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Ben Zabel opens up about suicide attempt: ‘I couldn’t imagine a future that had me in it’
Ben Zabel talks depression and suicide
BEN Zabel has spoken out for the first time about his suicide attempt last month.
The former Big Brother star joined Studio 10 co-hosts Ita Buttrose, Jessica Rowe and Natarsha Belling on the couch and opened up about his battle with depression and mental illness, detailing the day he tried to take his own life by overdosing on prescription medication.
“It had been a day that had been pretty much like any other day,” the 32-year-old said. “I think a lot of the time when we think of suicide, I know for me, I’ve learnt a lot about life through television and movies and you kind of think about writing the note, putting on your nicest outfit and all of that sort of thing.
“But it wasn’t a premeditated, well thought out thing. It was just an overwhelming feeling of darkness and of despair and I couldn’t imagine a future that had me in it.”
The 2013 contestant was treated by paramedics on the scene in his apartment in November and was later transported to The Royal Brisbane Hospital. He admitted, while he’s not yet fully recovered, “things are better for me than they were.”
Ben Zabel with fellow Big Brother contestant and pal Tim Dormer. Source: News Corp Australia
Zabel added: “I was alone and I was home and I know people think, ‘why not call someone?’ You don’t feel like it.
“A lot of the time if you have an illness or perhaps even an addiction the last thing you want is help, it’s very hard to be reached.”
Zabel has spoken publicly in the past about his long-term struggle with severe anxiety and depression. Earlier this year, the former flight attendant opened up about his dismissal from Virgin Australia in early 2013, saying he was let go by the airline because he “wasn’t fit to fly”.
The Brisbane based TV personality told the Studio 10 live audience, “I was home and I was alone and I just needed some relief so I took my prescribed medication, as per the dosage. But it wasn’t enough, I was still hurting, I was still in pain, so then I just took some more ... and that led to me going unconscious.
“It wasn’t a cry for help ... no, it was intentional and I was taken to hospital and I was there for quite some time. It was a very serious incident.”
Zabel said his mother, Margaret Zabel referred to his suicide attempt as “a bad day.” Source: News Corp Australia
Jessica Rowe, who has spoken of her battle with Post-Natal depression in recent years, asked Zabel how he was going now and if he was receiving the necessary care and support.
Zabel replied: “It takes a village, you can’t do it on your own ... I’m certainly getting the care that I need both on an emotional front and also on a medical front as well, and in a way just in being here, this is therapy for me too.”
See Ben Zabel’s full interview with Studio 10 below.
Ben from Brisbane on Studio 10
For help with emotional difficulties, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au
For help with depression, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or www.beyondblue.org.au
Ben From Brisbane @BenFromBrisbane 3m
Thank you @newscomauHQ & @lottiewillis for your article
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- 4 hours ago December 09, 2014 3:07PM
Ben Zabel talks depression and suicide
BEN Zabel has spoken out for the first time about his suicide attempt last month.
The former Big Brother star joined Studio 10 co-hosts Ita Buttrose, Jessica Rowe and Natarsha Belling on the couch and opened up about his battle with depression and mental illness, detailing the day he tried to take his own life by overdosing on prescription medication.
“It had been a day that had been pretty much like any other day,” the 32-year-old said. “I think a lot of the time when we think of suicide, I know for me, I’ve learnt a lot about life through television and movies and you kind of think about writing the note, putting on your nicest outfit and all of that sort of thing.
“But it wasn’t a premeditated, well thought out thing. It was just an overwhelming feeling of darkness and of despair and I couldn’t imagine a future that had me in it.”
The 2013 contestant was treated by paramedics on the scene in his apartment in November and was later transported to The Royal Brisbane Hospital. He admitted, while he’s not yet fully recovered, “things are better for me than they were.”
Ben Zabel with fellow Big Brother contestant and pal Tim Dormer. Source: News Corp Australia
Zabel added: “I was alone and I was home and I know people think, ‘why not call someone?’ You don’t feel like it.
“A lot of the time if you have an illness or perhaps even an addiction the last thing you want is help, it’s very hard to be reached.”
Zabel has spoken publicly in the past about his long-term struggle with severe anxiety and depression. Earlier this year, the former flight attendant opened up about his dismissal from Virgin Australia in early 2013, saying he was let go by the airline because he “wasn’t fit to fly”.
The Brisbane based TV personality told the Studio 10 live audience, “I was home and I was alone and I just needed some relief so I took my prescribed medication, as per the dosage. But it wasn’t enough, I was still hurting, I was still in pain, so then I just took some more ... and that led to me going unconscious.
“It wasn’t a cry for help ... no, it was intentional and I was taken to hospital and I was there for quite some time. It was a very serious incident.”
Zabel said his mother, Margaret Zabel referred to his suicide attempt as “a bad day.” Source: News Corp Australia
Jessica Rowe, who has spoken of her battle with Post-Natal depression in recent years, asked Zabel how he was going now and if he was receiving the necessary care and support.
Zabel replied: “It takes a village, you can’t do it on your own ... I’m certainly getting the care that I need both on an emotional front and also on a medical front as well, and in a way just in being here, this is therapy for me too.”
See Ben Zabel’s full interview with Studio 10 below.
Ben from Brisbane on Studio 10
For help with emotional difficulties, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au
For help with depression, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or www.beyondblue.org.au
Ben From Brisbane @BenFromBrisbane 3mThank you @newscomauHQ & @lottiewillis for your article
Leo Ryan Burke @Leo_Ryan_Burke 
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Judd Daugherty @JUDDNATION 