Loneliness is a big one.
So says Andrew Carters when asked what people generally talk about when they call Lifeline.
Mr Carters, 41, is a volunteer crisis supporter at the organisation's Newcastle call centre.
The father of two and University of Newcastle psychology student does a four-hour shift every fortnight.
"People have no one else in their lives and that's really hard for a lot of people. That comes up a lot. It's just being with them and being there for them," said Mr Carters, of Kitchener.
People often express frustration with other services, reflecting a backlog in the mental health sector.
"People often say thank goodness for Lifeline because no one else picks up the phone. All these other services are out there, but Lifeline is always there.
"Sometimes you might have to wait a little bit, but someone always picks up. That's crucial to a lot of people. There's a lot of gratitude for that."
Mr Carters said the calls can be challenging but enriching.
"By listening and acknowledging people's pain or challenges, you can help them move through their current crisis. It is amazing how we can help them become calmer and start to talk through strategies to help them move forward.
"At the end of a shift, I am always grateful for my life and the opportunity to help other people."
Mr Carters worked in the mining and work safety sectors before seeking a new challenge. Volunteering at Lifeline provides him with practical experience in the psychology field.
He and the region's 68 other crisis supporters take a call every 30 seconds. Across the country, Lifeline's 4000 crisis supporters will respond to more than a million calls for help this year.
Meanwhile, Lifeline Hunter has launched its "Challenge Yourself for Mental Health" campaign to raise funds for its local suicide prevention services.
Community manager Pat Calabria said people can set their own challenge to better their mental health.
Ideas involve taking up something new like a language or hobby, giving up or cutting back on coffee, sugar or alcohol, getting fitter with a run, ride, walk or swim challenge, a digital detox such as giving up or cutting back on screen time or social media, and better self-care such as reading books or taking up yoga.
Raising money for the cause helps ensure a Lifeline crisis supporter is there to answer someone's call.
Mr Calabria said Lifeline was supporting a "record number of people to navigate their mental health challenges", including those brought on by floods and the pandemic.
"This is an opportunity to challenge yourself to achieve better physical or mental health and help others overcome their mental health challenges."
He said many people don't realise that Lifeline relies on community donations and fundraising to keep its services running.
"It costs us $3500 to train and support each crisis supporter. Each call to Lifeline costs around $39.
"We don't want people to suffer in silence. We're here to listen without judgement and offer hope to every person who needs us."
Nine Australians die every day by suicide and more than 65,000 Australians make a suicide attempt each year.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 44.
Visit lifelinedirect.org.au/hunter for more details on the challenge.
Lifeline 13 11 14.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
