Black Dog Institute’s Mullets for Mental Health camapign is returning in September, encouraging people to grow their luscious locks in preparation.
Mullets for Mental Health is in its third year, after successfully launching the campaign in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic which saw a rise in interesting at-home haircuts, but more importantly, a significant increase in Australians experiencing symptoms of mental illness.
Black Dog Institute’s Mullet for Mental Health campaign coordinator, Tom Farrar, said almost 80 per cent of Australians claimed their mental health had worsened due to the pandemic and many continued to still experience ongoing mental health concerns.
“Mullets for Mental Health is a fun and engaging way to ignite those important mental health conversations that we need to be having,” he said.
“It’s a way to show your fellow Aussies that you’re all ears for mental health by raising funds to drive ground-breaking research into the early detection, prevention and treatment of common health disorders.”
Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15 to 44, as eight people in Australia die from suicide every day and male suicides make up three-quarters of all suicides in Australia. Mullets for Mental Health has raised over $9.6 million over the past two campaigns for mental health research.
Money raised in previous years has supported programs such as Under the Radar, which looks at the characteristics, experiences, and barriers to accessing clinical support for those with mental ill health but not seeking support.
Donations have also helped to grow Future Proofing, the institute’s school-based, five-year trial that aims to prevent depression and anxiety in young people.
One-in-five Australians, or around five million people, will experience symptoms of mental illness in any given year. And 45 per cent of Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. Each year, mental illness cost Australian businesses $39 billion.
Anyone keen to take on the challenge of growing a Mullet can register at mulletsformentalhealth.org.au
