By Yulia Sotnikova
Mental health conditions affect the lives of more than a quarter of young Australians today.
Every year, around one million Australian adults have depression, and over two million have anxiety.
Research suggests that difficulties such as long-term unemployment, abusive or uncaring relationships, long-term isolation or loneliness and prolonged work-stress can cause mental illnesses.
A recent NPS MedicineWise study found 59 per cent of people look up health conditions on the internet to avoid seeing a professional.
In the past few years, Australian academic research organisations and universities have been developing e-counselling facilities to cater the growing number of young people who avoid seeing health professionals in person.
Professor Tony Jorm of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health says there are three main approaches currently being used in e-counseling.
Despite its popularity, Jorm says e-counselling has its disadvantages and is not suited for everybody.
Jorm says e-counselling is as safe and confidential as more conventional methods of therapy and is a good place to start seeking help.
