Melbourne’s stage 4 lockdown forbids residents travelling more than 5km from home during their daily hour of exercise. Fine for those in leafy suburbs, but not for those with less greenery nearby.
In response to the many Victorians struggling with coronavirus and related restrictions, the Victorian government is investing nearly A$60 million in new and accelerated mental health initiatives.
We know that spending time in nature is good for physical and mental well-being, but social inequality means not everyone has easy access to parks, gardens and woodland.
Research that measures the public mood based on Twitter posts shows that it’s currently at its lowest point in a decade. One exception: when people visit parks and green spaces.
The new Victoria lockdown will bring greater levels of uncertainty about jobs and prolonged social disconnection. We need rapid action to fix the mental health system to meet the demand for help.
New data from the ABS shows how people adjusted their consumption patterns and behaviours during the early COVID-19 restrictions — and how some lifestyle changes have remained since then.
For Black youth, death by suicide has become a leading cause of death. And they face social problems that give rise to depression and isolation that their white counterparts do not.
Kanye West’s recent outbursts have shone a spotlight on his struggles with bipolar disorder. The condition involves alternating periods of intense mania and severe depression.
The pandemic’s mental health toll is not distributed equally. Its impact is disproportionately felt by racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities and those experiencing poverty.
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary