For Millie Moody, the past fortnight has felt like the same day on repeat.
The 22-year-old Canberra student wakes up within the same four walls — a room that has become her office and university classroom.
But apart from just being repetitive, Millie said the monotony of life in lockdown had brought on feelings much worse than boredom.
"Lockdown's had a detrimental impact on my mental health," Millie said.
Reaching out for help means facing 'astronomical' wait times
Millie said the general tone from her friends was one of "worry and uncertainty" and that asking for help in Canberra at the moment meant joining a queue.
"I have a psychologist that I do see, but even though I'm a patient with her, the wait times are astronomical because everyone's trying to get an appointment with any psychologist they can," she said.
"I've also had friends try to go onto a mental health care plan to try to see a psychologist and they've told me there's months of waiting until they can even have their first appointment."
"I think a lot of the heavy lifting for young people with mental illness at the moment is coming from other people our age, posting online and reaching out to friends."
Samantha Gill is the mental health programs manager with CatholicCare Canberra and has seen a dramatic increase in young people struggling with mental illness during the territory's lockdown.
"We're seeing mental health that is deteriorating.
"[They are] feeling uncertain. It's the unknown of: 'Where to from here?' and our message to them is we are going to stay connected with you. You are not alone."
Children as young as 12 being treated for mental health issues
She added that children as young as 12-years of age were presenting with "social anxiety and depression" and that there had also been a spike in family difficulties and relationship breakdowns.
Ms Gill's services currently support 62 young Canberrans, but she said the wait list was growing.
Ms Gill said CatholicCare was checking in with those people once a fortnight but their appointments could be eight months away.
Meanwhile, a relatively new service, Headspace Tuggeranong, has capacity to take some new appointments within the same week, but service manager Sandi McGowan has noticed a counterintuitive trend.
"We've actually noticed a dramatic drop-off in referrals, but aside from that, all our existing clients have transitioned really well into Telehealth appointments," Ms McGowan said.
"The majority of our referrals come from young people themselves, as well as family and friends."
And Ms McGowan said she had particular concern for young people who relied heavily on social interactions at school.
"They're restricted to whoever would be in their household."
As for Millie, while the ongoing lockdown has been a mental struggle, she has found solace in the few activities she is permitted.
"I love being able to go for my hour of exercise outside and sometimes I try to sneak in a workout on the balcony as well," Millie said.
"And it's lovely to be able to connect with friends online, but then I find if I spend too much time online, that goes the other way and has [mental health impacts]."
Local services that can help
Headspace Canberra has psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and support workers who can help young people aged 12-25.
Headspace Tuggeranong is a relatively new centre that currently has capacity to book Telehealth appointments in the same week.
CatholicCare ACT and Goulburn, which has recently merged with Marymead, has a Youth & Wellbeing outreach service for ACT young people aged 12-25 who are struggling with moderate to severe mental illness. However, waiting lists are about six months long at the moment.
The Messengers Program in Tuggeranong is an arts-based mental health service for young people aged nine-25.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is an ACT government-run service that treats children under the age of 18 who are experiencing moderate to severe mental illness. A number of parents have told the ABC they were unable to get their children appointments with CAMHS during lockdown.
Meridian Youth has support for LGBTIQA+ people aged 15-25 in the ACT.
Parents and young people should also consider what mental health support is available through their schools, universities and workplaces.
And people may even choose to pay for a private psychologist who is independent of the ACT government and community organisations.
