Stigma and shame remain powerful barriers to seeking help for mental health issues. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Canberra is often celebrated as one of the most liveable cities in the world. That should be a point of pride. But for too many Canberrans living with mental health concerns, the city is not that liveable at all.
For them, it is a place of stigma, silence and survival, not one of thriving and belonging.
Stigma and shame remain powerful barriers to help-seeking. People still feel that mental ill health should be hidden, rather than something that deserves the same care and compassion as physical issues like a broken arm or a diagnosis of cancer.
That internal shame, reinforced by external stigma, isolates people and makes their recovery harder.
We also know that community connection is weakening. Over the years, funding for community programs, day activities, art and music groups and social spaces has been stripped away.
Now, thousands of Canberrans have unmet psychosocial needs. If you are not in work, not yet retired, and living with mental health concerns, what is there between 9 and 5 that gives you purpose and belonging?
The truth is, not much.
Services are stretched and funding is inconsistent. Tent encampments in the heart of our city are not someone else’s problem; they are a sign that too many people are just barely surviving.
Recent research by The Salvation Army in the ACT shows that mental health is one of the most pressing issues for individuals and communities, alongside housing stress, the rising cost of living and access to health care. When people struggle with these basics, their mental health declines. Clinical care alone is not enough when someone cannot afford housing, cannot see a GP or counsellor in a timely manner, or feels isolated from their community.
The solution lies in collaborative action.
No single individual, organisation or government can fix this alone. Instead, everyone has a role to play. What that role looks like depends on the level of influence each of us has.
As individuals, it can mean prioritising our own wellbeing, practising gratitude, offering a compliment, or showing a small act of kindness. Families and friends can recognise when someone is struggling, listen without judgment, and encourage them to seek help early. Communities can open their doors and create inclusive, welcoming spaces where people belong.
Workplaces can foster cultures that normalise mental health conversations and model wellbeing.
Government has a role as well. They must invest more in prevention and early intervention, rebuild community programs, and ensure that the social determinants of health, such as housing, income, education, and access to services, are equitable and accessible.
Leadership also means showing vulnerability. When public figures and leaders speak openly about their own mental health concerns, it helps normalise help-seeking for everyone – stigma is reduced, and people are more willing to reach out.
This Mental Health Week, I am asking all Canberrans to look at their level of influence and take action.
No act is too small.
Whether it is offering kindness to a neighbour, building a supportive workplace, or investing in prevention programs, every contribution helps.
Canberra can and should be a city where mental health and wellbeing are openly discussed, and where all people can thrive, every day. But that will only happen if we all play our part.
Lisa Kelly is the CEO of the Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT.
