Dyslexia and Mental Health - Getting support Dyslexia and Mental Health – Getting Support If you are struggling with how your dyslexia is affecting you then you may need some additional support. Those with dyslexia are twice as likely to suffer from depression and or anxiety and you are not alone. See your GP In Australia, the first place to go when you’re looking for mental health support is your GP. Most GP clinics ask you to make a double appointment if you want to talk to them about mental health stuff. When you’re there, tell your GP: your symptoms or how you feel your concerns how what you feel has affected your life. This helps your GP to know what sort of psychologist to refer you to under your Mental Health Care Plan. Talking to someone about your mental health can be difficult. Take some notes beforehand so you don’t forget your main topics. You can also take a family member or close friend along for support. Having someone else there can also be really useful to help explain your situation to the GP, and help you to remember the discussions you had. Mental Health Care Plans Everyone who is eligible for Medicare is also eligible for a Mental Health Care Plan. The Plan lets you have 10 appointments with a psychologist, paid for by Medicare, to help you to get some strategies to address your concerns. Preparing for your appointment It’s a good idea to do some thinking about your questions for the GP before you visit them. Try writing a list of questions before the visit, such as: What are all of my options? What do you think are the best options for me? How much does a doctor visit cost? Taking care of your mental health is not only about getting professional support, but you also need to do some work on your own. That can also be a great place to start if you’re not ready to talk to others about what you’re feeling. The Federal Government provides a list of online therapy options, some of which you can access for free, that can help you get started on looking after your mental health. Importantly, you can do these at home and in private. They’re also things that you can do late at night or on the weekends, and they’re available wherever you can get the internet. Take a look at Mental Health Online, www.mentalhealthonline.org.au/, to get started. Learn more about mental health and wellbeing and other information on dyslexia in our factsheets and through the Dear Dyslexic Podcast Series at deardyslexic.com DYSLEXIA & MENTAL HEALTH