It takes just one reason to make the decision to continue living – that’s the message that author, mental health advocate and most recently – Deep Water Hotel Publican Stuart O’Neill is trying to spread.
It’s not a message that came through research but through a lived experience. Stuart’s been there and so he brings a perspective that maybe you don’t always see. And he’s happy to pass on that experience in the form of a pocket-sized, unobtrusive book that he self-funded while living on the Tweed a few years back, the thriving Facebook community he and others have created, just talking to people at the pub and his public speaking.
On 26 July he’s driving up from Deepwater to tell his story as a guest of the Southern Downs Suicide Prevention Network. He will be at Stanthorpe at the GBNC at 8 Corundum Street from 10am (morning tea provided) and later that day at Warwick at SDIEA at 163 Palmerin Street from 1.30pm (afternoon tea provided). It’s a free event and you get a copy of Stuart’s book as well, registrations are being taken through the Southern Downs Suicide Prevention Network Facebook site.
“When they contacted me, I don’t think they realised I was down the road at Deepwater,” he said.
“Most often if it’s within reach I almost always accept speaking engagements especially if its community, I was only reading a story today that the Tradies suicide rate has actually gone higher in the past four months with all the interest rate changes because companies have closed down and some Tradies have already committed to mortgages and the rates have gone through the roof. So, any opportunity to talk to younger people is good.”
The story behind Just One Reason started in an overseas hotel in a moment at a time where Stuart was alone away from home and at a crisis point in his life. It could have ended there but he found a reason in that moment to keep going and that moment changed his life and now he’s has been endeavouring to spread that message.
“There’s no short version of my story,” he said.
“This is all based on my own experience and understanding that when you get to that point, one reason is really just enough to not do it. All you are really trying to do is buy yourself time so you wake up the next day and you might be able to get help, professional help, or you just don’t feel like doing it at all – which is often the case.”
He said after his experience he threw himself into creating the book and getting it out to the community.
“I thought if it works for me, and I’m an average person, then it’s likely it will work for someone else,” Stuart said.
“There’s not a lot of quick options out there for people if they’re in crisis mode, if the book is already in their hands and someone has already been identified that they might be at risk, the sooner we can get some new thinking and skill into them the better.”
Stuart’s little book has found its way into close to 40,000 hands over the past few years through word of mouth. Copies of the book and more of Stuart’s story can be found at Justonereason.com.au, you can check out the facebook group (also Just One Reason) or take a visit down to the Deep Water Pub for a chat.
