General News
25 September, 2024
Connection is key to conquering demons
Justin Knorpp thought he had conquered his demons after a childhood dominated by mental and substance abuse.
But then he hit rock bottom again.
"About seven years ago I stuffed up," Mr Knorpp said.
"I fell into bad habits again, drinking and isolating myself.
"Suze (Susan, his wife) and I had always talked about going to the doc (doctor) but I never did.
"After this one drunken night, I did, and got the diagnosis of anxiety and depression."
Mr Knorpp, 48, moved to the Wimmera from Melbourne 17 years ago, and has long been an advocate for mental health.
Now a mental health peer support worker conducting advocacy across the region from his base in Horsham, he has used his Facebook page to share his story after having lived what he describes as a childhood filled with domestic violence, alcohol and drugs.
He also has been a guest speaker at Breath, Talk and Be Kind, an event focused on mental health held in Natimuk that attracted about 150 people.
Mr Knorpp said isolation was probably the biggest issue affecting the mental health of people in the Wimmera.
"People I speak to - 30s to 40s - if you aren't involved in a sporting club, which is obviously the lifeblood of some towns, then people can feel on the outer and feel excluded," Mr Knorpp said.
"Their sense of worth can not be there so being able to connect with people is important.
"If they aren't doing much they are just at home - they can't just jump on a bus or a train to go anywhere."
Suicide and attempted suicide are the commonest causes of death and injury respectively between the ages of 15 and 49, male or female, in Australia.
It is more than twice as common as car accidents for causing death or injury.
But a new app created by the Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation has the potential to help a lot of locals who are facing challenges with their mental health.
Mr Knorpp said the app could and would help locals with their struggle.
"Anything anyone can put towards assisting anyone with their mental health is a good thing," Mr Knorpp said.
"Especially along the lines of when people get scared to ask 'Are you okay?' and 'How are you?' because they are worried they don't have the answers.
"But you don't have to have the answers. None of us are experts.
"You can just ask the question and then that person knows a person cares. This app helps with that.
"It has questions people might not have thought to ask so you can send a message to a person in need you might not have thought to send."
Clinical Associate Professor David Horgan, founder of the Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation, said 40 per cent of all people would have contact at some time in their life with a person close to them who had strong suicidal ideas, which might be brief or go on for weeks or longer.
“Establishing a connection with a family member, friend, or workmate to let them know you are there to help them can save their life,” Ass Prof Horgan said.
The Prevent A Suicide: What to Say program is aimed at giving individuals and the community a safety net to immediately wrap around anyone close to them who mentions suicide so that the person’s safety can become a shared effort involving both the community and professionals.
It provides a bank of medically approved text messages which family and friends can download with one click and send to a suicidal person as appropriate texts or WhatsApp messages.
It provides support in what an individual can ask, do and say, as well as connecting until recovery.
"Prevent A Suicide: What to Say is more than just an app," Dr Hogan said.
"It's a way to show someone you care, you understand, and you are there for them.
“It's a way to prevent a suicide by sending a message, saving a life."
The In Tough Times Text website and the Prevent A Suicide: What to Say app are available 24/7.