Taboo: June 27

The third episode of Taboo is the final new episode (although the 2018 Pilot will screen again next week in case you missed it).

Tonight Harley Breen shares a week away in a holiday house in the NSW Southern Highlands with four people who are living with a Mental Illness.

In this episode, one of the contributors Trent leads the group in a life drawing lessons, something he’s mastered despite losing his eye in a tragic accident.

We learn how young single mum, Casey still battles with her self worth and body image because of her struggles with severe anorexia and laxative abuse. Every mealtime is a challenge for her.

Don is a young a heart retired ‘ambo’ officer who’s witnessed more trauma than any human can imagine, yet misses the job daily and can’t help but continue to help the group during the week as they go about fishing, swimming and kayaking.

All four reference how they each called Lifeline at critical moments to get much needed lifesaving advice and for Casey, the Butterfly Foundation was crucial to keep her on a healthy eating track.

The four contributors find some humor in their daily struggles and shared experiences of mental illness.

The four contributors are:

Casey
27 year old Casey is a single mum from the Hunter Region of NSW who has survived anorexia nervosa and extreme laxative abuse. At her worst she got down to 26.9 kilos before being admitted into hospital. Today, 18 months into her recovery from anorexia nervosa & laxative abuse, she is close to completing her law degree and hopeful about her next steps forward in life.

Jessie
Jessie is 29 and lives in Sydney, NSW. 5 years ago, Jessie was diagnosed with Bipolar, anxiety, OCD and alcohol induced psychosis. Jessie had spent a decade masking her long history of mental ill health with extreme alcoholism. Five years ago she tried to take her life for the 3rd time and was sectioned into a psych ward.

Don
Don has only just retired from almost 40 years as an ambulance driver and paramedic, where he spent decades trying to save other people’s lives. What Don has seen in his career as a first responder is unimaginable, and now at 59, he is living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the trauma he witnessed. During his career, Don lost 23 colleagues and mates to suicide and he now wants to help the next generation following in his footsteps.

Trent
After a near-fatal traumatic brain injury that left him blind in one eye, Trent was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety and epilepsy which irrevocably changed his life. It has taken some time but Trent has learnt how to accept his new brain and his mental illness, with a wicked sense of humour and not being afraid to ask for help. He is now dedicated to helping others going through what he did.

8:45pm Thursday on 10.

Mental Health Australia
Beyond Blue