TYING up the black dog of depression is a cause very much at the heart of this year's Mental Health Week activities.

For Goondiwindi woman Mary Woods, tying up the black dog has become a labour of love.

The co-founder of the Tie Up the Black Dog foundation shared her story at a community Q&A session for Mental Health Week on Wednesday night at the Warwick Town Hall.

Mrs Woods became a passionate rural mental health advocate in 2006 after her son David suffered several bouts of serious depression.

"He was actually quite ill - luckily for us we went off to the GP and he recovered," she said.

"18 months later he had a second episode - two and half years later it happened again."

It was her son's illness that formed the beginnings of Tie Up the Black Dog.

Mrs Woods said she realised that community awareness and understanding of mental health was poor in regional areas.

The foundation has travelled across regional Australian hosting community forums with mental health professionals.

"We've kept to the small communities where help isn't readily available," she said.

"In bush communities it's difficult for men particularly to admit something isn't right and put up their hands to say they need help."

Mrs Woods joined local mental health professionals from Lifeline, headspace, Queensland Health and private clinics in answering questions at the Q&A session.

The panellists faced some tough questions from the audience.

When asked how to re-engage someone who was told by health professionals they were attention-seeking, the panellists explained the challenges of the admission process.

Child and Youth Mental Health worker Melissa Mayoh told the audience admission was a hard process for everyone involved.

"Admissions to a psychiatric unit are bloody hard - very hard for the patient, very hard for the family," she said.

"Really there is no answer on how we will get people to re-engage - we do our admission process the best way we know how."

Condamine Assist mental health support worker Kathryn Walton said collaboration was important for re-engaging.

"If we can work more collaboratively we can cover all the bases," she said.

Answering a question about getting mental health information, Mrs Woods described the Internet as one of the most powerful tools.

"There is so much that can be learnt online," she said.

"We always try to encourage people to use those resources."

Tie Up the Black Dog is bringing a community mental health forum to Stanthorpe in November.

The event on November 18 will include a Q&A session and guest speakers.