Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

I know a former policeman with PTSD, he has had some terrible struggles in recent times. I really feel for all those who suffer from these sort of issues.

It’s not fun, but hopefully as a Victorian society in particular, owing to VicPol members having the highest police suicide rate, more and more will get done to improve the rank & file mental health and significantly reduce the personal impact and suicide rate. The more people like Tom can raise mental health, and the sooner we can all feel free to discuss it nonchalantly as an injury, like we do an physical injury, and not a self imposed ‘dirty secret’ the better we will all be. Most of us will be touched to some degree, so talking and promoting better mental health is a great step in the right direction by Tom and co.

[Topdog]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

It’s not fun, but hopefully as a Victorian society in particular, owing to VicPol members having the highest police suicide rate, more and more will get done to improve the rank & file mental health and significantly reduce the personal impact and suicide rate. The more people like Tom can raise mental health, and the sooner we can all feel free to discuss it nonchalantly as an injury, like we do an physical injury, and not a self imposed ‘dirty secret’ the better we will all be. Most of us will be touched to some degree, so talking and promoting better mental health is a great step in the right direction by Tom and co.

Last year I participated in the mens health program that the Bulldogs run every year. Best talk for that program for me was by an ex cop on this very topic. Was a real eye opener.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Last year I participated in the mens health program that the Bulldogs run every year. Best talk for that program for me was by an ex cop on this very topic. Was a real eye opener.

What were main points you can recall from them?

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Have plummeted some depths myself when nothing could raise me above the Black Dog. Golf, family, footy, garden, nothing could give me joy. You learn to treat it like an illness, knowing that whilst you have it you'll fell terrible but that it does go, and then you feel great.
Boydy you are doubly a hero for speaking up and starting the discourse in such a manly field.

[westdog54]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

It’s not fun, but hopefully as a Victorian society in particular, owing to VicPol members having the highest police suicide rate, more and more will get done to improve the rank & file mental health and significantly reduce the personal impact and suicide rate. The more people like Tom can raise mental health, and the sooner we can all feel free to discuss it nonchalantly as an injury, like we do an physical injury, and not a self imposed ‘dirty secret’ the better we will all be. Most of us will be touched to some degree, so talking and promoting better mental health is a great step in the right direction by Tom and co.

It is definitely too late for some but those in high places are finally talking sensibly and strongly about it and progress is being made. There is a long way to go, but there are more now whose hearts and heads are in the right place.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

It is definitely too late for some but those in high places are finally talking sensibly and strongly about it and progress is being made. There is a long way to go, but there are more now whose hearts and heads are in the right place.

I suppose that's better but I won't side track the thread, but 10 years ago do we think guys like Tom, Trav Cloke or Buddy Franklin would be openly talking about mental illness struggles? The answer is no because this isn't a new phenomenon. I wonder just how many former players struggled in silence, and in an industry where excessive drinking was the norm, just hit the bottle to try to get through it. All these guys coming forward are consigning that to history and hopefully ushering in a new era where these young men can talk about it. And hopefully all men and women can realise depression or anxiety is not related to your class, means, income or strength. It doesn't discriminate. But seeking help can bridge the problem to the point you perform the functions of your life, in these guys case, being professional athletes. Everyone whose posted their short story in this thread is a testament to that. So thanks for sharing.

[westdog54]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

I suppose that's better but I won't side track the thread, but 10 years ago do we think guys like Tom, Trav Cloke or Buddy Franklin would be openly talking about mental illness struggles? The answer is no because this isn't a new phenomenon. I wonder just how many former players struggled in silence, and in an industry where excessive drinking was the norm, just hit the bottle to try to get through it. All these guys coming forward are consigning that to history and hopefully ushering in a new era where these young men can talk about it. And hopefully all men and women can realise depression or anxiety is related to your class, means, income or strength. It doesn't discriminate. But seeking help can bridge the problem to the point you perform the functions of your life, in these guys case, being professional athletes. Everyone whose posted their short story in this thread is a testament to that. So thanks for sharing.

Wayne Schwass had to wait until he'd been retired a decade before talking about it. And remember how badly Nathan Thompson was stigmatized when he went public?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Great points on both, particularly Thompson. I guess the media has come a long way too, with the exception of a couple...

[Topdog]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

What were main points you can recall from them?

He spoke about his personal experience and how hard it was as a cop to return to work after spending some time visiting a psychologist and his first attempted suicide and how debilitating the disease was. The eye opener for me as someone who has fortunately been completely removed from it was just how frequently it happens, how it could happen to people in any situation and I suppose how quickly it could escalate.

His coping mechanisms kind of aligned to what Tom spoke about and is really something that can be taken for granted.

I haven't really done it justice here unfortunately but it was fantastic.

[Twodogs]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

He spoke about his personal experience and how hard it was as a cop to return to work after spending some time visiting a psychologist and his first attempted suicide and how debilitating the disease was. The eye opener for me as someone who has fortunately been completely removed from it was just how frequently it happens, how it could happen to people in any situation and I suppose how quickly it could escalate.

His coping mechanisms kind of aligned to what Tom spoke about and is really something that can be taken for granted.

I haven't really done it justice here unfortunately but it was fantastic.

It's hard to describe how it feels, but when you have to go somewhere every step feels like you are dragging your feet through wet concrete, you feel bleaghhh! all the time, if you can spend more than a few hours out of your bed it's a *!*!*!*!ing miracle and eventually you start to feel like you'd be better off dead because this feeling is never going to go away. You feel like you let people down and they don't really want to have anything to do with you (sure they say they do but you and your brain know better) In fact that's the worst of it, the knowledge that your brain has gone rogue on you. And your brain is a lot smarter than you are, it will outsmart you every time.