.org.au
www.beyondblue.org.au

The US

In the USA, www.helpguide.org/mental has help links and info on mental illness including eating disorders.

The UK

In the UK, see www.nhs.uk for health info and support services.

People to call for help

Call for emergency police help if you’re scared for your or someone else’s safety

Phone your emergency line, e.g. ‘000’ or ‘911’ and ask for the police

In Australia, you can also call your local area health service 24 hr mental health free call (just websearch it, look it up in the phonebook or call directory assistance). They can organise a crisis response team if you need one.

Elsewhere there will be different services available, depending on where you live.

If your problem is related to drugs or alcohol

Go to Useful websites: Drugs or alcohol for contact info for help for yourself or for a friend or family member.

Useful Websites: Sex

Sex info & advice

There’s a lot of information out there, and, of course, most of the fun stuff you just sort out for yourself.

But for helpful, non-judgemental advice on sex-related matters not covered in getting laid: info on sex, I don’t think you can go past Family Planning Australia.

Need information or advice?

Family Planning Australia has a lot of useful and non-judgemental information about sex — check out www.fpahealth.org.au. They’re always a good starting point for sex-related information.

NOTE: Doctors have to keep your information confidential unless there’s a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, and you can even get your own medicare card in Australia, even if you’re underage and haven’t moved out yet.

Gay, lesbian or transgender?

Try www.glcsnsw.org.au, for information and/or assistance in Australia, www.fpahealth.org.au for more information, plus websearch local support organisations, as most places will have their own support services and groups.

Info and help for rape victims

Call the police to report a sexual assault, and you can ask to speak to a female officer if it makes you feel more comfortable.

For advice or support, check out www.nswrapecrisis.com.au or web-search rape the support services in your local area.

Useful Websites: Drugs & Alcohol

Need help or info?

Check out these links (&/or phone numbers) to get help or information for problems with alcohol, smoking, drugs or related mental health issues.

Need help to quit smoking?

In Australia, try www.icanquit.com.au or www.quitnow.gov.au or call Quitline on 137848.

In the USA try www.smokefree.gov

In the UK see www.smokefree.nhs.uk or

Who to call for help with mental health problems (Australia)

Call for emergency police help if you’re scared for your or someone else’s safety

Call your local area health service’s 24 hr mental health free call (look it up in the phonebook, call directory assistance or google it). They can organise a crisis response if necessary.

Call Lifeline (131114) to talk to someone

Mental health info & ways to find help

www.sane.org

www.headspace.org.au

www.beyondblue.org.au

Info on steroid use

For Australia: www.asada.org.au; USA: www.usada.org; UK: www.ukad.org.uk

Help with drug & alcohol problems

NOTE: Always call emergency services in a crisis situation

For the UK, start with sites like www.nhs.uk/Livewell/drugs; www.nidirect.gov.uk; www.talktofrank.com andwww.addaction.org.uk for information and ways to get help, or www.adfam.org.uk or www.drugfam.org.uk if you’re the friend of a problem user.

In the USA, call 1-800-662-HELP for a free referral helpline, try your local narcotics anonymous or check outwww.drugfree.org

Australian drug information and help services

Poisons information centre 13 11 26

Alcohol & drug info www.adin.com.au or www.adf.org.au

Counselling online (free 24hrs/7 days) 1800 888 236 www.counsellingonline.org.au

Cannabis info and help (2pm-11pm Sun-Fri) 1800 304050 www.ncpic.org.au

Drug info website 1300 858 584 www.druginfo.adf.org.au

Family drug info for if you’re concerned about a friend or relative using drugs 1300 360 455 (NSW) 1300 660 068 (Vic) www.familydrughelp.org.au

Or call the Australian Drug Information Service or similar organisation in your State or Territory

NSW: ADIS (anonymous, 24-hour alcohol and drug information service) Sydney 02 9361 8000; regional NSW 1800 422 599

Vic: Directline for 24 hour confidential drug and alcohol counselling and referrals 1800 888 236

Qld: ADIS (anonymous, 24-hour alcohol and drug information service) 1800 177 833

WA: ADIS (anonymous, 24-hour alcohol and drug information service) Perth 08 9442 5050; regional WA 1800 653 203

SA: ADIS (anonymous, 24-hour alcohol and drug information service) 1300 131 340

ACT: ACT Health Services: Alcohol and other drugs 02 6207 9977

NT: ADIS (anonymous, 24-hour alcohol and drug information service) 1800 131 350

Tas: ADIS (anonymous, 24-hour alcohol and drug information service) 1800 811 994

Useful Websites: Renting

Each Australian state or territory has a specific Residential Tenancies Act or similar. They also have different systems in place to resolve complaints or disputes between tenants and landlords.

The following organisations are a good starting point to get help and information.

Consumer Trading and Tenancy Tribunal www.cttt.nsw.gov.au 1300 135 399
Department of Fair Trading www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au 13 32 20
The Tenants’ Union of NSW (TU) www.tenants.org.au

Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal www.vcat.vic.gov.au 03 9628 9800
Consumer Affairs Victoria www.consumer.vic.gov.au 1300 558 181
Tenants Union of Victoria www.tuv.org.au (03) 9416 2577

Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal – Residential Tenancies Authority www.rta.qld.gov.au 1300 753 228
Queensland Fair Trading www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au 13 74 68
Tenants Union of Qld www.tuq.org.au 1300 744 263

SA Consumer and Business Services www.sa.gov.au/tenancy/renters 131 882
Tenants Information and Advocacy Service www.anglicare.sa.org.su/tias

Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumerprotection/ 1300 30 40 54
Tenants Advice Service www.taswa.org

Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading (CAFT) www.consumer.tas.gov.au/renting 1300 65 44 99
Tenants Union of Tasmania www.tutas.org.au 1300 652 641
Private Rental Tenancy Support Service (PRTSS) 1300 729 400

ACT Office of Fair Trading – Residential Tenancies Tribunal (RTT) www.ors.act.gov.au/community/fair_trading 02 6207 0400
Tenants’ Union of ACT www.tenantsact.org.au

Consumer and Business Affairs (Tenancy Unit) www.nt.gov.au/justice/consaffairs (08) 8999 1999 or 1800 019 319
Tenants’ Advice Service, Darwin Community Legal Service www.dcls.org.au/tenants-advice.html

Need legal help? If you need legal advice, say, in a dispute with a landlord or agent you can seek help from these organisations in Australia.

Legal Aid NSW www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au

LawAccess NSW 1300 888 529

Victoria Legal Aid www.legalaid.vic.gov.au (03) 9269 0120

Legal Aid Qld www.legalaid.qld.gov.au 1300 651 188

SA Legal Services Commission www.lsc.sa.gov.au 1300 366 424

Legal Aid WA www.legalaid.wa.gov.au 1300 650 579

Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania www.legalaid.tas.gov.au 1300 366 611

Legal Aid ACT www.legalaidact.org.au 1300 654 314

NT Legal Aid Commission www.ntlac.nt.gov.au 1800 019 343

You could also check out www.lawstuff.org.au for good legal information on lots of issues.