By Jena Carr
This Man’s Worth is coming to Queenscliff to raise suicide awareness and the effects it has on families left behind.
Masonic Hall on 60 Learmonth Street will showcase the 40-minute film, followed by a presentation with John Patterson and Dr Craig Wood from 7.30pm on March 20.
Mr Patterson’s brother committed suicide in the late 1980s and said he hoped the film would help break down the stigma surrounding mental health, depression and suicide.
“We’ve got to try and sort of beat these numbers down a little bit, but more importantly, start talking about the demon in the room, depression,” he said.
“Depression itself was a taboo subject and suicide; you just didn’t talk about it. That wasn’t a thing that was done then, and it still probably isn’t.
“It is just as important as paying your tax. In fact it’s probably more important than that, because if you’re not here, you can’t pay tax can you?”
Mr Patterson said it was important to reach out to anyone having a hard time and ask, ‘Are you okay?’.
“You don’t have to solve the problem, but you can certainly steer them in the right direction in where to go to get help…and there is an enormous wealth of information out there,” he said.
“That’s the first step, to get people talking, understand that there is help available and that it’s not so sinister that you can’t talk about.
“It’s about awareness, getting people talking, and breaking down the stigma of mental health to say, ‘It is okay not to be okay, but let’s talk’.”
Help is available with Lifeline’s 24/7 crisis support service on 13 11 14.
