Throwing his weight behind mental health
A MILL Hill 26-year-old has raised more than £20,000 for the Campaign Against Living Miserably and mental health charities from a weightlifting challenge for World Suicide Prevention Day.
Oliver Burchell lifted a total weight of 154,363kg in 24 hours, equating to the estimated number of people in the UK who have died by suicide over the past 25 years.
The Radlett United member also wanted to share his own story, revealing that nine years ago, “I was almost one of those numbers”.
Then experiencing a “continuous feeling of emptiness, I couldn’t find enjoyment in anything”, Mr Burchell recalled.
“I felt as if my life didn’t matter — that being alive, I was a burden on those around me.”
If “sad, stressed, or anxious”, he felt compelled to “man up and get on with it”.
Doing so had led to years of “bottled up feelings of anger and sadness that I did not know how to share and express.
“At the time, I was under pressure at school and my parents were going through a divorce.
“Rather than feeling able to discuss how I felt with friends or family, I allowed those feelings to build and build within my own headspace. This meant I was continuously telling myself that I wasn’t smart enough, strong enough or good enough.”
It was only after opening up to friends and family that Mr Burchell received the support he needed.
“I started therapy and that really helped me. I know not everyone is as lucky as me and I wanted to do something this year to raise awareness and help others.”
I felt that being alive, I was a burden on those around me’
I’m aching now but I’m so glad that I completed the challenge’
He came up with the idea for the challenge during the first round of lockdown, which he said had a negative impact on his mental wellbeing.
“I was talking about it with some friends. I was finding lockdown hard because gyms were shut and going to the gym previously had been really important for my mental health. Exercise is really important and if I don’t do it, I notice a change in how I feel immediately.”
Mr Burchell started preparing for the challenge in December with the help of a personal trainer friend and completed it at a Bushey boxing gym.
“It was really hard. I’m aching now but I’m so glad I completed it,” he told the JC.
“I am amazed about the support I have had so far. It has been really overwhelming.”