I used to bottle up my emotions and never talk about them. Eventually, it would all come out—not as a question, but as shouting and screaming. I’d be really loud, keeping everything locked inside. Any emotion or issue would get pushed into a container in the back of my mind until the lid started bubbling and eventually blew off. Then it would all come out at once.

A worker from the SWIFT team gave me about 8 to 12 weeks of sessions, and during that time, he provided me with the right tools. He taught me to talk about situations as they happened, instead of pushing them away to later come back with a vengeance. If something was bothering me or if I’d had a bad day, I’d go and tell my family or my partner what was going on. I realised that just talking about it made it go away—not from my emotions, but it stopped feeling like it was something against me. Instead, it worked for me, and I could carry on with my day and my life normally after that.

If it weren’t for him, I don’t think I’d have had the right tools to start the road I went down. Since then, I’ve filled my toolbox significantly, because I realised that just talking to someone can turn the worst day into an alright one. It means going home with a smile or seeing my kids smile. Talking about it and seeing one of my kids smile after I’ve had a bad day is one of the best things.

Now, I talk to a lot of people. I’ve helped a few at work who are struggling with emotions or facing challenges like alcoholism and drugs, just as I did. I’ve encouraged them to talk to those around them or to me. Sometimes, talking to someone outside the family is exactly what you need. For me, I was embarrassed to talk to my family; I didn’t want to disappoint my mom, my dad, or my partner. I didn’t want my children to see it. But talking to an outsider can help.

I’ve helped a couple of people just by sharing my own experiences. One person needed a harsh reality check, so I told them, ‘This is what happened to me.’ I even keep a picture on my phone from what I looked like 10 years ago for people who don’t believe me. I’ve shown them, saying, ‘This was me,’ and they don’t believe it. I tell them it all started with talking, facing my problems, and admitting I needed help. It’s okay to need help, to talk, to be emotional, and to let everything out.