Content Warning: Suicide

In this episode, Dan wants to talk about a topic that is frequently intertwined with addiction, so much so that he sees it consistently in his mental health group and receives DMs about it daily: suicide in men. He is joined by John Connelly who talks about his own experience of almost taking his own life, what led him to that decision and what they both agree needs to change.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• On the outside everything appeared normal about John’s life. He had a loving family, a good childhood and a stable home life but he felt numb most of the time.
• Men need to be given knowledge and education on the reality of life and what depression and other mental struggles can feel like.
• If we can teach people, men especially, to speak up when they are struggling with their mental health it would save a lot of lives.
• There is immense pressure on men by society to be ‘strong’ and alongside that many men feel they can’t be open about when they are feeling down or lost.
• If you struggle with addiction or mental health difficulties, it can only take a couple of life events to push you to the edge. If you can recognise when you are vulnerable you can get support and/or look to protect yourself.
• John recognises that if he had reached out before the death of his grandad, he would have had support in place to stop him from going further into the depths of depression.
• The difficulties John has been through he is now grateful for, he is now using his journey to help others.

BEST MOMENTS 

"I was gonna do it, I was gonna end my life”

“I have always been a very insecure, self-conscious, shy person”

“We need to speak about it more, we need to educate more”

“I’m so thankful that these things have happened to me, I now understand so much more”

"Everything that's led to now that's just made you who you are today"

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.facebook.com/groups/menandtheiremotions/

CONTACT METHOD

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Daniel O’Reilly

Daniel O’Reilly is one of the UK’s Largest Influencers, a comedian, actor, musician, viral video star and social influencer. With a portfolio of businesses Daniel enjoys a busy lifestyle mixed with business and pleasure. Daniel is a father to two beautiful girls and enjoys spending quality time with them and his wife Shelley. With 2022 being a busy year, Daniel sold out his O2 stand-up show, released his British movie 'The Last Heist'  and is currently preparing for the upcoming release of his other film 'Miss The Kiss'. Daniel is a creative through and through, with a passion to strive in everything he does. Daniel is looking forward to the release of his podcast 'Menace 2 Sobriety' in 2023, his long-term position on GB News, Headliners, and the growing slate of films in the works with his production company, HYPRR. 

Kirk Norcross

Instagram

“My name is Kirk Norcross, I’m 34 years old, I had a pretty good run, a TV career which I can’t even remember hardly any of that, drugs consumed my life I always used drugs like an addict but I didn’t use them all the time until my fiancé split up with me for no reason and never gave me a reason and I was so upset, hurt and confused. I started using drugs to self-medicate to shut my brain down to stop thinking and then spiral turned and turned and turned until I was like a wrecking ball everywhere I went every penny I had went on drugs, my whole life revolved around drugs I tried recovery a couple of times and kept relapsing then I lost my due to suicide, and it was like something clicked in my head that I need to step up to the plate and be the man that my father wanted me to be, and from then on, I’ve been so as of today’s date I am 583 days sober haven’t touched any drugs or alcohol or any other mind-influencing substance since then.”

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