CHASING
SILENCE
The silent numbers.
teenagers self-harm every year in Australia. By age 17, 26% of girls and 9% of boys have self-harmed. Emergency department visits for girls aged 13–17 are up 47% since COVID.
Australians are affected by eating disorders — including 1.1 million living with one and 4.4 million carers and family members. Australia has the highest rate of eating disorders in the world.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 5–17 and 15–24. 65% of repeat self-harmers attempt suicide before turning 18.
of all mental health conditions emerge before age 25. Nearly half begin by age 14. 1 in 4 young Australians currently live with a mental health disorder.
THE EPIDEMIC
1.1 million Australians live with an eating disorder. Over 4 million family members are left struggling to make sense of the silence.
THE COST
Eating disorders have the highest death rate of all mental illnesses in Australia. Rapid intervention is a matter of life and death.
THE CYCLE
10% of teens self-harm every year. It becomes an addictive cycle where physical pain provides the only relief they trust.
THE TRAGEDY
Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 5–17. 65% of repeat self-harmers attempt suicide before they turn 18.
Something is breaking inside Australian homes.
Behind “I’m fine” is a teenager who’s starving themselves, hurting themselves, or going completely silent. For them, pain isn’t the problem—it’s the only way to feel anything at all.
Chasing Silence asks every parent: if your child needed help right now, would they feel safe enough to ask you? Help us get this film into every Australian home, for free.
"This film isn’t for teenagers, it’s for parents. It's about helping them spot the signs early and act before silence turns to tragedy."— TIM ELWIN, DIRECTOR
LIVE HAPPINESS
INDEX
This real-time word cloud reveals the top sources of happiness shared by people around the world!
See if your’s make the cut!