Australian actor and former Home and Away star Nic Westaway has spoken candidly about his struggles with mental health.
The 32-year-old, who is also a qualified personal trainer, told Daily Mail Australia this week that he has had his fair share of ‘dark’ days and trying times over the years.
Nic made the admission while showing his support for The Push-Up Challenge, an event that helps raise awareness of mental health and raises funds for charities and organisations that help people who might be struggling.
EXCLUSIVE: Home and Away star Nic Westaway has candidly revealed his battle with mental health while chatting to Daily Mail Australia this week
Participants are challenged to complete a number of grueling push-ups per day to help raise awareness and funds.
Nic is one of many participants and has personally raised $1,300 so far, smashing his initial $1,000 target.
Nationwide, more than $5.5million has been raised for mental health through the challenge, which runs throughout the month of June.
A good cause: Nic made the admission while showing his support for The Push-Up Challenge, an event that helps raise awareness of mental health and raises funds for charities and organisations that help people who might be struggling
The soap star said that while he hasn’t officially been diagnosed with depression, he’s ‘struggled’ at times.
‘I’ve never been officially diagnosed but it’s a struggle I’ve had at times in my life,’ Nic said.
‘But in an optimistic or positive way, I’ve found those times in my life when I’ve had those dark thoughts that I had labelled as a mild or moderate depression, it’s given me an opportunity to find tools to use to improve my life or become stronger as a person.’
Baring all: The soap star said that while has hasn’t officially been diagnosed with depression, he’s ‘struggled’ at times. ‘I’ve never been officially diagnosed but it’s a struggle I’ve had at times in my life,’ Nic said
Nic admitted that he’s gotten through the trying times with the help of friends and family, support groups and said he’s even utilised free counselling sessions.
‘All those options I’ve utilised at different times and come out of it not back to where I was, but a couple of steps further in terms of my personal development and growth and this is why this challenge to me is important,’ Nic said.
He said the challenge is also important to him as he knows some people who have taken their own lives after a battle with their mental health.
Nic also said he wants to remove the ‘stigma’ around mental health and normalise that it’s okay for people to get help if they need it.
‘When people go, “my mental health is not great right now,” there should be an open acceptance of like, “go and do something about it, start meditating, do mindfulness techniques, reach out to family and friends,” he said.
Out of the blue: Nic admitted that he’s gotten through the trying times with the help of friends and family, support groups and said he’s even utilised free counselling sessions
Nic also spoke about his acting career and juggling his commitments as a personal trainer, saying he’s happy to take on a role only when he’s the right actor for the job.
‘I’m not done pursing the acting, but I’m not too concerned about striking when the iron is hot anymore, I’d love to be cast in something if I was the right actor in that role, not because I was on Home and Away once upon a time,’ he said, saying he’d love a role in Netflix or CW show.
Nic, who appeared as bad boy Kyle Braxton on Home and Away from 2012 to 2016, said he recalls his time on the show rather fondly.
‘It was a lot of amazing things; The experience on set and most of all just spending time with creatives who are very good at what they do,’ Nic said.
‘It’s like a giant family that has been running for thirty years not just the actors but the people behind the cameras,’ he added.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue.