Trigger warning: mental health issues, drug use and suicide.

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Growing up, his mum struggled with depression and drug use. His father was never around. His mum's struggles meant James was the victim of her frustration. He was often abused and neglected, even being refused medical attention when he needed it.

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With no one to care for him, James felt abandoned and alone. His mental health worsened, but no one was around to help.

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As his loneliness and depression grew, James desperately sought ways to stop the pain. He began self-harming, and when that didn’t help, he turned to the one thing he’d been surrounded by all his life. The one thing that he’d seen others numb their pain with. Drugs.

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He tried smoking and vaping. He soon started using cannabis, and then turned to illegal pills. He almost overdosed.

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James' dark descent into addiction grew quicker. He started using hallucinogens, cocaine and speed. He was losing himself to the darkness of depression and drugs.

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Then, he joined the Top Blokes Mentoring Program.

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For the first time, James had mentors to shine a light on a path to a better life. With their guidance, he learned more and more about himself, his mental health and how to build a support network. He quit drugs and has been sober for seven months. His mental health has improved drastically. Even his school attendance and academic performance have improved.

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James says, “Top Blokes is the biggest part of my story. If I didn’t do Top Blokes, I could see myself dead in 12 months, whether from suicide or a drug overdose. Now I don’t do drugs and I don’t feel suicidal. I haven’t felt this good in a very long time."

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Thanks to wonderful supporters like you, James got the lifesaving support he needed.