Ryan Edmondson was a special guest speaker at Coast and Country Primary Care’s Mental Health Art Works Exhibition.
October is Mental Health Month, a time when the Australian community comes together to raise awareness and promote better mental health for all.
Throughout this month, many events and programs are organised to attract and unite Australians of all ages and backgrounds and share the latest information available in the mental health sector, to increase our shared understanding of the challenges we face as a community.
Coast and Country Primary Care (CCPC) offer a range of mental health programs to the Central Coast community, with the theme for their 25th Anniversary, Let’s talk about it, aimed at empowering individuals impacted by mental illness to share their journeys of hope, recovery, and personal growth – which may or may not be – through art.
Ryan Edmondson was invited to be a special guest and the Mariners striker delivered a brave and powerful speech; opening up about his own personal experiences, encouraging others to talk about it and praising the work of those working with clients.
“We’re in a very privileged position as footballers. We kick a ball around for a living and we get to bring joy to people’s lives just from them watching us – it’s great, but there is a flip side that not a lot of people know about.” Ryan said.
After making his professional debut at the age 16 and representing his country at youth level, Edmondson says ‘life was a dream’ but things took a ‘downward spiral’ after a series of loan spells that didn’t quite go the way he envisaged.
“My football career wasn’t where I thought it was going to be. I was living away from family and friends, stuck in an apartment on my own at the age of 18 years old with nobody to speak to. It was one of the loneliest points of my life.” Ryan said.
“The theme for this years exhibition ‘Let’s talk about it‘ is something I wish I had. There was such a stigma around mental health and especially men’s mental health.
“I had a lot of people around me who I wrongly assumed were traditional ‘get on with it’ men, so I stayed quiet. I let three years of my life spiral before I spoke to anybody,” he said.
Now, after learning from his own dark times, Edmondson is keen to share his experiences and help others, reinforcing the message that things can get better and opening up is the best way forward.
“I never used to speak to a soul and a few years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of standing in front of you all like this, but things can get better.” Ryan said.
“I am now living in Australia, I am coming off the back of a treble-winning season with the Mariners and I have a support network within the club, the community and my family, so I would be able to change things if I ever did feel myself slipping into that spiral again.”
“Life is difficult and full of highs and lows, you’ll always go through them, but if you have a support network and feel comfortable enough to speak to people, over time you will manage to cope with it better and better.
“Speaking to people is the most powerful tool that I’ve found. I don’t think people realise how much we can help each other. A lot of the time, all it takes is an ‘are you okay?’ or ‘do you need to talk?’ and you’ll be surprised how many people open up to you.
“I’ve had four or five friends that I never thought were going through the same, but after asking, I have now been able to help them over a few years.”
Ryan then finished his speech with a thankful and supportive message to the Central Coast community:
“I’d like to thank every single person for giving me the opportunity to share my story, thank you to everybody from Central Coast Primary Care and to those who put on these exhibitions. I don’t even think they realise how much their support helps people and I have no doubt that they will be a massive help in the Central Coast community,” he said.
“We have such a friendly community here on the Central Coast. If you ever need to speak to anybody just get in touch with whoever you can, whether that is here, someone at home or someone at work. If you ever feel yourself suffering, please speak about it because it’s the most powerful thing you can possibly do.”
