Help at hand for those in need

Two young Rockingham locals have banded together to spread the message: Seeking help for mental health issues is not weak.

Waikiki resident Nic White’s battle with depression started at the age of seven, when his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Mr White, 22, said the news made him angry and as he got older his frustrations fuelled his depression.

He sought the help of a psychiatrist, but found it did not work because he felt judged.

“I didn’t like feeling like a random,” he said.

He became heavily reliant on anti-depressants which did not deal with the root of the problem.

The weight of his mental health came to a head in 2010 when he seriously considered taking his own life.

Fortunately for Mr White a friend became his support and told him “to take the blinkers off ” and write a list of all the people important in his life.

That list was Mr White’s saving grace because it was the proof he needed to realise his life was worth living.

He then sought further medical help to regulate his medication and saw a counsellor.

About two years ago he weaned himself off the medication and discovered rugby was an ideal way to channel his aggression.

Mr White said he was still dealing with his depression but believed it was his support network which saved him.

He said Rockingham Headspace was an inviting and welcoming space where people should feel comfortable opening up to counsellors and he recommended people give the service a chance.

“It’s very important that people take that first step to get help because the dark thoughts build up.

“You need to learn how to let the frustration and feelings out without harm.

“It takes more guts to be honest than to struggle alone. Saying ‘I need help’ is not a weakness.

“Depression is not something the body is designed to deal with.”

As a member of Rockingham City’s Youth Advisory Council and Youth Reference Group, Mr White met fellow member 18-year-old Brix Ottaway, who has depression, anxiety and insomnia.

The Warnbro teenager believes her mental health issues stemmed from childhood, when her parents split after moving to WA.

She said as a seven-year-old trying to escape the reality of her family life, she found solace in the pages of her favourite books, the Harry Potter series.

“I have always thought of depression similar to a dementor, from Harry Potter.

They are dark evil creatures which eat at a person’s happiness until there is nothing left,” she said. “That’s exactly what depression does. It eats away at your happiness, little by little.”

Miss Ottaway said depression was hard to deal with because it crept up on people suddenly.

She said her state of depression elevated to a scary level about a year ago when one night, alone, she went into a trance and lost track of what she was doing, and was shocked to find herself standing by her pool, with a foot in the water.

“I don’t remember leaving my seat or walking outside but I know what I was going to do and I will never be in that place again,” Miss Ottaway said.

“I was completely alone, no friends, I didn’t feel comfortable talking to my family, my psychology sessions had ended, I didn’t have a job and felt lost.”

She said that night was the turning point. From there she found something to focus on and threw herself into volunteering and her university studies, just as Mr White channelled his frustrations into sport.

“What gets me through the day is being able to help others but I know that sometimes I must put myself first,” Miss Ottaway said.

“I now know what I can and can’t do — I know my limits and my strengths.”

Miss Ottoway’s advice to other’s struggling with mental illness is to seek the help available.

For support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, BeyondBlue 1300 224 636 or Headspace on 1800 650 890.