change your continues. ‘Then I started having thoughts of suicide.‘I got into alcohol as a coping mechanism,’ he mindset, That’s when I knew something had to change.’ Despite knowing he needed help, he wasn’t sure where to find it. Fortunately, Mark’s doctor was able to steer him change in the right direction by designing a treatment planthat included a referral to a psychologist and a six-month period of medication. ‘A GP will give you a basic assessment, put your life you in touch with the right professionals, and they might prescribe medication, but it depends on the situation,’ Mark says. Seeking advice or treatment is as straightforward as booking a standard appointment with a GP (this doesn’t have to be your usual doctor) and asking This reality TV star about your symptoms, but for those suffering from has joined forces with mental illness it can be daunting to take the first step. beyondblue to tell you ‘That’s what prompted me to become a where to go and what beyondblue speaker,’ says Mark. He hopes his to do if your bad days advocacy work helps to not just show people why it’s important to speak up, but also teaches them are becoming too how. much to handle. Coming back from the place he’d found himself in wasn’t easy, nor did it happen overnight: ‘I started expressing myself to the people around me and I got support from them, especially my best friend Chris who kept inviting me over for dinner even though I always said no.’ But when he did start accepting the invitations and socialising more often, he was surprised at how great he felt. And soon he was back to exercising, playing football, and spending time with his two boys, too. ‘A GP will give you a basic assessment, put you in touch with the right professionals’ ‘Today, life’s a lot more vibrant,’ Mark says. ‘I always make sure I’m having fun with the kids, my alarm goes off early, I eat well, and I focus on setting and achieving little goals throughout the day.’ You might recognise Mark Virgona as the Watching and listening to inspirational and bubbly footy fanatic who made it through informational videos that offer tips for managing to the quarter-finals on My Kitchen Rules depression has also been a key part of Mark’s last year – a complete change from 2015, continued wellbeing, which requires him to check-in when he was struggling just to make it through with himself regularly. ‘If I’m feeling flat and I’m in each day. the car I’ll put on something motivational rather than The father-of-two describes his experience with listening to the radio,’ he says. depression as a steady downhill decline that led to ‘Everyone’s going to have down days, but if you a ‘really rough’ part of his life. don’t deal with them – or you ignore the signs that ‘It started with a negative attitude and staying in you’re not well – that’s where depression can stem bed a little longer each morning,’ he says, which from,’ he says. ‘You’ve got to change your thought soon turned into lethargy and apathy: ‘I’d cancel process to change your life.’ appointments and I wouldn’t even care.’ Visit www.hia.com.au/about/initiatives/ It was some time before he realised this wasn’t just a few bad days. ‘I’m a very bubbly person so beyondblue people were telling me I wasn’t myself, but you just go through the motions and don’t think anything is wrong,’ he says. Mark Virgona with best friend and fellow My Kitchen Rules contestant Chris Jongebloed SEPTEMBER 2018 HOUSING 113 LIFESTYLES • HIA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION