Craig Bulloch

Accredited Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa Instructor

Email: craig@matesmatter.org.nz

Kia ora,

Ko Pirongia taku whakamarumaru

Ko Waikato ngā wai o tērā takiwā

Ko Tainui te waka o tē rā iwi

Ko Tainui te iwi o tērā takiwā

Ko Craig Bulloch tōku ingona

I am one of the founders of the MATES matter NZ Charitable Trust.

I am just your normal everyday Kiwi bloke. I grew up here in Kirikiriroa and absolutely love the Waikato. I am the youngest of three boys and growing up my parents gave us every opportunity to be the best people we could be. I have so much to thank them for. 

I have also lived with a mental illness. 

I will always remember the day that I was diagnosed with depression. It broke me. Walking out of the Drs surgery I felt like I was half the man I was when I walked in. I turned to alcohol and food as my escape. I put on the pounds and drank to ease the pain. I hid behind the haze of booze and food. Those closest to me didn't know a thing. They all thought I was still the happy dude that I had used to be. Just a little larger. 

Truthfully I was a shell of my former self. I hated what I had turned into and hated that I had done it to myself. It broke me. 

I was suicidal. I felt like a burden to those around me. I felt like I had failed. 

I was saved though. It took a lot. It was a journey. I can hand on heart say I love myself again which in turn has allowed me to love others again. I have a gorgeous wife and beautiful son which I never thought would be possible.

The thing about my story is that it isn't one in a million it is something that is so common. Although I was helped so many of our loved ones feel that they can't continue on and feel that suicide is their only option.

We are losing to many whanau, friends and colleagues every year to suicide. This has to change. There is a lot of talk around about helping those that may be in crisis but it felt like it was just that, a whole lot of talk! I felt more needed to be done. We in the Waikato are in a high risk area for suicide. We are second on the rates of suicide in NZ with our numbers growing each year.

We have an opportunity to make a change. There is still a stigma attached to mental health but that is slowly changing. So many amazing people in NZ have paved the way to allow us to have these conversations.

Please take care of yourself and keep asking those around you if they are ok.

Click on the link below to learn more about Craig 

Craigs Ironman New Zealand journey