‘My life was saved by iPhone app’
Independent MP Jami-Lee Ross says his suicide attempt late last year was averted because the ‘‘Find My iPhone’’ function on a spare smartphone allowed police to track him down just in time.
And he says that people who doubt that his very public mental health crisis was genuine have got it wrong.
In an in-depth interview for Stuff’s new mental health podcast Out of My Mind, Ross candidly describes how his life spiralled out of control due to mounting personal and political pressures, eventually leading to his brief committal to a psychiatric unit under the Mental Health Act.
Ross says when he started taking steps to end his life, he was in intermittent contact with a number of people, including his wife, his psychiatrist and a journalist.
‘‘An ambulance and a police car were sent to my house because noone knew where I was.’’
Meanwhile, though, the location function on a spare iPhone meant his wife was eventually able to tell police where to find him before it was too late.
‘‘Fortunately, there were people texting me. A bit of advice – if anyone is feeling that they want to hurt themselves, keep in contact with them. Because it took my mind off deciding to actually take that final step.’’
Ross spent two nights in the care of mental health services.
He says he has read comments online suggesting that such a short stay meant his supposed mental distress must have been exaggerated or invented. He rejects that.
‘‘Our mental health resources are stretched. They don’t just lock someone up for no good reason. It was very real and and I feel sorry for the people who have such little understanding of our mental health facilities to think that you can just play games and go in there for no real reason.’’
Ross’ attempt on his own life came after months of political and private drama.
In October, he turned on his boss and former friend, Simon Bridges, publicly accusing the National leader of taking illegal campaign donations.
He was expelled from the party, and around the same time a Newsroom investigation revealed he had had two extramarital affairs, and he was accused of bullying and intimidation of colleagues. After a series of dramatic media appearances, it was reported he had been committed to a mental health unit.
Ross talks about his crisis-filled year, and his very public breakdown, in episode four of Stuff’s new podcast Out of My Mind. In each of the seven episodes, one person talks about their life and their experience of mental distress. Previous episodes have looked at people with diagnoses including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and post-natal depression.
The podcast launched on August 12, and a new episode will be released each Monday until September 16.
Listen to all available episodes at stuff.co.nz/outofmymind. You can also listen and subscribe using Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts.
‘‘Our mental health resources are stretched. They don’t just lock someone up for no good reason.’’
MP Jami-Lee Ross