Sir John Kirwan to tackle mental health, ‘worry maps’ and cyclone challenges in Hawke’s Bay visit

Sir John Kirwan is heading to Hawke's Bay for two special post-cyclone events. Photo / Dean Purcell

Former All Black Sir John Kirwan will visit Napier and Hastings next week for two free talks on mental health in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

He spoke to Hawke’s Bay Today reporter Gary Hamilton-Irvine about the upcoming visit and the importance of looking after your mental health.

The feeling of dread when rain hits the roof?

That’s not just normal, it’s completely understandable, says rugby legend turned mental health advocate John Kirwan.

The coaching maestro is in town next week to help people chat through their post-cyclone troubles, and give them a toolkit to help them through them.

“I think often what happens when there is a crisis, people are in survival mode and their adrenaline is up ... the post-crisis is when the mental health challenges hit,” Kirwan says.

“So I wanted to come down and share a little of my journey and talk about some of the things that I do to look after myself on a daily basis, and talk about post-crisis and maybe some things people can do.”

Kirwan has written books and spoken openly about his battles with depression and even suicidal thoughts.

He said he would be having open discussions on a range of topics such as dealing with triggers (including future weather events), using tools like “worry maps”, the importance of reaching out for help, the “superpower” of vulnerability, and even addressing suicide.

Mental health issues, particularly in rural communities, have been in the spotlight in recent weeks in Hawke’s Bay, with the likes of growers, farmers, and business owners facing particularly big challenges to recover from the cyclone.

“I have had suicidal ruminations ... I will talk about that stuff,” Kirwan said.

“It is pretty devastating because you feel pretty desperate at the time.

“Hopefully we can have an open and honest discussion about that, and talk about some of the tools that you can have and use to try and get through that.

“For me, it was a pretty scary time because I felt so alone, and part of the illness is it takes away your self-esteem, your self-confidence and your enjoyment in life. Life is pretty shitty without those three things.

“Understanding that it is an illness and not a weakness is the most important thing.”

Kirwan, who is coming to the Bay as part of his role as Westpac ambassador, said for those who had been hit hard by the cyclone, it was normal to feel triggered by certain situations, such as bad weather or heavy rain.

“What I try and do is what I call the worry map – it is what I can control, what I can’t control, and what I can do and what I can’t do.

“And those things really changed my life,” he said.

“It is really important to write down what you can and can’t control ... if you do that when the worry comes into your mind you actually have a plan and that can really make you feel better.”

Kirwan will also be heading to Gisborne for a talk.

The Evening With Sir John Kirwan event will be held at Napier War Memorial Centre at 6.30pm on Monday, while the Morning With Sir John Kirwan event will be held at Hastings’ Municipal Building at 7.30am on Tuesday. Both events are free. More information on Facebook.

WHO YOU CAN CALL:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354

• RURAL SUPPORT TRUST: 0800 787 254

• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865

• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737

• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757

• SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666