Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and social and emotional wellbeing
8-minute read
Key facts
- Social and emotional wellbeing is a key part of staying healthy.
- Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience stress, sadness, grief or worry at different times in life.
- This may arise from lived experiences of individual and intergenerational racism, discrimination, loss, trauma and ongoing social and systemic pressures.
- Looking after your body, spending time on Country, connecting with culture and having a yarn with someone you trust can support your social and emotional wellbeing.
- If things are feeling hard or overwhelming, support is available — you can reach out to your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service, social and emotional wellbeing worker or national phone support service.
What is social and emotional wellbeing?
For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, being healthy includes:
- physical wellbeing
- mental health
- cultural identity
- spiritual wellbeing
- family and community wellbeing
- social connections
- emotional wellbeing
Social and emotional wellbeing is a broad understanding of health that includes these factors. It is also shaped by a connection to:
- Country
- mind and body
- ancestry and culture
- Spirituality
- family and kinship
- community and collective wellbeing
Social and emotional wellbeing is not just about mental health. Mental health relates to how you think, feel and cope with daily life. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, social and emotional wellbeing is a foundation for physical and mental health.
What can help make me feel strong and resilient?
Many things can support your social and emotional wellbeing and help you feel strong and connected.
These can include:
- strong social connections and a sense of belonging
- connection to family, kinship and community
- connection to culture, spirituality and ancestors
- connection to Country and place
- looking after your body, mind and emotions
Other important strengths can include:
- self-determination — having a voice in decisions that affect you
- strong community leadership
- sharing culture, stories and traditions with others
All these things are connected and can support healing, resilience and wellbeing.
Drawing strength from family, friends, Elders and community can help you stay connected and supported through life's challenges.
What factors can affect my social and emotional wellbeing?
Many different experiences and life circumstances can affect social and emotional wellbeing. These experiences can build up over time. They can affect individuals, families and communities in different ways.
These experiences may include:
- grief and loss — Sorry Business
- separation from family, culture and identity
- violence or unsafe environments
It can also include:
- financial stress and social disadvantage
- physical health problems
- alcohol and other drug problems
- involvement with the justice system
- racism and social exclusion
Experiences of racism and discrimination can have a significant impact on wellbeing and may contribute to feelings like:
- stress
- anxiety
- sadness
- psychological distress
The Stolen Generations
Since colonisation, government policies and church missions led to the forced removal of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their Families, Communities and Cultures. Many children were placed in institutions and foster homes and also adopted into non-Indigenous families.
These children are known as the Stolen Generations.
The full number of children removed is not known. The impacts of the Stolen Generations is widespread across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In some families, multiple generations of children were removed.
The forced removal of children disrupted important cultural, spiritual and family connections. Most children and their families experienced:
- trauma
- abuse
- racism
- loss of identity and belonging
The effects of the Stolen Generations continue to impact survivors, descendants, families and communities today. This is known as intergenerational trauma.
In 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologised to the Stolen Generations on behalf of the Australian Parliament.
What can I do to improve my social and emotional well-being?
There are many things you can do to improve and support your social and emotional wellbeing. This includes:
- spending time with family, friends and people who support you
- valuing your culture, spirituality and identity
- taking part in cultural, spiritual or community activities that help you feel connected
- spending time outdoors to connect with nature and Country
- looking after your mind and emotions
- looking after your body and physical health
Looking after yourself can help you to:
- stay strong — be physically and emotionally well
- stay connected with your body, mind, family, community and culture
- be better able to support your family and community
Your mind and emotions
To support your mind and emotions, you can:
- talk to someone you trust
- be kind to yourself
- take time to rest and relax
- acknowledge and express your feelings
Your body and physical health
To look after your body, you can:
- eat nourishing food
- try to get enough sleep
- stay active in ways that feel good to you
- try to avoid using smoking, alcohol or drugs to cope with stress or difficult feelings
Getting help — yarning about your social and emotional wellbeing
If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harming yourself or others, call triple zero (000). To talk to someone now, call 13YARN on 13 92 76, Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or Lifeline on13 11 14.
When life feels overwhelming, it is normal to experience:
If these feelings start to affect your daily life, extra support may help.
Other signs that extra support could help include:
- feeling ongoing sadness
- having persistent low moods
- feeling constantly worried, stressed or overwhelmed
If you feel like you need support, healing or someone to talk to, there are people and services available.
A good place to start may be:
- your local doctor (GP)
- an Elder or another trusted support person
- a counsellor
- a social and emotional wellbeing worker
- an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker
- an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO)
- an Aboriginal Health Service or other culturally safe support service
Before talking about what you are experiencing, it may help to write down your feelings, symptoms and worries. This can help you feel more comfortable explaining what you are going through.
With the right support, many people find ways to recover and strengthen their social and emotional wellbeing. This support can include talk therapy and spiritual healing.
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNethas information on traditional spiritual healing. You can also find local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health and wellbeing services through HealthInfoNet.
If you are thinking about suicide or harming yourself, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. To talk to someone now, call 13YARN on 13 92 76, Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Resources and support
If you need support, you can visit the 13YARN website or call on 13 92 76. 13YARN is a national crisis support and suicide intervention service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 13YARN is free 24/7, 365 days of the year. It is a culturally safe service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
There are also other culturally safe services and organisations that can help:
- Counselling Online — free online counselling and support for people affected by alcohol or other drugs. Call 1800 888 236 or chat online.
- Lifeline Australia— 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention. Call 13 11 14 or chat online.
- Dardi Munwurro Brother to Brother — a 24/7 crisis line for Aboriginal men needing support with wellbeing, family, relationships or other challenges. Call 1800 435 799.
Visit your local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) or Aboriginal Medical Service for culturally safe health and wellbeing support. You can find an ACCHO near you on the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) website.
Online wellbeing resources
For more support, visit these websites:
- WellMob Healing Our Way — social, emotional and cultural wellbeing resources created for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Proppa Deadly — First Nations people sharing stories, experiences and support around mental health and wellbeing.
- Beyond Blue — information and support for anxiety, depression and mental health.
- Medicare Mental Health — trusted Australian mental health information and support services.
- HealthInfoNet — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health and wellbeing information and resources.
You can also visit the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia website for resources about social and emotional wellbeing. Gayaa Dhuwi is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention.
Resources and support for children and young people
The following resources are suitable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people:
- ReachOut Australia — online support, information and forums for young people aged 14–25 years.
- Yarn Safe by headspace — online support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples aged 12–25 years.
- Kids Helpline — free counselling for children and young people aged 5–25 years. Call 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.