It is hard not to stand in awe of Mayfield's Emma Haining and Booragul's Mitchell Patterson. Both have been through dark days, and their stories show they struggled to receive the help they required at those low ebbs. Yet both are turning those experiences towards the greater good, in hoping they might show gaps in a strained health system. It is concerning to wonder about others who may have faced similar situations without their fortitude.
Mental health can perhaps prove harder to diagnose than physical ailments with visible, obvious symptoms. That is one of several factors in historical lack of treatment and support. But in the modern era, those who reach out for help through a veil of outdated stigma and self-consciousness deserve to have professionals ready to meet and support that movement.
