• Shop

    Rep The Cause, Break The Stigma.

    #ITAINTWEAKTOSPEAK
    Shop Women
    • New Arrivals
    • T-Shirts
    • Accessories
    • Sale
    • View All
    • Sponsor a conversation
    Shop Men
    • New Arrivals
    • T-Shirts
    • Accessories
    • Sale
    • View All
    Shop Kids
    • New Arrivals
    • T-Shirts
    • Accessories
    • Sale
    • View All
    Customer Support
    • Order enquiries & returns
    • Help Desk & FAQ's
    • Shipping policy
  • Help Us

    Rep The Cause, Break The Stigma.

    #ITAINTWEAKTOSPEAK
    Donate
    • Donate to LIVIN
    • Regular Donation
    • One-Off Donation
    • Workplace Giving
    • Leaving a Gift in your Will
    Fundraise
    • Create your own
    • Join an Event
    • In Celebration
    • In Memory
    Volunteer
    • Volunteer for LIVIN
  • Book Now

    Rep The Cause, Break The Stigma.

    #ITAINTWEAKTOSPEAK
    Face to Face Programs
    • LIVINWell In Work
    • LIVINWell In School
    • LIVINWell In Sport/Community
    Online Programs
    • e-learning Mental Health Awareness Program
  • LIVIN Hub

    Rep The Cause, Break The Stigma.

    #ITAINTWEAKTOSPEAK
    Facts & Guides
    • Depression
    • Anxiety
    • Addiction & Substance Use Disorder
    • Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Other Mental Health Conditions
    Media & Events
    • Podcasts
    • News & Blogs
    • Upcoming Events
    • Your Stories
    • Past Events
    Seeking Help
    • When & where to seek help
    • Find a Professional
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Forum
    Resources
    • Downloadable Fact Sheets
    • LIVIN App download
    • Newsletter Signup
  • About Us

    Rep The Cause, Break The Stigma.

    #ITAINTWEAKTOSPEAK

    • About Us
    • Our Values
    • Our Impact
    • Our Partners
    • Media Enquiries
    • Contact Us
Donate
  1. Home
  2. Your Stories
  3. My story – By Craig

Your Stories

My story – By Craig

4 Minutes Read | Posted in LIVIN | Posted during September 20, 2018

668.

By itself that is an innocuous number. But when I tell you that is how many people took their own lives in the past year in New Zealand it has a lot more meaning.

That is 668 people that thought that they couldn’t carry on.

That is 668 people that thought they couldn’t ask for help.

This is also a number that has been increasing over the past four years. We are now at an all-time high of suicides within New Zealand. Pretty sobering isn’t it?

I have been there. I know exactly what it is like to be on that precipice thinking that I couldn’t carry on and wanted to end the pain. Thankfully I didn’t. I have also seen first-hand what suicide can do to a family when friend of mine took his life. I am now here to share my story and am wanting to make conversations around mental health, especially for males, as easy as having a chat about the weather. Yes, I know it is a big goal and it will take time to break the stigma that is still around mental health in New Zealand, but something must be done.

I look at my young son and want him to grow up in a world where sticking your hand up and saying I am not okay is seen as a sign of being strong and not as a weakness as it currently is. We, as a society, must get rid of the whole toughen up, she’ll be right mentality because it just isn’t working. Personally, I think the way we begin to make it easier for those in need to speak up is by looking out for those around us. Family, friends, team mates, neighbour’s and work colleagues are a great place to start and if you notice something is wrong with them trust your instincts and have a conversation. An Are you OK? chat can save a life. I should know it saved mine.

I will always remember the day. It was the day I hit rock bottom. That day was the 13th of March 2010. It was my mother’s birthday. Things had been piling on top of me for some months and I was at breaking point. I had been putting on a show to those around me and they didn’t know the internal turmoil that I was going through. I was at a point where I thought I was a burden to everyone and that suicide would stop the pain that I was putting my family through. My are you OK? question came from my brother. It may not sound like much, but it is all that it took for me to stop and think and realise that, in fact, no I am not okay. It is a simple question, but it is also a powerful one.

Yes, the 10th of March was the day I hit rock bottom, but I look back now and can say it is also the day that my new life started. I had come to the realisation that I was not well and needed help. The hardest part of my journey back to being mentally well again was to take that first step and actually ask for help. Us blokes are great at the whole harden up and she’ll be right attitude but that is an archaic way of thinking. It is no good to anyone especially someone who is in the grips of depression. I went to counselling and from those conversations and opening up I was able to pick up the tools to help me deal with the ups and downs that life throws at us.

It was also around this point that a childhood hero of mine had begun speaking about his lifelong battle with depression and how physical activity helps him with his mental well-being. So, I thought if it worked for an All Black great then surely it could work for me. I brought a pair of trainers and I took up running. And you know what? I started to feel alive again. I know there is science about what was going on but to me it was simple I had found something that I was passionate about. I can honestly say that being physically active has helped me get to the person I am today.

I have learnt a lot about myself over my journey with the most important thing being that we must look inward and be brave enough to say that I am not okay when things are tough. It was the hardest thing for me to do and I won’t be in the minority when I say that this is what I struggled with the most. We find it easy to fix other people but when it comes to ourselves we don’t want to be seen as being weak by asking for help. If we can make conversations around our mental well-being part of everyday life we will be making it so much easier for those to speak up and say I am not okay. The team at LIVIN are doing an amazing job at making this a reality and I look forward to seeing them continue the awesome work.

Craig.

For more on Craig’s story, click here, to check out his video.

If you are struggling and need to speak to someone, visit our Get Help Page for organisations who can help.

#ItAintWeakToSpeak

Leave a comment

More ways to keep up to date:

Join the newsletter:

Keep up to date with everything LIVIN – news, podcasts, events, tips, products, and special discounts.

Want to get involved?

Buy apparel
Donate
Fundraising
Volunteer

Get more from the blog

    • About Us
    • Shop
    • Podcasts
    • Depression
    • Anxiety
    • Addiction & Substance Use Disorder
    • Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Other Mental Health Conditions
    • Seeking Help
    • Find a Professional
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Forum
    • Covid-19 & Mental Health
    • Customer Support

Your Stories

Related Articles

5 Minutes Read | Posted in LIVIN

My story – By Jaynie

I’ve always felt like talking about mental health wasn’t an issue for me, there was no shame or stigma around it for m...

Continue reading
2 Minutes Read | Posted in LIVIN

My story – By Richard

My father Michael Kerrigan was a successful television director, who was the life and soul of the party and always lived life to t...

Continue reading
4 Minutes Read | Posted in LIVIN

My story- By Jye

My name is Jye, I am 30 years old. I was married for nearly 9 years and I have two girls, Lylah 7 and Evelyn 4. I served 11.5 year...

Continue reading
  • Shop

    Shop Women

    • New Arrivals
    • T-Shirts
    • Accessories
    • Sale
    • View All
    • Sponsor a conversation

    Shop Men

    • New Arrivals
    • T-Shirts
    • Accessories
    • Sale
    • View All

    Shop Kids

    • New Arrivals
    • T-Shirts
    • Accessories
    • Sale
    • View All

    Customer Support

    • Order enquiries & returns
    • Help Desk & FAQ's
    • Shipping policy
  • Help Us

    Donate

    • Donate to LIVIN
    • Regular Donation
    • One-Off Donation
    • Workplace Giving
    • Leaving a Gift in your Will

    Fundraise

    • Create your own
    • Join an Event
    • In Celebration
    • In Memory

    Volunteer

    • Volunteer for LIVIN
  • Book Now

    Face to Face Programs

    • LIVINWell In Work
    • LIVINWell In School
    • LIVINWell In Sport/Community

    Online Programs

    • e-learning Mental Health Awareness Program
  • LIVIN Hub

    Facts & Guides

    • Depression
      • Signs and symptoms?
      • What is Depression?
    • Anxiety
    • Addiction & Substance Use Disorder
    • Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Other Mental Health Conditions

    Media & Events

    • Podcasts
    • News & Blogs
    • Upcoming Events
    • Your Stories
    • Past Events

    Seeking Help

    • When & where to seek help
    • Find a Professional
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Forum

    Resources

    • Downloadable Fact Sheets
    • LIVIN App download
    • Newsletter Signup
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Our Values
    • Our Impact
    • Our Partners
    • Media Enquiries
    • Contact Us
Join the Newsletter

Keep up to date with everything LIVIN - news, podcasts, events, tips, products, and special discounts.

Connect with us
  • ABOUT US
    • #itaintweaktospeak
    • Our Values
    • Our Impact
    • Our Partners
    • Media Enquiries
    • Contact Us
  • THE FACTS
    • Depression
    • Anxiety
    • Addictions & Substance Use Disorder
    • Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Other Mental Health Conditions
  • GET HELP
    • Seeking Help
    • Find A Professional
    • Tips & Tricks
    • COVID-19 & Mental Health
  • ENGAGE
    • Book a Program
    • Fundraise
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Upcoming Events
  • LIVIN HUB
    • Podcast
    • News & Blogs
    • Your Stories
    • Upcoming Events
    • Resources
    • Customer Support
  • SITE LINKS
    • Contact
    • Donate
    • About Zip
  • SHOP
    • View All
    • Mens
    • Womens
    • Unisex
    • Kids
    • Accessories
    • Order Enquiries & Returns
    • Shipping
Head Office

Burleigh Heads, Queensland Australia 4220

Postal Address

Po Box 370, Burleigh Heads, Queensland Australia 4220

In loving memory of our friend Dwayne Lally, we miss you mate.

Donate

© 2021 LIVIN. All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Wellbeing Policy
  • Shipping Policy
  • Returns Policy

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 HELP IS ALWAYS CLOSE Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 IT AIN'T WEAK TO SPEAK Emergency: 000 Open Arms – Veterans & Families: 1800 011 046 MensLine: 1300 789 978 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 HELP IS ALWAYS CLOSE Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 IT AIN'T WEAK TO SPEAK Emergency: 000 Open Arms – Veterans & Families: 1800 011 046 MensLine: 1300 789 978 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 HELP IS ALWAYS CLOSE Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 IT AIN'T WEAK TO SPEAK Emergency: 000 Open Arms – Veterans & Families: 1800 011 046 MensLine: 1300 789 978 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 HELP IS ALWAYS CLOSE Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 IT AIN'T WEAK TO SPEAK Emergency: 000 Open Arms – Veterans & Families: 1800 011 046 MensLine: 1300 789 978