Chris’ Story

I have suffered the dreaded D word, depression, since 1994, but wasn’t diagnosed until about 1996.

Back then I had no idea what I was going through. In those dreadful days, before I got help, I would kiss my wife goodbye and head off to work, not knowing if I would return. I would drive two hours to an auction and cry for those two hours. I’d be a gibbering mess, but then I’d get up an auctioneer and do my bit, happy as Larry, and then hop in the car and the same thing would happen on my way home. I knew something wasn’t right. The first time I attempted or thought about suicide was in about 1998.

My help-seeking began when I started noticing that I wasn’t in the best physical or mental state, I was 174 kilos, and had high blood pressure, so I visited my local doctor. After I nearly broke down answering some of his questions after a few visits, he diagnosed my feelings as Depression and started me on medication. It hit me that what I was feeling had been doing a pretty damn good job eating me away mentally and putting dark thoughts in my head.

This is when I rang that vital number. I had always heard of 13 11 14, Lifeline’s crisis number, but I had done nothing about it. After I made the call to Lifeline, my life changed from there. There was something around the corner and that little bit of light was there.

I am now a better person and am living life to the max. I have my physical health as well as the once dreaded D word under control. I always remind myself about it, I had depression but with the help of friends, family, a good doctor and the good Lord, I got through it. The main reason I share my story is to help others out there who may be feeling like I was, I want to say: “Hang in there and be strong.”

Georgia Ongarezos is the youngest person to complete a solo crossing from Rottnest Island in the dark of night, achieving the feat in late 2020 and raising more than $13,000 for Lifeline WA in the process.

The accomplished swimmer was motivated to support Lifeline WA by her own struggle with depression, which had seen her stop training entirely.

Recognising how many of her peers were fighting the same darkness, she conceived the idea of the night swim to help shine a light on the importance of mental health.

“I counted 22 people I know that have a mental illness or are suffering as a consequence of loved ones with mental illnesses and this broke my heart,” Georgia says.

“I decided to swim in the darkness from Rottnest to Perth to inspire those who are struggling at the moment and feel like they are in darkness.”

For Georgia, Lifeline WA’s importance is in the lifeboat it represents for people lost in the currents of mental health issues.

“It gives me such peace of mind to know that if any of the people I love are struggling and reach out to Lifeline for help, their lives are more likely to be saved,” she says.

Even up to the night of the swim, Georgia was in a depressive state behind the smile she presented to the world.

“I didn’t realise that the tunnel I was in was still extremely dark and to be honest I hadn’t found the light yet,” she recalls.

But coming ashore at Cottesloe Beach as dawn broke was a turning point for her mental health, and she has a message for others who are struggling.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel, and you can get there if you believe in yourself,” she says.

Since completing the swim, Georgia has continued to fundraise and advocate for Lifeline WA in the community.

Retired cricketer Brad Hogg has achieved a sporting success level that would envious many Australians.

Raised on a sheep farm in the Great Southern region, Brad rose from the Tarwonga Cricket Club to represent Australia as a wrist spin bowler and batsman.

He excelled at all formats of the game, ranking second among spin bowlers in wickets taken in One Day International cricket and achieving cult hero status as part of the fledgling Big Bash League in the 2010s.

However, retirement from cricket presented a difficult challenge for Brad. The loss of identity as a professional athlete, combined with issues in his personal life, resulted in Brad’s mental health declining. Brad says he compounded the problem by hiding it behind a forced smile and trademark self-deprecation.

“While I went through my stuff, I didn’t really talk to anyone about it. I just kept it inside myself and didn’t really express it,” he says. “I just didn’t see the answers, and all I could see was doom and gloom.”

Brad didn’t access resources like Lifeline WA when he needed help, and now he’s motivated to spread the word about Lifeline WA so others don’t make the same mistake.

“When you go down into a little bit of a spiral and things aren’t going right, if you don’t address them straight away then the hole just gets bigger,” he says.

Speaking publicly about his experience of depression for the first time was difficult, but Brad sees it as necessary.

“The first time I spoke, I was really nervous, but when I realised I could help at least one or 10 or 100 people, I felt better about it,” he says. “I hope that normalising life’s struggles and encouraging people to be open makes an impact.”

His message for people who are struggling is simple. “For me, it’s about talking it out and getting open with it when you start to see things aren’t going right. There are resources out there like Lifeline WA to help you.”