JODIE-ANNE ‘MY BATT DEPRES
THE MKR CONTESTANT OPENS UP ABOUT HER MENTAL HEALTH
Thanks to her crazy hair and laid-back nature, Jodie-anne has fast become a favourite on this season of My Kitchen Rules.
However, behind the bright smile and keen enthusiasm lies a personal battle the 49-yearold has been fighting for years. “I suffered depression after my first marriage broke down,” she reveals to New Idea. “It’s hard to return from. You never want to go there again.” While the country Victorian describes herself as “bubbly and colourful”, she admits her outgoing nature hasn’t meant she’s immune to mental health issues.
Now married to the love of her life, Mick, 47, Jodie-anne says she works hard to keep her mental health in check after the tough battle. “I will never go down that path again,” she says.
“It took me six months to realise I was suffering depression because I had my head in work and it wasn’t until I was diagnosed and then it all fell into place and it made sense.
“When you can notice it in other people and say ‘I’ve had it, maybe you should go and talk to someone’ ... most people still can’t see it and then four months later go, ‘oh I’m on antidepressants’.”
“I SUFFERED DEPRESSION AFTER MY FIRST MARRIAGE BROKE DOWN. IT’S HARD TO RETURN FROM”
Jodie-anne is keen to share her story because she’s aware that people often assume she couldn’t be struggling with mental health issues because of her bubbly nature. “That’s why it hit me so hard,” she says, revealing even her family were shocked. “My grandma particularly couldn’t understand it and I said to her at the time, ‘you know how I operate at level 10? When I hit rock bottom and drop to number one ... 10 to one is a long way to fall, but most people bounce at around a six or seven and falling to one is not as far.’
“I was disappointed in myself because I wondered how it happened because I am the happiest and most positive person I know. I felt like a bit of a loser. But I came out of it. I went to counselling and you have light-bulb moments where they teach you how to run your life.”
These days, Jodie-anne works hard to look after herself and to always “see the silver lining in every cloud.”