Mateship this ANZAC Day

At Turning Point this Anzac day, we give our thanks to Australian service men and women, both active and returned, for their service and their sacrifice. We hope to support those struggling with mental health difficulties and addiction at this challenging time.

This Anzac Day will be different in many ways. As a result of COVID-19 precautions, official dawn service ceremonies will not go ahead across the country. What will this mean for our communities, particularly for returned service personnel and their families?

Anzac Day has always been about commemorating the sacrifice of our veterans, active servicemen and women, and their families. This will not change. We can come together in new ways to show our support. The Department of Defence is encouraging Australians everywhere to #StandAtDawn on April 25 — in front of the TV, in their courtyards, gardens and balconies, or driveways — and to share their photos on social media using the hashtag #StandAtDawn as a powerful symbol that we remember. Other initiatives include ‘Post A Poppy’, keeping the Anzac spirit alive by leaving messages of gratitude on the virtual interactive poppy field at lestweforget.gov.au.

This can be a difficult day for many people, and this year more than most. For many returned servicemen and women, their thoughts and memories can stay with them for a lifetime. For some, this can include negative, distressing and intrusive memories in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder; it is estimated that between 5–20% of veterans will develop PTSD in their lifetime. Others struggle with lifelong symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Substance use can often be a way to cope with distress, with veterans having up to three times higher rates of drinking alcohol at risky levels compared to the general Australian population. We know that veterans are also at higher rates of suicide risk, with work being done nationally to better understand and prevent veteran suicide.

This means that the #COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions may particularly affect veterans struggling with mental health and substance use problems. Social support is a key factor that will promote recovery from PTSD, depression, anxiety and addiction. At this challenging time, social support is more important than ever, so it is important to know that individuals do not have to face this struggle on their own.

There are many options for help and treatment:

• Open Arms, the national counselling service for current and ex-serving Defence Force personnel and their families, operates a 24/7 hotline and has helpful tips on staying calm and coping.
• HighRes offers help to cope with anxiety, with online tools for service personnel to build resilience with online mental health training.
• RedSix offers peer support with other service personnel. 
• Turning Point offers treatment and support for substance use nationally through counsellingonline.org.au and to Victorians through our clinics in Melbourne.

ANZAC Day is about mateship, and this ANZAC Day we can use this opportunity to remember and to reach out and check on a mate. 

#lestweforget