Men’s Health Week has just passed, and I’ve spent the week sitting with a heavy heart.
I recently sat down with local police to talk about the heartbreak unfolding in our region.
Three men, good men, are gone. They were fathers, brothers, friends. They were farmers. And they were deeply loved.
We asked each other the same question everyone asks after the fact: was it the drought? The financial pressure? The rising cost of doing business? Was it the emergency services levy or the long hospital wait times?
The truth is, it was none of those things and all of them.
It’s when the weight stacks up so high, the light at the end of the tunnel fades. And when that light disappears, it can feel impossible to find a way forward on your own.
This week, in the face of that despair, we took action.
With the help of some good people, we have secured funds to make sure local mental health advocate Ivan Lister can keep doing what he does best. Showing up. Quietly, consistently, without red tape or fanfare. Just being there when it matters most.
It is not conventional, but it works. And right now, we need more of that.
Men’s Health Week may be over, but the conversation cannot stop.
We need to keep checking in. Keep breaking the silence.
You are not weak for asking for help. You are strong for doing so. You are not alone, and you are needed.
If you or anyone you know needs help:
- Ivan Lister: 0474 501 406
- Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
- Lifeline on 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
- Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
- Headspace on 1800 650 890