Primary Health Connect - Depression starts small

07 October 2024

Update from our CEO

Depression starts small

A new campaign to raise awareness of depression, decrease stigma and encourage people to get help.

I am delighted to launch Depression starts small, get help before it grows, a campaign that plays into the age-old metaphor of the black dog, updating it to introduce the black puppy as a symbol for mild to moderate depression.

This latest campaign from WA Primary Health Alliance is designed to raise awareness of the early symptoms of depression and promote help seeking behaviours.

It is part of our GP-centric depression management program approach which aims to help improve the care of people with depression and prevent suicidal behaviour.

GPs play an integral role in this approach because they are the health professionals accessed most often by those experiencing mental health issues and/or engaging in suicidal behaviour.

They have reported that depression and anxiety are two of the most common health issues they manage, and depression is highly correlated with suicidal behaviour.

This thought-provoking campaign is the culmination of many months of research, interviews with people with lived experience and discussions with primary care clinicians and mental health professionals.

The message we want to get across is that getting on top of depression early, before it grows, is important and that you don’t need to deal with this alone.

Of course, while seeing your GP is a great idea, people can also get help from many other sources, including Head to Health, Head to Health phone line 1800 595 212 and Medicare Mental Health Centres.

While many communities across WA will see and benefit from this campaign, we have focused on youth and men in the Swan, Armadale, Goldfields, Bunbury, Manjimup and Esperance regions.

The locations were identified through a combination of our needs assessments, community willingness and readiness including established social capital such as suicide prevention support groups, and with access to primary care, given the GP-centric approach of our depression program.

I hope this campaign will make an impression and contribute to reducing stigma and encouraging people to reach out and seek help.

Kind regards

Learne Durrington

Chief Executive Officer

More about the campaign

We see how the black puppy interferes in the lives of the main characters, and how these interferences are consistent with many of the early symptoms of depression.

This campaign speaks to Pillar 2 of the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) model, which is to create a general awareness campaign.

It will run during the last quarter of 2024 across a mix of media channels, including digital, television and outdoor.

Finally, once you have viewed the video provided in the link, you will appreciate why we need to call out the central characters in the campaign, Novak and Stella, the wonderful puppy actors..

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Acknowledgement

WA Primary Health Alliance acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners and Elders of this country and recognises the significant importance of their cultural heritage, values and beliefs and how these contribute to the positive health and wellbeing of the whole community.

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