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National telehealth service Whakarongorau struggling to recruit staff to triage mental health crisis calls
Whakarongorau nurses say distressed callers are waiting longer because of understaffing.
Probe into gaps in government agencies' youth mental health service
'We saw no coherent system design or vision,' an inquiry found.
'Pushed aside again': Officials admit Labour's $100m mental health move behind schedule
Delay is 'extremely disappointing', says advocate for people with eating disorders.
‘We’re literally the future of the country’: Youth mental health campaigner’s plea to politicians
Youth activist says she is frustrated mental health is not a policy priority.
'I went from high-flying exec to living in a bedsit and suicidal - working for a charity saved me'
Telegraph: When all seems lost, purposeful charity work can light the way.
Mental health: Patients told not to call 24/7 crisis hub at night
Leaked email reveals the extent of staffing shortages at a major Wellington service.
'Trying to put on my life jacket but I'm just drowning' - how to cope with anxiety
Anxiety is a common disorder but we rarely talk about it.
Watch: 'I do have OCD, and it is feral' - how to spot common anxiety disorders
Anxiety can manifest differently for different people.
Watch: 'Harden up' is not the answer - how we misunderstand anxiety
There are a lot of misconceptions – sometimes, even within the medical profession.
Latest FromHappiness Editor Matt Heath
Why we have to watch out for boys and men
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to social scientist Richard V. Reeves.
Mate - looks like you could use a friend
Matt Heath speaks to Max Dickins about why men suck at maintaining friendships.
We Need to Talk podcast – with Toni Street
Bonus episode: Juliet Ireland reveals how to cope with illness anxiety in times of pandemic
Toni Street talks to expert Juliet Ireland on how to cope with health anxiety.
Fitness: Kelly Coe goes running to get a moment of peace and quiet
Toni Street talks to Kelly Coe about being a sporty kid and how that influenced her.
Fitness: Cody Everson describes how he adjusted to living in a wheelchair
Toni Street talks with Cody Everson, who was left a tetraplegic at the age of 15.
Hamish and Kyle - Advice for life's challenges
Hamish and Kyle: On taking meds for mental health
Medication for mental health is often there to help get things back on track.
Hamish and Kyle: On the impact of drug addiction
You need bucket loads of patience and compassion dealing with an addict.
Hamish and Kyle: The impact of the food we eat on our mental health
The crash isn't always pleasant and can make us irritable.
Watch: 'Why am I like this?' - the reasons behind anxiety
What we do know is that for many people, anxiety begins in childhood.
Watch: Parenthood, new job, moving home - the big life changes that can trigger anxiety
Going through puberty, losing a loved one or moving house can all cause anxiety.
Watch: 'I told my doctor - I think I have ADHD. He said - Yep'
Depression is a disorder that can go hand-in-hand with anxiety.
Watch: Need a 'duvet day'? How to handle anxiety at work
Different people have different ways of managing anxiety at work.
Watch: 'If in doubt, reach out' - how to get help for anxiety
The experts agree that the first step is talking to someone.
Watch: 'My life is perfect, but that doesn't change my brain' - how to talk to someone with anxiety
It can be hard to know how to react when someone tells you they have anxiety.
Watch: Could magic mushrooms and other psychedelic drugs cure anxiety?
Although you may never completely get rid of anxiety, living with it can become easier.
Suicide warning over pressure on child, adolescent services
The biggest risks being monitored by hospitals have been revealed.
'Terrible gap' in mental health care means kids admitted to adult services
One in four young people are admitted to adult inpatient services in Aotearoa.
'Worrying trend': Antidepressants use in children, teens jumps 53% in five years
Watchdog's report identifies several major problems with public mental health services.
A decade on, I still wonder if I was wrong to give my daughters a smartphone
Financial Times: Research links young people’s mental health to age they got first phone.
The success myth: Why our addiction to achievement is making us sick
Telegraph: 'Recovering success addict' Emma Gannon says we're chasing an illusion.
The midlife confidence crash - and how to make a fresh start
Telegraph: Burnout and self-doubt have replaced the sports car as signs of a crisis.
94 hours in A&E: Health watchdog calls for action on hospital overcrowding
Doctors raised alarm after patients were 'marooned' for days in Auckland Hospital's ED.
94 hours in A&E: Doctor raises alarm at ‘longest ever wait’ for inpatient bed
Overcrowding in the psychiatric unit left three people 'marooned' in ED for several days.
The Finnish secret to happiness? Knowing when you have enough
New York Times: The happiest people in the world aren't that happy. But they are content.
'Disturbing': Top brands review their TikTok ads after they appear next to distressing videos
Advertisers want better controls on young people viewing troubling mental health posts.
The teen mental health crisis: A reckoning for Big Tech
Financial Times: 'Multiple juries are in. They’re all reaching the same conclusion.'
Revealed: The failures in the lead up to Cassandra's death
Parents disappointed by DHB review of treatment prior to teenage daughter's death.
Social media and mental health: ‘NZ incredibly slow to respond’
There are growing concerns about what teens are sharing about mental health online.
Anorexia is the deadliest psychiatric disorder. Could psychedelics help?
Financial Times: A Nasdaq-listed company is trialling psilocybin as a new treatment.
Teen mental health crisis: ‘TikTok has completely changed the game’
Student who learned to self-harm online worries about others falling down a dark hole.
I set up a new TikTok account and it quickly turned into a stream of misery
The Herald's Investigations Editor dives into mental health TikTok.
Hungry to be happy: Fighting back against the bully anorexia
Harry Averill's book 'Hungry to be Happy' is incredible.
Teens, mental health and social media: 'People don’t understand how toxic it is'
She turned to social media for help with mental illness but fell down a dark rabbit hole.
'Life ended in that instant': Could we have saved 'joyful, bubbly' Cassandra?
More young Kiwis are experiencing serious mental distress. This is one family's story.
With anxiety on the rise, some children try ‘exposure therapy’
New York Times: Young people are following an old dictum: face your fears.
From a racing heart to tingling limbs: The anatomy of a panic attack
New York Times: When your brain is seized by fear your body responds.
'Failing completely': Mental health boss slams Govt reforms; new survey reveals young Kiwis' distress
Survey shows many young adults are struggling with cost of living and other pressures.
Opinion: You don’t need a trip to Fiji to live in the moment - but it helps
Matt Heath's take on the importance of mindfulness.
'I didn't sleep for six nights': Health reporter on battling bipolar disorder
A story written with the hope of helping a least one person feel less alone.
'Huge burden of shame': Actress opens up on ADHD diagnosis
"I thought there was something wrong with me."
Local Focus: Empowering young people with peer support
Piki peer supports mental health by not offering solutions - just listening.
Speak up: 'A friend saw the sadness behind my eyes and asked how I was'
A group of Pacific and Māori TikTok members have banded together to talk mental health.
When Facebook actually broke my brain
NY Times Opinion: Social media didn't cause my mental illness, but it exacerbated it.
Great Minds: Parents' pleas for political leaders to respond to youth mental health crisis
'What if it was your daughter or son?'
Great Minds: 15 ways to address our youth mental health crisis
We asked parents, clinicians and researchers what needs to happen next.
Editorial: Mapping the road to resilience
OPINION: Our editorial on the findings from the Great Minds series.
Are they listening? How Labour lost control of the narrative on mental health reform
It promised to transform a 'broken' system but critics say progress has been too slow.
Michael Barnett: Saving the next Cassandra
OPINION: Founded by actor Goldie Hawn in 2003, we believe this is the key.
Great Minds: Resources for parents of children with mental health problems
Experts say these tools and tips can help to supplement professional care.
'No options here': Desperate family leaving NZ to get help for self-harming teen
Parents are struggling to get effective support for kids with serious mental conditions.
'Instagram concerns': Coroner probes deaths of Cassandra Fausett, two other young women
Cassandra Fausett's death is one of three 'possibly related' to the social media giant.
Can smartphones help predict suicide?
New York Times: Research project uses smartphones to identify period of danger.
Thousands of distressed teens rushed to ED - is there a better way to help them?
Desperate teens and parents say there's nowhere to go when they're in crisis.
'Enormous gaps': Mental healthcare letting down NZ's youth
There are still some enormous gaps in our mental health care services.
Briefings to Jacinda Ardern show extent of mental health crisis' effect on young Kiwis
More children and teens are experiencing serious distress, but services can't keep up.
Hamish and Kyle: Time for a change
What was wrong with the couches how they were? Why the need to do things differently?
'Life ended in that instant': Could we have saved 'joyful, bubbly' Cassandra?
More young Kiwis are experiencing serious mental distress. This is one family's story.
Great Minds: Our boys and men are struggling mentally
Our happiness editor Matt Heath speaks to social scientist and author Richard Reeves.
Great Minds: From problem child and meth addict to promoting suicide awareness through hip hop
'Hurt people hurt people, but healed people heal people', he says.
Hamish and Kyle: On dealing with grief
Better to get emotion out of our system in a healthy way rather than bottle it up.
Why we have to watch out for boys and men
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to social scientist Richard V. Reeves.
Opinion: We have reached peak 'mental health'
New York Times: Has the term become so expansive as to be meaningless?
60% increase: Canterbury Police facing up to 20 mental health callouts a day
Canterbury Police are dealing with the highest rate of mental health callouts.
'Biggest change in a lifetime': ADHD healthcare improvements on the table
'This is a giant step forward. It's just unbelievable.'
'I knew I had to be there for him': Alex and Mike King's treasured moments
The father and daughter duo always have each other's back.
Hamish and Kyle: On taking meds for mental health
Medication for mental health is often there to help get things back on track.
'Not all sunshine and rainbows': Milner-Skudder on roller-coaster career
Nehe Milner-Skudder is approaching rugby from a new perspective.
Hamish and Kyle: On the impact of drug addiction
You need bucket loads of patience and compassion dealing with an addict.
Mate - looks like you could use a friend
Matt Heath speaks to Max Dickins about why men suck at maintaining friendships.
Hamish and Kyle: The impact of the food we eat on our mental health
The crash isn't always pleasant and can make us irritable.
'Pressure cooker': Lives lost as soaring stress levels hit building sector
Survey reveals a rise in stress or mental health issues over the past year.
Matt Heath: Melancholy and the infinite blandness - and what to do about it
Pandemic, war, crime and politics getting you down? Let the sun shine in.
Young Māori health outcomes are still behind non-Maori youth says 20-year study
New study finds little health improvement for rangatahi Māori compared to young Pakeha
Hamish and Kyle: On dealing with bullying
Bullying has become a topic much discussed over the past few weeks.
Matt Heath: Facing my fear of booking holidays
OPINION: Forget relationships, it's committing to holidays that really scares us.
'I just can't do it anymore': Kiwi healthcare worker on why she 'quiet quit'
'Quiet quitter' on how it has changed their mental wellbeing.
Rising mental health issues in building sector - survey
The results were released at this week's Constructive Forum in Rotorua
How can I tell if I'm depressed or burned out?
New York Times: How to tell the difference, and what to do about both.
Exercising rural women's right to mental wellbeing
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to Kate Ivey.
A teen's journey into the internet's darkness and back again
New York Times: Researchers struggle to understand how social media affects mental health.
Great Minds: Walking the length of NZ to overcome depression
During one of their hikes, the mum and daughter duo had an idea that changed their lives.
'Decade of hell': Parents' grief after son's suicide
No recommendations in Coroner's report despite criticisms of health professionals.
Mental health crisis: Senior officials admit 'we're not where we want to be'
Top officials responsible for overhauling mental health spoke exclusively to the Herald.
Hamish and Kyle: On being addicted to your phone
If you get nervous not checking every time you hear "ding", it might be time to rethink.
Full impact of pandemic on Kiwis' mental health yet to be seen
Covid-19 is one of the most significant events many of us will experience in our lives.
Life is short and the universe doesn't care, so make the most of it
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with author Oliver Burkeman.
Trauma counsellors: Ending bullying starts with 'treating it seriously'
Bay counsellors say some people carry the stigma of bullying at school into adulthood.
Creative Spaces: Can making art soothe our souls?
A community studio for artists struggling with mental health.
Hamish and Kyle: On worrying about money troubles
The obvious mental health issue that money can cause is anxiety.
'My father was left in a past we never spoke about': Why I changed my name twice
'To deny an entire part of my being prevented me being Hamish.'
When big feelings are too much for little bodies
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to kids' author Rebekah Ballagh.
Hamish and Kyle: On getting a diagnosis and what it might mean
A good diagnosis should be able to lead you to treatment options.
'I was so bummed': Kate Hawkesby opens up about her Covid experience
Kate Hawkesby on getting Covid, quitting alcohol and the diet she follows.
Houseplants don't just look nice – they can give your mental health a boost
Houseplants can be an essential link to nature for humans.
Taking the plunge on addressing anxiety
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to novelist Tim Clare on panic attacks.
'She wanted to live, she asked for help': Father of uni student who died of suspected suicide slams hospital care
Owen Hume told a court that his daughter had been failed at every step.
Guns, rage and racism: Has NZ become an angry nation?
Headlines have taken a darker turn in recent months.
Mental health services are facing a staffing crisis. Here's why that matters and what you need to know
Key points from the Herald's investigation into the state of mental health services.
Hamish and Kyle: On how to find a good GP or counsellor
Often you will hear that a great first step is to go talk to your doctor.
Mental health staffing crisis: Andrew Little promises 'more boots on the ground'
Health Minister reveals one of several 'innovative' measures planned to fill vacancies.
Hamish and Kyle: Does not caring about Covid make me a bad person?
We used to follow the numbers intensely. But now, not so much.
'Utterly overwhelmed': Child psychiatrists plead for action to fix staffing crisis
Doctors say too many young Kiwis are not getting timely care for serious mental illness.
'It really did lift my heart': Minister moved by Māori mental health efforts
The Minister said the stories he heard were powerful.
Facing fears may lessen their power over you
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with Dr Andrea Reinecke about her anxiety treatment.
'Mumma died because she got very ill': Devastated husband speaks out
Canterbury man speaks about wife's suicide after perinatal depression, anxiety battle
Wellbeing isn't easy with a brain wired for fear
Happiness Editor Matt Heath speaks with Chris Williamson about a wellbeing 'bank account'.
'She fake-resigned and got a promotion': How job counter-offers inflate wages
'Horse trading' for staff has become common across industries.