THE dreadful tragedy that took the Hunt family at Boree Creek last week has focused attention on mental health and its terrible cost if untreated.
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Exactly what drove Geoff Hunt to kill his wife and three children will never be fully known or understood. Friends and acquaintances of the family have come forward to say there were extreme strains and stresses relating to a car accident that had left wife Kim severely injured and unable to resume her normal working life.
The shocking murder suicide is another reminder of the need to be engaged with the mental health of those around us. It was the message in last week’s R U OK? Day, an annual occasion designed to remind people to check on the wellbeing of friends and family. Obviously, it’s something we should do routinely, not just on one day of the year. It’s also something most of us need help with – asking whether someone is OK is one thing; listening to and interpreting the answer is quite another.
Very often people suffering anxiety or depression show very few outward signs. They can appear absolutely well-adjusted and happy until the unthinkable happens. Knowing how to read the subtle signs is as important as taking the time to ask someone how they are feeling.
This is why community based initiatives such as Mental Health Month are so important. By bringing people together and having a conversation about mental health, tips will hopefully be shared about how to detect symptoms and, critically, how to encourage the sufferer to recognise the illness and seek treatment.
As with any illness, early treatment will result in better outcomes. Leaving the condition untreated, as we have seen too many times, can be catastrophic.