Health and Wellbeing

God loves every person infinitely. 'Life and physical health are gifts entrusted to us by God' and it's everyones responsibility to not only take care of oneself but also look to the needs of others (CCC 2288). Our bodies are 'temples of the holy spirit' (1 Cor 6:19) which are given to us to visibly show God's love to others, by helping others and doing charitable acts. We must respect our own bodies and look after them but not become obsessed with them (YouCat #388).

God has blessed us with a body and a mind and anything which intentionally damages the faculty of the mind is an offence against God. 'Using illicit drugs is a sin because it is an act of self destruction and thus damages our lives that God has given us' (YouCat # 389).

Statistics on Illicit Drug Use in Australia

(Based on the National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2016 and Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2015–16 )

• 16% (3.1 million) Australians aged 14 or older had illicitly used drugs in 2016; use was highest among 20–29 year olds (28%)
• 4 in 10 people either smoked daily, drank alcohol in risky quantities or used an illicit drug in 2016
• The top 4 illegal drugs most likely used in the previous 12 months in 2016 were cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and meth/amphetamines
• 1 in 20 Australians aged 14 or older had misused pharmaceuticals in the last 12 months in 2016
• 1 in 10 people aged 14 or older had been a victim of an illicit drug-related incident in the previous 12 months in 2016

Statistics on Mental Health in Australia

(Based on the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing)

Almost half the total population (45.5%) experience a mental health disorder at some point in the lifetime. One in five, or 20% of the Australian population aged 16-85 years, experienced mental disorders in the previous 12 months [of their survey]. This is equivalent to 3.2 million Australians. One in 16 (6.2%) had affective (mood) disorders; one in seven (14.4%) had anxiety disorders; and one in 20 (5.1%) had substance use disorders. Based on these prevalence rates, it is estimated that nearly one million Australians have affective disorders; over 2.3 million had anxiety disorders and over 800,000 had substance use disorders in the previous 12 months.

Only one third of people (34.9%) with a mental health disorder used health services for their mental health problem. Around one million Australian adults and 100,000 young people live with depression each year. On average, one in five people will experience depression in their lives (Beyondblue National Initiative, 2006).

Estimates suggest that up to 75 % of people presenting with alcohol and drug problems also have additional mental health problems. (Drug Use in the Family, ANCD Report, 2007)

Catholic Perspective on Mental Health

We are all loved by God and made in his 'image and likeness' (Gen 1:27). The reality is that God has made us for heaven where perfection exists but due to Original Sin, everyone is faced with some type of suffering on Earth (CCC 405). For many people this takes the form of mental health struggles which can vary from minor to very extreme cases. These struggles are part of our wounded human nature and not a direct punishment by God on any person. God wants to help us and we should seek professional help if mental health issues are affecting our life.