For much of the lifetimes of most of us it hasn't been that way.

By its very nature, poor mental health has created a type of illness that was hidden away.

Societal pressures and expectations and even taboos meant that those who have struggled have had to do so in isolation.

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And it's the cruelty of the illness that this in turn exacerbated the symptoms, the experience and so often the unlikelihood of reaching a better place, a far better state of mind.

The stigma of the disease that in turn so often led to the tragedy of something with an even greater stigma, suicide, is what made it all appear so insurmountable.

But that has changed markedly in recent years.

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We are now more comfortable with talking about mental illness, about talking honestly about the spectre of suicide and about working out solutions that help people right across our community create connections that give many light where before there was only dark.

A major step down this enlightened path came with the Border's hard work to secure a headspace youth mental health service.

The unit is now celebrating its fifth anniversary, a tremendous achievement and of course just the start of an enduring partnership with the wider community.

headspace's Bree Cross has made the extremely important point that mental health is not always about illness; it's also about fun.

This was the focus of the service's celebrations in Wodonga on Friday and should also remind us all of what is, after all, the continuing goal for those afflicted and for those wanting to provide whatever support they can.

When your mental health is suffering, you want things to be better even if you don't know how that can be achieved.

Mental illness is something that will always be with us, that can affect anyone, so we all need to be willing to play our role in the journey.