Survivor Series: “Recovery cannot be forced”

This story is part of MOJO News campaign #HearMeOut to have a Federal Minister for Suicide Prevention appointed *

BY SALONEE MISTRY

Mental health advocate and suicide survivor Luke Richards’ personal journey with mental illness started at the age of 11.

It was back then, in secondary school, when he decided to make an attempt on his life for the first time, as a negative environment around him took its toll.

Today, Mr Richards is a successful businessman and father of two, who believes in the power of a community to help recovery.

“When I was 11, I didn’t know who I was or where I needed to be. All I knew was that I was not comfortable and I felt alone,” Mr Richards said, recollecting.

“We weren’t particularly aware of mental health back then and so whatever I was feeling was never addressed,” he said.

“Since my parents thought it was because I was being bullied, they enrolled me in martial arts, which had a great impact on me.

“It gave me some purpose and a sense of community, but put me in a bubble.”

Two more suicide attempts would follow, with the last being in 2012.

According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2019, the past year saw “the highest proportion of suicide deaths occur amongst people who were in their young and middle ages”. 

The statistics highlighted the frightening vulnerability of youth, when “one-third of deaths (38.4 per cent) occurred among those aged between 15 to 24 years”. 

Luke survived the last attempt after his roommate and best friend chanced on his house and rushed him to the hospital.

After this, he decided he needed help and truly wanted to recover.

He arrived at a point where he was comfortable with himself and had the privilege of knowing who he actually was.

“Whenever I felt pain I heard a voice telling me ‘you’re just better off not here’, and it never really left me, for a long time,” Mr Richards said.

“I am incredibly lucky to be alive, I should not be alive today. I am alive despite my own best efforts, and I am glad to say that I failed in those attempts.”

It is important, Mr Richards believes, for those facing any kind of mental illness to want to recover and reach out for help.

“Recovery cannot be forced,” he stressed.

Recollecting those years makes him grateful for where he is today and everything he managed to overcome.

Learning from every curve ball life has thrown his way, Mr Richards started support group Bros before Woes, creating a community for those facing mentally and emotionally challenging times.

“The biggest hindrance to talking about the issue, in my experience, is the feeling of shame and fear of judgment,” Mr Richards said.

His message to anyone experiencing severe negative thoughts is to “take a step forward”.

For family and friends of those having suicidal thoughts, “trying to fix the problem is not necessarily going to help”.

“Asking your friends and family and other loved ones questions to lead them to answers that they might not know themselves, and acknowledging their feelings helps a great deal,” he said.

“Important thing to remember is that it’s a trial and error process and that no matter what happens, the person is in there and that they come back.”

* Please sign MOJO News’ petition to have a Federal Minister for Suicide Prevention appointed here.
                                                                                                                                                          
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