I’m pretty lucky, I had 27 years with 4 grandparents. By 28, I’ll still be lucky with 2.
July 14th, my anxiety was spiking as I was scheduled to sit my first law exam. Mum came home, tears in her eyes, I said “what’s wrong?”. She said “I don’t know if I should tell you”. “Just tell me”, I replied.
I would hope most of you are aware of the current same-sex marriage (SSM) postal vote; to be more specific, a plebiscite. A non-binding survey, used to gauge the position of the Australian electorate. The last national plebiscite was in 1977 to determine what our national song would be. The only other national plebiscites were in 1916, and 1917 regarding military service. Considering our current level of technology, the fact that this is neither mandatory, nor binding, as well as costing roughly $122 million, the question of why ‘bother with a plebiscite?’ is a reaction many have had.
Today is International Nurses Day. A day many of us wouldn’t know about.
I owe a lot to the nurses I’ve crossed paths with. In fact if any of us have ever had to experience the medical world and walk into a hospital either for ourselves, or a loved one, we owe more to the nurses we crossed paths with than we realise.
More gratitude, more appreciation, and more respect.
Graduating university; a significant achievement for some, an inevitability for others, and an impossibility for many.
I never imagined finishing university. Actually, that’s not entirely true.
Growing up, especially during high school, university was an inevitability for me. After all, that’s what you do, you go to high school, finish your exams, go to university and get a degree, and then get a job. That’s what we are taught to do, that’s the way the education system is structured. I never imaged any other path was realistic, let alone actually possible.
Today is international Women’s Day, and so to the women in my life...
Dear women,
If there’s anything I know it’s that you have had, and continue to have an immeasurable role in my life. I quite literally wouldn’t be here without you – in fact none of us would be.
Thank you for bringing me into this world, and more importantly for keeping me in it.
You have loved me when I was unlovable; you listened when no one else would.
Photos can do a lot of things. They inspire, educate, shock us, and make us think. They capture beauty, evoke fear, happiness, sadness, hope, and love. They can be a mirror of what society values, and what we would rather ignore. They can capture what words simply cannot; after all, as the saying goes – “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
...
So what do pictures have to do with mental health?
A world first occurred this week, and it didn't involve space travel, or a new species. No new records have been broken, and Taylor Swift hasn't released a new album.
This world first involves the people who risk their lives to keep us safe, day in and day out.
The Black Dog Institute and the University of New South Wales, alongside several of Australia's leading organisations and mental health professionals, have developed and released a set of guidelines specifically designed for emergency workers.
As part of the ABC's Mental As programming, Jessica Bineth interviewed both mum and dad, to help give a parents perspective on my depression. It also sheds light on how a mental illness can affect more than just the sufferer.
"He called me into his room very upset one morning and said, 'mummy my heart is black, my body is full of anger and I wish I was dead'."
Interview with Linda Morris for the The Sydney Morning Herald - smh.com.au.
"Personal accounts like Schwartz's take courage and are uncommon, especially those that show the outcomes need not be bleak, says the eminent clinician of adolescent mental health, Professor Garry Walter. In Australia each year around 100 teenagers aged 15 to 19 – mainly male – suicide, many of whom are depressed."
Debrief Daily sharing an extract from a chapter in my book 'mum, i wish i was dead'.
This section of my book shows how vital sending emails was as a part of maintaining communication. As well as giving an insight into just one of the all too frequent dark moments I experienced at night.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Shelly Horton, to discuss my book, 'mum, i wish i was dead', for Mamamia TV.
As honest and open as I always aim to be, this is one of the most in depth interviews I have done. We talk about my experiences with suicidal thoughts from the age of 10, my inability to walk, the benefits art had, my experiences with school, medication, pre and post ECT, what allows me to be as well as I am today, and everything in-between.
As I went to sleep last night, little did I know what I would be waking up to...
A post from Larry on The Morning Show's facebook page.. In just a few hours receiving over 40,000 likes, over 10,000 shares, and over 1,500 comments.
Last night was the launch of my book 'mum, i wish i was dead - the story of a teenager who conquered depression'.
Over 200 people came and listened, laughed and cried. I don't have the words to thank everyone enough for coming and supporting me. It is truly humbling to know how many people care about such an important topic.
This is a personally signed copy.