Not Alone – a podcast from Beyond Blue

 

When it comes to mental health, we all have our own unique stories to tell. But no matter what we are going through, there are other people experiencing it too.

From Beyond Blue, this is Not Alone. A podcast where everyday Australians talk about their mental health journey to help you with yours.

 

APA+2020-SILVER-LAUREL
 

Subscribe to the series in Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts so that you are notified when the next episode is released.

Season Three

 
Geoff swimming

Depression at work: I wanted to hide it from everyone 

Doctors don’t get sick. Or so Geoff thought. Hear Geoff reflect on his experiences with mental health in the medical industry, hiding his depression from his colleagues, and how he manages his mental health today. 

Listen
 
Sandi leads a session at her retirement village, she is seated and is wearing a blue sweater and a white and purple scarf.

Overcoming grief: How my community helped me

At 20, Sandi lost her brother to suicide. In 2018, her long-term marriage broke down, and she found herself living alone.

Sandi’s story is about overcoming grief and understanding the power of connection with others.

Listen 

 
Sean smiling

Self-denial: I'm pretending to be someone I'm not

Sean spent years avoiding his sexuality. He distanced himself from his friends. He even created a drunk alter ego to avoid having to pick up girls. He lost hope he would ever be happy.  

Then one day, he found someone he could talk to about it, and his whole world changed. 

Listen 

 

Jake looks out over the baseball field

Managing depression: My inner critic won’t leave me alone 

Guilt and shame defined Jake’s life for over a decade. He couldn’t see past his own self-loathing.  

When he asked for help, everything changed. And while talking was hard, it was nothing compared to the anguish and loneliness of silence.  

Listen 

 

Emily playing violin

Anxiety vs depression: The unwinnable war in my head

Emily’s childhood was defined by pressure. Pressure to get the perfect grade, to fit in, to excel. Their impossible standards left them feeling like a failure. All the time. 

This episode is about the constant battle between anxiety and depression and how recovery looks different for everyone. 

Listen 

 

Not Alone. Overcoming Trauma: My life will never be the same.

Anxiety and my AFL career: What does help even look like?

Living out his dream in the AFL, Liam Stocker thought mental health wasn’t something he had to worry about.  

His anxiety had other ideas. A story about accepting help and learning to be comfortable in your own company. 

Listen

 

Not Alone. Overcoming Trauma: My life will never be the same.

Social anxiety: I'm terrified of dating

Nerves around dating, are something almost everyone can relate to. But for Amy, it was overwhelming dread. And for many years, it stopped her from even trying to form a relationship.

Now in her 30s, Amy reflects on her early dating experiences.

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Not Alone. Overcoming Trauma: My life will never be the same.

The scars of bullying: Will I ever get over this trauma?

Aria's school years were defined by relentless bullying. Anxiety became a constant in her life and eventually, she had to drop out of school altogether.  

A few years later, she found the sport of wrestling. It gave her a purpose and a sense of community she’d never had before. 

This is a story about resilience and learning to dance again.

Listen

 

Season Two

Growing up in a small coastal town, James' love of the water drew him to work on a ship when he finished school. From day one, James experienced bullying and abuse that left him feeling numb. In a constant state of fear. Suicidal.

On leaving the ship, the trauma followed him.

In this episode, James talks about how he rediscovered beauty when he stopped trying to outrun his trauma.

> Listen

“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”. It’s a mantra Priscilla wholly believes.

Living with chronic physical pain. The grief of losing a loved one. The breakdown of a marriage. When daily tasks became insurmountable and life overwhelming, Priscilla couldn’t see a way through.

This episode is about finding purpose through pain.

> Listen

I am a gay man. Five words that Maxim couldn't bring himself to say out loud. And so, for the best part of a decade, Maxim hid, refusing to accept his sexuality. But with this silence came a sense of complete disconnect – to everything and everyone around him.

This is an episode about sexuality, self-acceptance and finding your voice.

> Listen

For nearly three decades, Ross carried a burden that he kept to himself. By not speaking of the trauma he experienced as a child, his anger bubbled away, sometimes beyond his control. And it was in his relationships with others he saw just how much the trauma was affecting him.

This episode is about the far-reaching impact of trauma, and why it's never too late to seek help.

> Listen

In 2021, Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann was honoured as the Senior Australian of the Year. It is recognition for a lifetime of work as a teacher and role model in her Daly River (Nauiyu) community.

Perhaps her greatest achievement however, is bringing the concept of Dadirri to the world. It speaks to the value of deep listening and quiet stillness, and has been a part of Aboriginal practice for thousands of years.

> Listen

Shantelle had always wanted to be a mother. But when her twins arrived, she felt no connection to them. She was terrified by thoughts of hurting them.

Approximately one in six new mums experience postnatal depression. Shantelle never thought she’d be one of them.

This is an episode about a proud Barkindji woman who found recovery by connecting with her culture and finding peace on the Jiu-Jitsu mat.

> Listen

On average, nine Australians die every day by suicide. Seven are men.

Brad McEwen grew up in a small regional town in the 1980s. A time when men didn’t talk about feelings. In the space of two years, Brad lost his brother and father to suicide. He didn’t see either coming.

For too long, talking about mental health has been a no-go zone between mates. It’s an attitude that Brad has long dedicated himself to changing.

> Listen

Season One

One of the toughest challenges for people experiencing anxiety is the constant self-criticism that can accompany day to day life. That relentless internal monologue pointing out every shortcoming, no matter how small.

In this episode of Not Alone, Amy opens up on how her ‘inner critic’ began to creep into all aspects of her life as she entered her final years of high school.

> Listen

Noel will never forget that Saturday in October, 2004. The day Maris, his wife of 42 years took her own life. At the age of 72, amidst grief and a sense of hopelessness, he promised he would live a life in honour of his beloved wife.

This episode of Not Alone is about losing a sense of purpose, and more importantly, the journey to rediscovering it.

> Listen

It seems strange that in a world of nearly eight billion people, anyone could feel lonely. But as studies keep telling us, it is a common experience in today’s society.

In this episode of Not Alone, Cecile shares her story of isolation. It is an important perspective on loneliness and the cultural stigma that can stop someone from seeking support

> Listen

Contrary to the name, work stress isn’t just bound to the places we work. So often, work stress seeps its way into our home life and our relationships.

In this episode of Not Alone, Tim opens up about how the stress of a new business venture, combined with his refusal to seek help, led to a range of mental health issues that began to affect all areas of his life.

> Listen

When it comes to supporting a loved one with a mental health condition, there isn’t one single strategy than perfectly walks you through how to handle everything life throws at you. People are different and experience things differently, and what works for one person may not always do the same for the next.

In this episode of Not Alone, Caroline takes us on her emotional journey as a mother supporting her eldest son.

> Listen

The Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 are etched in the memory of so many Australians. For Cliff, a CFA firefighter during this time, these memories refused to fade. The death and devastation he witnessed would intrude on all parts of his life for the days, months and years to come.

In this episode of Not Alone, Cliff tells his inspiring story of coming to terms with his trauma, and ultimately, growing from it.

> Listen

Crisis support

If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on 000. Other services include:

Lifeline
13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467