Discussion Struggling with Mental Health (Call Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), Lifeline (131 114))

Jeez, that’s awful Saintos. Hope you’ve got someone you can talk to.
So sorry.

Thanks mate I’m fine. Haven’t seen him for a while and it’s rattled me a fair bit to be honest.
Our group is talking and that’s how you get through.
 

mightymalaka

What we have here is a failure to communicate!
May 7, 2018
8,856
26,809
Road to Nowhere
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St Kilda
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My deepest condolences too Saintos! Hang in there man...Good your group is talking! Tis very important!
This checking out business is completely out of control, almost plague proportions! especially in this country!
I've been through that horrible feeling of both thinking about it myself and seeing a handful of close to very close friends and family
Tragically take this path! Its soul destroying but you've got the right idea man by keeping the dialogue open!

For so many years i carried the load on my own shoulders, never once daring to talk about it through fear that by doing so would validate the feeling
Therefore making it seem somehow easier to deny alltogether! Or worse still beginning to contemplate that it's even an option at any stage!
It's just downright scary as to why so many are ultimately choosing to take this path! If you need to talk man....I'm here just PM me!

My old group or what's left of it still don't talk about it! With myself being the chief of denial and constantly running!
Finally i'm just tired of always running and not getting s**t sorted so eventually it all just spewed out of me!
Luckily i had enormous support around me that tbh i never even new existed or even contemplated seeking out!
Ever since then i have found that even in the most unusual places ( like a footy forum ) of all places, that people from all walks of life
will surprise you with their depth of understanding and help clear the demon fog from your mind!

Once i spoke about it out loud, twas incredible how the primal instinct of survival and love for life kicked in!
When people are silent as i was for so many years, it gets darker and darker in your own solitude to the extent it becomes a possibility
That one can begin to even entertain the thought!

Stay strong brother! That wicked sense of humour of yours will serve you well!
 
My deepest condolences too Saintos! Hang in there man...Good your group is talking! Tis very important!
This checking out business is completely out of control, almost plague proportions! especially in this country!
I've been through that horrible feeling of both thinking about it myself and seeing a handful of close to very close friends and family
Tragically take this path! Its soul destroying but you've got the right idea man by keeping the dialogue open!

For so many years i carried the load on my own shoulders, never once daring to talk about it through fear that by doing so would validate the feeling
Therefore making it seem somehow easier to deny alltogether! Or worse still beginning to contemplate that it's even an option at any stage!
It's just downright scary as to why so many are ultimately choosing to take this path! If you need to talk man....I'm here just PM me!

My old group or what's left of it still don't talk about it! With myself being the chief of denial and constantly running!
Finally i'm just tired of always running and not getting s**t sorted so eventually it all just spewed out of me!
Luckily i had enormous support around me that tbh i never even new existed or even contemplated seeking out!
Ever since then i have found that even in the most unusual places ( like a footy forum ) of all places, that people from all walks of life
will surprise you with their depth of understanding and help clear the demon fog from your mind!

Once i spoke about it out loud, twas incredible how the primal instinct of survival and love for life kicked in!
When people are silent as i was for so many years, it gets darker and darker in your own solitude to the extent it becomes a possibility
That one can begin to even entertain the thought!

Stay strong brother! That wicked sense of humour of yours will serve you well!

Unfortunately mate we’re getting better at dealing with it for the simple reason we’re getting more experienced at dealing with it.
I’m actually at the stage where I feel happy for them in a way that they no longer have to deal with whatever demons they are battling and are now at peace.
 

VDS66

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 4, 2011
21,166
55,141
AFL Club
St Kilda
My deepest condolences too Saintos! Hang in there man...Good your group is talking! Tis very important!
This checking out business is completely out of control, almost plague proportions! especially in this country!
I've been through that horrible feeling of both thinking about it myself and seeing a handful of close to very close friends and family
Tragically take this path! Its soul destroying but you've got the right idea man by keeping the dialogue open!

For so many years i carried the load on my own shoulders, never once daring to talk about it through fear that by doing so would validate the feeling
Therefore making it seem somehow easier to deny alltogether! Or worse still beginning to contemplate that it's even an option at any stage!
It's just downright scary as to why so many are ultimately choosing to take this path! If you need to talk man....I'm here just PM me!

My old group or what's left of it still don't talk about it! With myself being the chief of denial and constantly running!
Finally i'm just tired of always running and not getting s**t sorted so eventually it all just spewed out of me!
Luckily i had enormous support around me that tbh i never even new existed or even contemplated seeking out!
Ever since then i have found that even in the most unusual places ( like a footy forum ) of all places, that people from all walks of life
will surprise you with their depth of understanding and help clear the demon fog from your mind!

Once i spoke about it out loud, twas incredible how the primal instinct of survival and love for life kicked in!
When people are silent as i was for so many years, it gets darker and darker in your own solitude to the extent it becomes a possibility
That one can begin to even entertain the thought!

Stay strong brother! That wicked sense of humour of yours will serve you well!
I raised your experience in a conversation the other day when talking about kids who had s**t parents.

He agreed with my view that what you did was the right thing for your kid at the time.

We also discussed the importance of focus and purpose moving forward.

For me it ultimately came down to how I wanted to be remembered by my kids and getting my s**t together so I could be a proper role model and ensure they took the right path.

Once I had that clarity, I was able to move forward with conviction.
 

St Muir

All Australian
Oct 18, 2018
797
3,128
AFL Club
St Kilda
In the Kimberley region, suicide by hanging has become so normalised that kids play hanging in the school yards.
One of the responses of Government to suicide has been to make it far more difficult to kill yourself, especially with prescription drugs. Hence the often violent deaths through hanging, trains, trucks etc. Very sadly, innocent drivers are drawn into these tragic events and often suffer mental illness themselves.
Another response has been to dampen media reporting of suicide, to lessen copy cat.
Neither approach has been successful but I don’t blame Government for that, I don’t think they are capable of resolving this issue.
I don’t have the answers either but across all of humanity we do. One random act of kindness a day can change this.
 
I'd assume everyone knows the ongoing mental issue Steven is facing at the moment, I'm making this post because I have seen some disgraceful comments made in social media and in-person (facebook, IG, Twitter, etc...) If any of you guys see any degrading or any smartass comments towards Steven or Mental illness please don't hesitate to reply back or reporting, the outside world needs to understand that this issue isn't simple, it's easy to say move on but it takes much more than moving on.

I have seen/heard some comments such as "He's probably on drugs, mental illness is just a cover-up", "I can imagine why he is depressed, after all, he plays for St Kilda, let's not even talk about their supporters".
 
Jun 5, 2007
10,175
15,225
AFL Club
Geelong
I'd assume everyone knows the ongoing mental issue Steven is facing at the moment, I'm making this post because I have seen some disgraceful comments made in social media and in-person (facebook, IG, Twitter, etc...) If any of you guys see any degrading or any smartass comments towards Steven or Mental illness please don't hesitate to reply back or reporting, the outside world needs to understand that this issue isn't simple, it's easy to say move on but it takes much more than moving on.

I have seen/heard some comments such as "He's probably on drugs, mental illness is just a cover-up", "I can imagine why he is depressed, after all, he plays for St Kilda, let's not even talk about their supporters".
Knowing the family as we have my wife said when Jack started that she hoped he could be mentally strong as there had been some family history. Then we all saw his ongoing fantastic success and were so pleased for him.

This is a truly awful situation for him, his family and fans. But he is a great kid, he is strong and will pull through.And by geez there are some absolute dickwads on social media, others can be sickening.

Delete if not appropriate.
 

St Muir

All Australian
Oct 18, 2018
797
3,128
AFL Club
St Kilda
I’m giving this a bump as the Jack Steven issue is getting a bit weird and is better served by looking at the mental health aspect separately from trade possibilities.

I’ve always thought depression should have another name. Unless you’ve experienced depression, you tend to think of it as feeling depressed. At least I did.

Truth is, that it is a lot different to that. It infects everything. It f..... up your mind, your feelings, your self esteem. Your relationships, your job. Everything. You will do anything to get away from it but can’t decide how. You’re running from your own shadow.

I’ve been in decision making roles much of my adult life. One of the extreme reactions I noticed with depression was how that skill completely deserted me. I learned to analyse and consult more to compensate but that capacity to make ‘instinctive’ calls took many months to return.

Jack Steven will be going through that and then some when thinking about his future.
 

VDS66

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 4, 2011
21,166
55,141
AFL Club
St Kilda
I’m giving this a bump as the Jack Steven issue is getting a bit weird and is better served by looking at the mental health aspect separately from trade possibilities.

I’ve always thought depression should have another name. Unless you’ve experienced depression, you tend to think of it as feeling depressed. At least I did.

Truth is, that it is a lot different to that. It infects everything. It f..... up your mind, your feelings, your self esteem. Your relationships, your job. Everything. You will do anything to get away from it but can’t decide how. You’re running from your own shadow.

I’ve been in decision making roles much of my adult life. One of the extreme reactions I noticed with depression was how that skill completely deserted me. I learned to analyse and consult more to compensate but that capacity to make ‘instinctive’ calls took many months to return.

Jack Steven will be going through that and then some when thinking about his future.
Good call. Was thinking the same last night.

Any chance we can sticky this thread George?
 
R U OK?

Talk to someone or hit us up with a PM.

Hope you're all good too mate, I know there's been some changes in your work life recently.
 
Jun 5, 2007
10,175
15,225
AFL Club
Geelong
My missus has had severe depression all of her life that comes in debilitating waves. She has a brilliant but flawed mind and it is awful to witness her down in the black hole. For anyone out there who has any form of mental illness or is with someone who has mental illness you have my love. This insidious disease is a prick of a thing, and of course as it is not visible too often it is seen as a copout.
 

St Muir

All Australian
Oct 18, 2018
797
3,128
AFL Club
St Kilda
My missus has had severe depression all of her life that comes in debilitating waves. She has a brilliant but flawed mind and it is awful to witness her down in the black hole. For anyone out there who has any form of mental illness or is with someone who has mental illness you have my love. This insidious disease is a prick of a thing, and of course as it is not visible too often it is seen as a copout.
It’s great to see you hanging in there for her mate. Depression is very hard on partners and many relationships don’t make it. She is blessed to have you.
 
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