Most Australians have no idea that rural men are facing one of the highest suicide rates in the country. For Mary O’Brien, founder of the Are You Bogged Mate? charity, that reality became brutally personal when two well-known blokes in her community took their own lives. Digging into the research, she found the truth was even worse... men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, and if they’re in a rural setting, the risk jumps even higher. In this episode, Mary explains why the current mental health system isn’t built for bush blokes, how the “out of sight, out of mind” attitude is costing lives, and how her organisation is changing the conversation. We cover everything from the tractor analogy that resonates with men who hate ‘talking about feelings’ to the practical ways both men and women can start helping the people around them today. Find out more about Are You Bogged Mate?, or apply for the Bogged Brakes event: https://areyouboggedmate.com.au/
