3 days ago
'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."
