‘Fake it till you make it’

Coast to Coast hero applies same approach to depression as to his gruelling races

Steve Gurney is speaking out about his 20-year battle with depression in a bid to help change the stigma around mental health. As Men’s Health Month starts today, Gurney has revealed that at the crux of his professional athletic career he was struck with a lifethreatening leptospirosis infection that almost broke him.

“I was told I had to hang up my bike and it was devastating.

My kidneys had failed and there was nothing I could do.

“Being told that was the end of my career set off a reaction in my brain that just sickened me and that’s when the depression started.”

For years Gurney tried to figure out what was going on in his head. He said he read books, had regular appointments with counsellors, took courses and it was really hard.

“I think the only reason I didn’t suicide was because there was a little spark of belief that if I apply the same grit of determination to figuring it out as I did to my racing then maybe I’d find a solution.

“If you act happy and positive people respond better. Fake it till you make it is what I always say.”

“It’s amazing that when I share my story [others] open up about their experiences and it helps.”

Gurney will be joining National leader Simon Bridges and radio presenter Paul Flynn at a Men’s Health Trust networking breakfast at Stamford Plaza in Wellington on June 8.

Despite being told his infection back in 1995 would be the end of his career, Gurney went on to win another seven Coast to Coast races. ● ● ● ● ● ●