Content warning: mentions of suicide. If you are affected by this or anything brought up in this article, you can call, chat, or text Lifeline.
While the conversation about mental health becomes more open and honest, the statistics for men’s mental health in particular are still very frightening. According to Beyond Blue, approximately six men lost their life to suicide each day across Australia in 2022, which was three times as many women.
Gotcha4Life founder, Gus Worland, spoke to Britt and Laura on Life Uncut podcast about the steps you can take to help those in your life who may be struggling with their mental health.
The breakfast radio and television host urged friends and family who are reaching out to affected loved ones to let them know that they are not alone. “Worrying alone about things gives us really bad outcomes. Once someone shares it, then everything just gets a bit calmer, and then you can get on the road to recovery.”
While the first step is to ask if someone is okay, it’s not always easy to know what to do next. Worland suggests to ask if they are feeling suicidal – if the answer is yes, take them to the emergency room at your nearest hospital. If not, then take them to a GP – here they can get help with creating a mental health plan, get connected with a mental health professional, and potentially get prescribed with medication.
The importance of bravery to speak up about mental health issues plus the vulnerability to have open and honest conversations is reiterated in the episode, in the hope for a mentally healthier future. You can listen to the full episode on Life Uncut below.
