Written by Rachel Harding
Australian olympic diver Matthew Mitcham (@matthew_mitcham) spoke openly about his battle with depression and substance abuse yesterday at the North Brisbane Mental Health Community Resources Expo.
Mitcham said being open about his mental health and sexuality has had a profound effect on his self esteem and career.
Mitcham showing the crowd another one of his amazing talents at North Brisbane Community Resource Expo
“The more I share my story, the more we all share our stories, the more it helps to break down stigma surrounding mental health that prevented me from reaching out when I was a teenager,” he said.
“I cannot stress enough how important it is to reach out as a first resort rather than a last resort like I did.”
Mitcham said he has lived with depression and substance abuse since being a teenager, but only in recent years sought the help he needed.
“Drugs and alcohol were once a negative influence on my life, but now they’re a positive influence because I get to share my story and help others with their mental health,” he said.
“My idea of a good role model is someone who learns from their mistakes, not someone who doesn’t make mistakes because let’s face it, that is unrealistic,” he said.
Queensland Reds player Curtis Browning (@curtis_browning) is also an ambassador for mental health who attended the event on the October 10.
Browning said playing sport and keeping active help him to stay mentally healthy.
Promoting mental health in sport leads to healthier and happier minds for sporting professionals, and it also encourages people with mental health conditions to become more physically active.
Exercise physiologist Alex Magee (@GreenAppleQLD) said exercise can provide a lot of complimentary benefits for everyone, such as increased energy levels and quality of sleep, and is also known to treat mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
“Exercise is a main treatment modality for helping to alleviate symptoms of depression by helping people get more involved in social activities and boosting energy,” Magee said.
Magee said this research also shows that exercise makes people more resistant to stress, increases cognitive levels, and can help in thinking more clearly and to learn faster.
“If you’re not doing any exercise at the moment, even if you can just start with ten minutes, a couple of times a week, that is a really great thing to be doing,” Magee said.
“From there you’re going to find you’re getting some really good benefits of feeling happier, sleeping better and having more energy,” he said.
If you require urgent assistance, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Talkin' About Mental Health 