Meet the Suicide Survivor and ‘Bipolar Warrior’ running 10 marathons in 10 days
Announcement posted by Thoughts From Jas 18 Jul 2019
July 18th 2019
For immediate release
In a passionate attempt to raise awareness for mental health and wellbeing, local mental health advocate and suicide survivor Jason Rantall will run 422kms in just 10 days.
As recently announced through his Facebook page ‘Bettermentall,’ the 45-year old ‘Bipolar Warrior’ says the run will be his most ambitious marathon challenge to date, and one which he hopes will show others that they too can overcome their past traumas.
A survivor of multiple suicide attempts (starting when he was just a child), a lifelong battle with Bipolar, and an alcohol addiction that almost destroyed his life, the 45-year-old father is speaking out about his past, in order to prevent others from walking the same path he did.
“I was only 9 years of age when my mum found me with my head in the toilet, trying to drown myself,” he shared. “I have lived with brain pain and the thoughts of suicide for as long as I can remember. An overwhelming hatred and dislike for myself, I guess you could call it.”
As a child, Mr Rantall remembers being acutely aware that ‘something was very wrong’ with his behaviour and thought patterns — which included ‘feeling and believing’ that earwigs were ‘eating his brains’ — yet says he was unable to receive an accurate diagnosis until his mid-twenties.
“Growing up, I knew very strongly that my thoughts and emotions were not normal. I saw so many medical professionals during my childhood, but at no point did they listen to my cry for help or entertain the thought of a young child having a mental illness.”
Unable to find accurate medical support, and struggling to cope with the unsettling thoughts in his head, Mr Rantall says he turned to alcohol around age 15. It was a decision that would lead him into decades of alcohol abuse, multiple suicide attempts, and shattered relationships.
“For me, alcohol was like a magic potion,” he says. “With every sip, there was immediate and overwhelming relief. Every crazy thought seemed to disappear.
“As the years progressed, my ‘need’ for alcohol was so severe that I could easily burn through 50 cans of alcohol over a weekend. Weekdays weren’t much better,” he shares.
After struggling with depression and suicidal cravings for many years, and an eventual diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder Type One and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Mr Rantall says he finally found the courage to reach out for help online.
Since that day, the now mental health advocate has been sober for 12 months, has lost over 30kgs, and through a ketogenic diet has taken control of his mental and physical health He and his wife have also founded a community group named ‘Bettermentall,’ with an aim of reducing community isolation, and breaking through mental health stigma. Currently, Bettermentall run monthly community support meetings and exercise meetups in Trafalgar, as well as Mental Health First Aid Training for individuals and companies.Since speaking out and turning his focus to helping others, Mr Rantall says his life has completely changed for the better, and he now ‘leaps out of bed in the mornings truly excited about what the day will bring.’ He credits his ‘7 Pillars of Health’, which include gratitude, meditation, mindfulness, communication, reflection, healthy diet and exercise, as his keys to remaining mentally well.
In his list of achievements, Mr Rantall’s story has also been selected for inclusion in the upcoming second volume of the highly-renowned series, ‘Reasons to Live: One More Day, Every Day.’
Written and edited by Brisbane author Jas Rawlinson, and endorsed by names such as Kevin Hines (Globally-renowned suicide prevention speaker), Professor Patrick McGorry (Founding Director of Headspace and Orygen), and Lifeline Hunter Valley, the book follows the lives of 10 individuals from around the globe who have found a way to triumph over their past traumas. At present, Mr Rantall will join with Ms Rawlinson to share his story at the upcoming Melbourne book launch on October 5th.
To mark his 46th birthday, Mr Rantall plans to begin a 422km marathon from his birthplace of Kyabram hospital, ending in his current home town of Trafalgar. He says it’s a way of showing “not only myself, but others, that it’s possible to leave behind your past addictions, and mental pain, and create a new path.”
“It is our aim that by creating more awareness and educating people around these issues, that we will — together — break down the stigmas associated with mental health, addictions and homelessness.”
At present, the event has received sponsorship from Profix Aluminium and Vision 1 Windows and Doors, with Win News also announcing plans to run an August campaign to support the event.
To organise an interview with Jason Rantall or sponsor Bettermentall, contact Kerry Rantall on 0447 115 666.