'Reducing the damage': bullied at school, Nick was angry and anxious
When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist.
That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger.
He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors.
A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said.
"It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk."
The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24.
Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.
"Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said.
The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause".
"I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided.
"The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself."
Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide.
NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW".
"This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said.
"We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down.
"We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services."
A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program.
"She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said.
Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick.
"We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said.
"As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport.
"They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face."
He said it was "great to see Nick's progress".
"A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life.
"Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas.
"We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about."
Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university.
As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step".
He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD.
"Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier."
When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist.
That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger.
He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors.
A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said.
"It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk."
The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24.
Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.
"Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said.
The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause".
"I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided.
"The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself."
Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide.
NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW".
"This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said.
"We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down.
"We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services."
A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program.
"She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said.
Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick.
"We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said.
"As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport.
"They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face."
He said it was "great to see Nick's progress".
"A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life.
"Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas.
"We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about."
Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university.
As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step".
He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD.
"Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier."
When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist.
That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger.
He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors.
A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said.
"It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk."
The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24.
Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.
"Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said.
The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause".
"I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided.
"The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself."
Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide.
NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW".
"This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said.
"We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down.
"We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services."
A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program.
"She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said.
Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick.
"We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said.
"As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport.
"They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face."
He said it was "great to see Nick's progress".
"A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life.
"Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas.
"We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about."
Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university.
As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step".
He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD.
"Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier."
When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist.
That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger.
He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors.
A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said.
"It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk."
The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24.
Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.
"Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said.
The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause".
"I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided.
"The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself."
Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide.
NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW".
"This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said.
"We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down.
"We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services."
A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program.
"She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said.
Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick.
"We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said.
"As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport.
"They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face."
He said it was "great to see Nick's progress".
"A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life.
"Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas.
"We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about."
Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university.
As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step".
He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD.
"Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier."
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
'Reducing the damage': bullied at school, Nick was angry and anxious
When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist. That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger. He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors. A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said. "It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk." The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24. Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. "Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said. The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause". "I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided. "The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself." Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide. NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW". "This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said. "We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down. "We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services." A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program. "She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said. Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick. "We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said. "As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport. "They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face." He said it was "great to see Nick's progress". "A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life. "Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas. "We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about." Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university. As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step". He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD. "Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier." When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist. That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger. He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors. A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said. "It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk." The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24. Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. "Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said. The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause". "I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided. "The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself." Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide. NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW". "This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said. "We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down. "We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services." A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program. "She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said. Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick. "We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said. "As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport. "They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face." He said it was "great to see Nick's progress". "A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life. "Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas. "We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about." Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university. As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step". He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD. "Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier." When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist. That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger. He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors. A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said. "It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk." The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24. Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. "Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said. The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause". "I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided. "The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself." Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide. NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW". "This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said. "We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down. "We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services." A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program. "She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said. Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick. "We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said. "As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport. "They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face." He said it was "great to see Nick's progress". "A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life. "Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas. "We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about." Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university. As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step". He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD. "Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier." When Swansea's Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist. That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger. He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors. A key benefit of the program was "not being talked down to by an authority figure", he said. "It's like we're having a conversation with a mate. It made it so much easier to talk." The NSW government has announced a $50,000 grant for the Top Blokes program to help at-risk young men aged 10 to 24. Nick, now 18, went through depression as a youngster and was later diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. "Top Blokes gave me the perspective that I'm not the only one," he said. The program included anger management, which focused on "reducing the damage it can cause". "I'd get angry at things very easily. Ever since then, I feel like it's subsided. "The tips given were to pull yourself away from the situation to try to calm down, breathe and think about it so you're not harming anyone else or yourself." Top Blokes is among a range of programs given a total of $1.4 million in state grants to improve men's mental health and prevent suicide. NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said "men account for more than three quarters of suicide deaths in NSW". "This is deeply concerning," Ms Jackson said. "We are continuing to engage with men and mental health experts to see how we can bring these rates down. "We know some men can be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services." A year advisor at Swansea High recommended Nick for the Top Blokes program. "She knew my situation, being in a single-parent household," he said. Will O'Keefe, a Top Blokes co-ordinator, mentored Nick. "We got to know Nick well. He was quite reserved and didn't have much confidence. He was in year 10 at the time," Will said. "As we got to know him, like all the boys in the program, we built good connections and rapport. "They start to open up about their own journey and we have deep conversations about what it means to be a top bloke and the challenges they face." He said it was "great to see Nick's progress". "A lot of the young men we work with don't have a male role model in their life. "Our program is so unique because we're with the boys for six months. We have an hour each week with the fellas. "We get to know these young fellas on a personal level. They start to embed the stuff we've talked about." Nick is now a Top Blokes youth ambassador and studying psychological science at university. As for his approach to mental health now, he said "I try not to overcomplicate things in my head and take things step by step". He's been seeing the same psychologist for seven years and being tested for ADHD. "Knowing I have that will maybe make my life a bit easier."
SBS Australia
3 days ago
- SBS Australia
After watching her live with dementia for 11 years, I'm relieved my mum's dead
Paula Brand cared for her mother in the final years of her life while also taking care of her daughter who has autism and ADHD. Source: Supplied With ageing parents living longer and children not leaving home, what's it like to be stuck in the middle? Watch Insight episode Sandwich Generation live on SBS On Demand . My mother died six months ago. I loved her but by the end, because of the dementia, I didn't like her. Her death was a relief. I'm also a single mother, raising my child who has autism and ADHD . To have some flexibility in my life, I run my own small business. I work six days a week, split shifts. I haven't had a relationship in 10 years. Every single emotion has been flattened. I have been squeezed so much, there's nothing left. My time is squeezed. My patience is squeezed. My love is squeezed. Caring for my mother on top of caring for my child for the last six years made my life a shit sandwich. I'm not a natural nurturer, so taking on a carer's role with my mother was very difficult. She both created and was positioned in difficult situations that made everything all the harder. She ran away from the aged care centre she was living in and got together with a man who she claims ended up stealing money from her. She also had to endure COVID-19 lockdowns while in aged care . I visited my mother every fortnight, which doesn't seem much. Though, after coping with her dementia for 11 years — and having the same conversations again and again about her boyfriend — my patience and love thinned. Dementia is hard on family members and "loving trips down memory lane" experiences are very rare. I found mum's aged care centre drab and dreary. It smelled horribly of chemicals, urine and death. When you get one day off a week, it's not the place you want to spend time. You force yourself to visit. To this day, I remember the stench. My daughter refused to step foot in the door as the smell was too much. In my caring of my mother, I had to also balance and prioritise the needs of my child. As a parent, my job is to keep my vulnerable child safe. Unfortunately, my daughter suffered from consistent bullying for over a year at school. Dealing with my daughter's bullying situation, my mum dying, being a single mum and running a business while in my late 50s, was overwhelming. In the end, we can all only do the best we can do, but was I loving enough to my mother? Probably not. Some people talk about this glorious moment of seeing their loved one's last breath while holding their hand. But I wasn't with my mum when she died. I decided not to be. I had to make the choice of who needs me more. I hadn't really seen my daughter for three days and she needed me. I don't think anyone should die alone but I had said my goodbyes to my mother. Though, sometimes I do find myself hoping she didn't miss me not being there. Dementia is the longest death, and in my mother's case, it was drawn out over 11 years. It was exhausting, depressing, lonely and extremely frustrating. I was her guardian for health, accommodation, medication. Every single part of her life, I was responsible. Because of that, I never felt like a daughter again. My role as her daughter ended years ago and I grieved it then. Seeing my mother's health and mind deteriorate over a decade made me realise I will not be going into aged care. If I do end up getting dementia, for me, the decision to continue living or not, will be a very difficult one. I don't think I would choose to have that life. I would not want to be a burden for my daughter, who is going to struggle through life anyway. But for now, the burden has been lifted and I'm in an era of freedom. I bought a campervan and have taken my daughter on road trips, and we've gone on overseas holidays to Bali and Thailand. We are reconnecting after I had to have split focus, taking care of my dying mother. It may sound horrible, but now that my mum is dead, I finally — at the age of 56 — get to have a life. Readers seeking confidential information and support on dementia can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. Carer Gateway is an Australian government program providing free services and support for carers and can be contacted on 1800 422 737.
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Herald Sun
'Make America Healthy Again' report cites nonexistent studies: authors
At least four of the studies cited in a flagship White House report on children's health do not exist, authors listed in the document told AFP Thursday, casting doubt on the paper outlining US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agenda. The highly anticipated "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) report was released on May 22 by the presidential commission tasked with assessing drivers of childhood chronic disease. But it includes broken citation links and credits authors with papers they say they did not write. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the mishaps as "formatting issues" during a press briefing Thursday and said the report will be updated to address them. "It does not negate the substance of the report," said Leavitt, who expressed confidence in Kennedy and his team, and insisted that their work was "backed on good science." The errors were first reported Thursday by NOTUS, a US digital news website affiliated with the nonprofit Allbritton Journalism Institute. Noah Kreski, a Columbia University researcher listed as an author of a paper on adolescent anxiety and depression during the Covid-19 pandemic, told AFP the citation is "not one of our studies" and "doesn't appear to be a study that exists at all." The citation includes a link that purports to send users to an article in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA, but which is broken. Jim Michalski, a spokesman for JAMA Network, said it "was not published in JAMA Pediatrics or in any JAMA Network journal." Columbia University epidemiologist Katherine Keyes, who was also listed as an author of the supposed JAMA study, told AFP she does research on the topic but does not know where the statistics credited to her came from, and that she "did not write that paper." "I would be happy to send this information to the MAHA committee to correct the report, although I have not yet received information on where to reach them." - 'Totally fabricated' - Guohua Li, another Columbia University professor apparently named in the citation, said the reference is "totally fabricated" and that he does not even know Kreski. AFP also spoke with Harold Farber, pediatrics professor at Baylor College of Medicine, who said the paper attributed to him "does not exist" nor had he ever collaborated with the co-authors credited in the MAHA report. Similarly, Brian McNeill, spokesperson for Virginia Commonwealth University, confirmed that professor Robert Findling did not author a paper the report says he wrote about advertising of psychotropic medications for youth. A fourth paper on ADHD medication was also not published in the journal Pediatrics in 2008 as claimed in the MAHA report, according to Alex Hulvalchick, media relations specialist for the journal's publisher, the American Academy of Pediatrics. - 'Rife with misinformation' - The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declined to comment, referring AFP's questions to the White House. At her briefing, Leavitt declined to answer how the report was produced and whether artificial intelligence tools may have been used to craft it, directing those questions back to HHS. The Democratic National Committee blasted the report as "rife with misinformation" in a Thursday press release, saying Kennedy's agency "is justifying its policy priorities with studies and sources that do not exist." Kennedy was approved as health secretary earlier this year despite widespread alarm from the medical community over his history of promoting vaccine misinformation and denying scientific facts. Since taking office, he has ordered the National Institutes of Health to probe the causes of autism -- a condition he has long falsely tied to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The report's chronic disease references appear to nod to that same disproven theory, discredited by numerous studies since the idea first aired in a late 1990s paper based on falsified data. It also criticizes the "over-medicalization" of children, citing surging prescriptions of psychiatric drugs and antibiotics, and blaming "corporate capture" for skewing scientific research. mgs-bmc/sst Originally published as 'Make America Healthy Again' report cites nonexistent studies: authors
