The strain of mental health

Mental health is finally being recognised as a legitimate topic of conversation in New Zealand, and not before time.

Former All Black Sir John Kirwan has long been an advocate for helping people suffering from depression and anxiety.

Since retiring from rugby in 1999, the former All Black wing has spoken openly about his struggles with depression, and was knighted for his contributions to rugby and mental health in 2012.

Sir John was one of the best on the rugby field but has turned his undoubtable skills to helping those suffering from what, for many, is an unseen illness. Sir John goes further by saying mental health needs to be taught in schools. Pupils are taught maths and sciences but not that things may not go to plan and they need to have their mental health in order.

Sir John warned sports people are particularly vulnerable, given their often single-minded pursuit of perfection.

Comedian and television personality Mike King is the other side of the coin when it comes to talking about mental health. This week he let rip at the Government's draft suicide prevention strategy as he resigned in a very public way from the suicide-prevention panel.

Mr King claimed the Government's recently-released draft plan to prevent suicide is deeply flawed and self-serving.

The panel was established to help shape a strategy to reduce suicide over the next 10 years. Its draft plan was released to the public last month. However, Mr King pointed to the removal of key measures from the plan, including wanting a 20% reduction in suicides over 10 years.

Every year about 540 people die by suicide in New Zealand, which is far too many. Many of them are young people who are facing increasing pressure from study, finding a job and looking ahead to their hopes and dreams not being realised.

There are plenty of self-help sites available to tell if someone is suffering from stress. But the problem is by the time people get to feeling so far down, there appears no respite, it is too late.

Early intervention is the key to ensuring people find a way through their worst moments and know there is help on the other side.

Mr King alludes to a lack of help being available. He says the draft plan has buried all new ideas in such impenetrable language they are beyond recognition and unlikely to ever see the light of day.

His resignation comes amid growing calls for an independent inquiry into the state of New Zealand's mental health sector. One of the worst conundrums facing New Zealand is the ongoing process of consultation - delaying any decision because of the risk of offending a particular group.

The Ministry of Health has been consulting widely with the public and those involved in suicide prevention since the draft strategy was released last month. In the meantime, people are dying.

Of course there needs to be some sort of expert input into such a crucial area like mental health, but how much notice can a panel of experts be reasonably expected to take of public submissions?

Sir John and Mr King handle their public roles in completely different ways and both attract their own supporters and probably detractors.

The noise around the resignation of Mr King will deflect attention from a very important issue and this newspaper urges him to find an outlet in which he can work successfully to prevent the suicide of New Zealanders.

Walking away from the panel without achieving his goals is an unfortunate end for a man who can make things happen. Health officials, both elected and appointed, are avoiding answering questions on why certain goals have been removed from the draft proposal.

Mr King and Sir John must use their considerable profiles to keep the pressure on officials to provide tangible goals for reducing suicide and addressing mental health. Anything less is unacceptable.

LIFELINE: 0800 543-354.