What Is a Mental Health Care Plan and Do You Need One?
We all have days when we know we don’t feel 100%, but we’re not sure if what we’re feeling is something to speak to a doctor about. You might feel stressed out more often than normal. You might have lost the motivation to do things you love.
Everyday tasks may feel like more of a struggle. It can be tough to know when you’re just going through a bit of a rough time and when you should reach out for help. That’s why it’s so important to be talking about mental health.
While R U OK Day is a great time to check in with your loved ones, you shouldn’t wait for one day of the year to ask someone how they’re going. Your GP is there to listen about how you're feeling, no matter how unsure you are that it's a mental health concern.
Our mental health affects the way we think, feel and cope with day-to-day life. It can impact our emotions, relationships, behaviour, decision-making and how we deal with challenges.
Everyone's mental health can vary from day to day. Sometimes life can feel great and you feel like you can take on anything. Other times you might feel down or stressed about things. Our mental health can be affected by stressful events, relationship issues, work problems, illness or any number of life changes.
Everyone feels stressed, worried or down occasionally. Experiencing these feelings doesn't mean you have a mental health problem. We all react differently to life's challenges and some stress is part of everyday life. Of course, if your low feelings persist, become overwhelming or stop you doing the things you normally enjoy, it may help to talk to someone.
Having good mental health is about looking after your mental wellbeing, just like you would your physical wellbeing. There's no need to wait until you're feeling down to take notice of your mental health. Getting support early can help you deal with problems before they become more difficult to manage.
A Mental Health Care Plan (what Medicare currently refers to as a Mental Health Treatment Plan) is created with your GP to work out what your mental health care needs are, set goals for treatment and discuss what type of support may be beneficial for you.
Your GP can write you a Mental Health Treatment Plan once they have spoken with you about your mental health. Your GP may ask you about your symptoms, how you’re feeling, your day-to-day life, your relationships and your overall wellbeing. They can also discuss your goals and what you would like to get support for.
If your GP thinks it’s suitable for your needs, they can help create a clearer path towards mental health care. This could look like accessing services from a psychologist or other mental health professional. Your GP can advise what services you can access and if a Mental Health Treatment Plan is right for you.
Having a Mental Health Treatment Plan doesn’t mean something is seriously wrong. You do not need to be experiencing a crisis to see your GP about your mental health. It’s good to seek help as soon as you need support, so you can feel like yourself again. A Mental Health Treatment Plan is just one way to receive support and care when you need it.
What Does a Mental Health Treatment Plan Include?
The content of a Mental Health Treatment Plan will differ from person to person, depending on their needs. However, in general, a Mental Health Treatment Plan will start with an assessment of your current mental health and discussion about recent events.
Your GP can help you identify areas of your mental health that you would like support with and help set achievable goals. These goals may focus on symptoms you are experiencing, how they impact on your day-to-day life and what you would like to change or improve.
Depending on your needs, your treatment plan could include recommendations for treatment and coping strategies that can help you manage your mental health. Your GP can also provide advice about appropriate mental health professionals and talk you through the support options available.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan is not always a one-off document that you create and file away. GPs can also use them to review your progress over time and discuss if your support needs have changed.
Who Might Benefit From a Mental Health Care Plan?
You may be interested in seeing your GP about a Mental Health Treatment Plan if you have ongoing concerns about your mental health that are beginning to affect your day-to-day life. This doesn’t mean your symptoms have to be at rock bottom before you talk to your GP.
You might like to make an appointment if you have been feeling stressed, anxious or down for a while and your feelings aren’t getting any better, or are harder to manage than they used to be.
If you’re finding it hard to enjoy your usual activities and cope with day-to-day life, or you’ve noticed changes to your sleeping habits, motivation or relationships with others, your mental health concerns may also be something to discuss. This includes if you’ve noticed your mental health is impacting your work or study, or your ability to carry out everyday tasks.
Sometimes you just know that something’s not right, but you can’t quite identify what. You don’t need to walk into your doctor’s surgery with a list of symptoms and a definite answer about what’s wrong. Your GP will ask you how you have been feeling, run through your mental health and help you decide if a Mental Health Treatment Plan or something else may be right for you.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you may not need a Mental Health Treatment Plan. But if you’ve noticed changes to your feelings or behaviour, talking to a GP is a good first step to understanding what kind of help might suit you.
You may benefit from a Mental Health Treatment Plan if you have been experiencing:
| You Might Be Experiencing | How A GP Can Help |
|---|---|
| Ongoing Stress or Feeling Overwhelmed | Talk to you about what’s contributing and viable ways to enhance your wellbeing. |
| Persistent Low Mood | See how you're feeling and go over available help and treatment choices. |
| Anxiety Affecting Everyday Life | You can talk about your symptoms with us, and we'll help you get the strategies and professional support you need. |
| Changes in Sleep, Motivation or Energy | Talk through what might be affecting your mental health and discuss treatment or lifestyle options. |
| Difficulty Coping with Work, Study or Relationships | Help you figure out what’s affecting you and discuss options for continued support. |
| You’re Unsure If You Need Help | Allows you to talk in a safe space and helps you figure out what support is needed. |
Just because you have experienced some or all of these things does not mean that you automatically qualify for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Each person’s situation is unique and your GP will be able to guide you in working out if a plan is right for you or if there is another option that may better suit your needs.
What’s important is that you don’t have to try to work it out by yourself. If something doesn’t feel right, booking an appointment with your GP is an easy first step towards getting some clarity about what’s happening and accessing the support that you need.
How Can a GP Help With Your Mental Health?
It can be helpful to start by talking to your GP if you’re experiencing difficulties with your mental health. This is especially the case if you don’t yet know what type of support will suit you best. Remember, you don’t need a diagnosis to make an appointment with your GP, and you don’t need to have everything figured out beforehand.
Your GP can offer you a confidential and supportive environment to talk about what’s been going on. If you’re feeling stressed out, anxious, experiencing low mood, or just not yourself, talking can help you understand what’s going on and what kind of support will help. Your GP will consider your symptoms, overall well-being, nutrition, lifestyle, and other factors to better understand what you’re experiencing. They can also identify if any physical health concerns or other issues could be impacting your mental health.
From there, your GP can talk through treatment options and support networks that will work for you. This could involve lifestyle changes to support your mental health, psychological support, medications where necessary, or other avenues of care. Your GP can also develop a Mental Health Treatment Plan with you if that’s appropriate. Built around your individual needs and treatment goals, your Mental Health Treatment Plan can help you access the care and support you need.
Your GP can also refer you to mental health professionals when extra support will be beneficial. This may look like seeing a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other suitably qualified allied health provider. Keep in mind that support isn’t limited to one session. Follow-up appointments allow you to check in on your progress and raise any new concerns you may have.
R U OK Day reminds us that sometimes all it takes to encourage someone to open up about their mental health is to ask ‘Are you OK?’ If someone you know has been acting differently, withdrawing from friends and family or seems like they’re struggling, reach out and ask them how they’re going.
Asking the question is just the start of the conversation. If someone says they’re not OK with how they’re feeling, let them talk. Don’t rush to offer solutions. Ask them how you can support them and if it’s appropriate, encourage them to make an appointment with their GP or a mental health professional.
Often people aren’t sure what kind of support they need. If they’re finding it hard to cope day to day, are experiencing significant changes to their mood or behaviour, or are struggling to function normally due to their mental health, make an appointment with their GP to talk about what’s going on and discuss a plan.
Remember, R U OK Day is also a great reminder to look after your own mental wellbeing. It’s important to look after your mental health, just like your physical health. If you’re feeling down, talk to someone you trust or make an appointment with your GP. You don’t have to wait until things become unmanageable.
How to Start a Conversation About Mental Health
Opening up about your mental health can feel awkward, particularly if you’re not used to talking about how you’re feeling. You may be concerned that your issues aren’t serious enough to warrant it, or that you’ll blank once you’re sat in front of your GP.
You don't need to have the perfect explanation. Sometimes starting with one simple sentence is enough, such as:
- “I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately.”
- “I haven't felt like myself.”
- “I'm struggling to cope at the moment.”
- “I've noticed my mood has changed recently.”
- “I'm not really sure what's wrong, but I don't feel like myself.”
From there, your GP will ask you questions and help you work through your experiences. There’s no need to have self-diagnosed or made a decision on whether you need a Mental Health Treatment Plan before booking an appointment.
If you’ve noticed a change and are finding things harder to cope with, taking that first step to start the conversation can be the most important part.
Knowing when ‘normal ups and downs’ become something worth talking to your GP about can be tricky. You don’t need to wait until you’re in crisis to get help. If things just don’t feel right or you’re finding it difficult to cope with day-to-day things you would normally manage, it’s OK to make an appointment.
You could make an appointment to see your GP if you’ve noticed your symptoms are getting worse or are difficult to manage day-to-day. Especially if they’re starting to impact your work or study, relationships or your ability to manage everyday tasks.
Sleep difficulties, feeling lethargic, loss of appetite (or increased appetite), lack of motivation and generally withdrawing from friends and family can also be worth mentioning, particularly if they stick around or coincide with feelings of low mood. Depression can cause you to lose interest in activities you normally enjoy.
Or you might just know that something’s wrong. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or like you can’t cope, that’s also okay. You don’t need to have all the answers before asking for help. Your GP can help work out what’s going on and what kind of support might help.
It can be hard to take that first step, especially if you’re already feeling low. Which is why finding the right support can make all the difference. Here at Narangba Station Medical Centre, our GPs provide mental health care that’s both confidential and non-judgemental, delivered in the familiar setting of your local primary care clinic.
Whether you need to talk, undergo a mental health assessment or just understand your options, our GPs can help. They’ll work with you to talk through any concerns you have, discuss treatment and support options suitable to your personal circumstances and, where applicable, help you develop a Mental Health Treatment Plan and access other mental health care professionals or services.
Of course, mental health support doesn't always end after your initial appointment. Life changes and with it your circumstances. That’s why ongoing support from your GP can also provide you with a safe space to keep checking in, review how you’re going and talk about any new concerns.
Located in Narangba to serve families in and around Burpengary, Dakabin, North Lakes, Morayfield and other suburbs, choosing Narangba Station Medical Centre means you’ve got a healthcare team that can support you and your family through different stages of life.
There’s no need to wait until you’re at breaking point to talk about your mental health. When things shift, you're having trouble managing, or you're just not feeling quite right, reaching out to someone can be a solid starting point.
Whilst R U OK Day is a great initiative to remind us to check in with the people around us, we shouldn’t limit these conversations to one day a year. Looking after our mental health is just another important part of looking after ourselves.
Don’t know what you’re feeling or what you need? Our compassionate team of GPs is a great starting point for helping you understand what’s going on and talk through the options available.
Sometimes just having the conversation is enough to take that first step.
Contact & Bookings
To make an appointment, please call reception or use our online booking system via the button below. You can also visit our contact page to see further details about our location and directions.
Bookings are available from as early as 7AM on weekdays and Saturday. We are also open Sunday afternoon and late evening on Tuesday and Thursday until 8:30PM.
Can't find us? - Narangba Station Medical Centre is situated across the road from Narangba Train Station within the Narangba Village shopping complex. Look for signs for Narangba Station Medical Centre and IGA. We have free on-site parking outside the practice with plenty of free overflow parking also available nearby.
Dr. Madhu Lakshmaiah
Dr Madhu Lakshmaiah is a highly qualified and dedicated general practitioner at Narangba Station Medical Centre with over two decades of experience across various health systems. He graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College in India in 2002, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.