Better Online Support for Youth Mental Health

The revamped ‘Lowdown’ website launched this week aims to provide young people with more accessible and responsive online mental health support.

The Ministry of Health reports that an estimated one in six young people suffer from depression or anxiety. It is important therefore that young people have the right support at the earliest opportunity.

The Lowdown website provides young people with tools to be able to recognise when they are experiencing depression or anxiety, and gives them the right information and support.

The website can now be accessed on a mobile phone, provides more self-help functions, and includes videos from young people. There is also a forum for young people to share experiences and get advice and support. The new site is part of the National Depression Initiative, and has new content on anxiety.  The target age group has been realigned to 12-19 year olds to complement other programmes such as the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project.

The Lowdown can be found at www.thelowdown.co.nz