When Gold Coast Titans star, Preston Campbell, retired from playing in the NRL in 2011 he ran as from the game as far as he could.
“I didn't watch any football, I didn't go to any football games... I wanted to work because I knew if I got away from the game, I could get over it a lot quicker,” says Campbell.
But when five young NRL-contracted players took their own lives between 2013 and 2015, it really hit home for Campbell. There was a time when Campbell was hell-bent on killing himself.
In 2002, a new coach at the Cronulla Sharks had Campbell playing in an unfamiliar position. In just a year he went from winning the prestigious Dally M Player of the Year award to being dropped to reserve grade. Campbell’s mental health rapidly declined. He withdrew from everyone including his family. With his depression still undiagnosed, he became suicidal.
In the three days the State of Mind team has been up on Thursday Island, no one has attended a session.
While visiting his wife and children he had temporarily separated from around Christmas time in 2002, Campbell deliberately drove into a tree.
“I hit that tree in the hope that I wouldn't wake up again,” says Campbell.
He did wake up, in hospital and without any serious injuries. But a few months later he would try to take his life again by overdosing on prescription pills.
This time he would be stopped by his Panthers coach John Lang, who had unknowingly interrupted Campbell’s suicide attempt to take him to see a psychologist.
"If you tell people you're talking about suicide and mental health, everyone wants to stay away," says newly retired Cowboys player, Antonio Winterstein. Source: The Feed
“That's why I say Jonny Lang saved my life because he gave me an opportunity to start talking about why I was feeling the way I was feeling,” says Campbell.
“If it wasn't for John and if it was for the psychologist that made me aware of that, I wouldn't be here today.”
Campbell’s now part of NRL’s grassroots mental health program called State of Mind, which is funded by the Queensland Government. It tours communities which have strong connections to rugby league and tries to get them talking about mental health.
He’s arrived on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait with newly retired Cowboys player, Antonio Winterstein, whose brother, Francis, was one of the young players who suicided in 2015.
I think stigma played a big role in him not seeking help and speaking up.
“I think stigma played a big role in him not seeking help and speaking up,” says Winterstein.
It’s something Winterstein and Campbell are hoping to address in their State of Mind sessions on Thursday Island, where stigma often prevents people from accessing mental health services.
Their trip coincides with the annual Zenedth Kes Cup, a rugby league carnival which draws hundreds of players and supporters from islands all across the Torres Strait.
Organisers of the carnival are hoping Campbell and Winterstein’s star power will get locals talking about mental health.
“Up here rugby league is the only tool that can engage our people,” says Terry Abednego, President of the Zenedth Kes Cup.
But getting people through the doors is proving difficult. In the three days the State of Mind team has been up on Thursday Island, no one has attended a session.
“Unfortunately we live in a world where depression and mental health is the taboo subject no one wants to touch,” says Winterstein.
“We've seen that here, we've got a whole heap of people out there if you say there's a free feed on inside, everyone will come in. But you tell people you're talking about suicide and mental health, everyone wants to stay away.”
But Campbell says this has not put him off coming to Thursday Island again.
“If we could work with people one on one... I think that’s the way to go next time we come up,” he says.
“I always say it’s gonna take some time for people to get used to the conversation but I think it's important that we keep trying to drive the conversations around that.”
If you would like to talk to someone about your mental health, here are some people ready for your call:
