Having been through so much herself stemming from being bullied about her weight and sexuality – which lead to depression and anxiety, Carla realised the difference it could make knowing there was someone who cared.
She said RUOK? Day was the most important date on the calendar, this year being on Thursday, September 14, as it was a reminder that every day should be the day when you reach out to others you feel could be in need.
R U OK? Day encourages responsible public discussion of social isolation and its negative consequences such as suicide.
The key message is that social connectedness and positive help seeking can assist people in crisis and is a whole of community responsibility.
Carla said it was easy to start feeling overwhelmed with the pressures coming at you from every direction in modern life.
“It’s much worse if you feel like no one cares and no one is listening,” she said.
“There’s always someone out there that cares but we all just have to be reminded of that and it starts with one simple question ‘RUOK?’.”
Carla said that in cases where the person says they are not OK but don’t want to talk about it, it will still help them knowing that you are there to listen when they feel like talking.
“It’s the question that opens the door; we all need support, everyone goes through hard times but we have to let people know they are not alone,” she said.
“It’s only the first small step but it’s the most important step of all and it really makes all the difference.”
