Growing up on a farm, Brad Hogg had one dream – to play for Australia. Now he’s telling farmers how he survived when that dream was over.
Growing up on a sheep farm, he had plenty of space to practise, and cricket was his life for the next 32 years.In 2010, two years after he retired from Test cricket for his family, Hogg found himself on the brink of divorce, arguing with his parents and struggling to see a way forward.
He spoke publicly about his struggles at an AgQuip field day in Gunnedah on Wednesday to raise awareness about the mental health crisis facing rural communities.Almost half of all farmers have had thoughts of self harm or suicide and 30 per cent have attempted it,Hogg said that he realised he needed to shift his thinking and did so through writing a list of 13 goals. A year later, he was in a new relationship and back playing cricket in the T20 competition.
The Farmer Mates program consists of forums at events such as AgQuip and Hogg said he was glad he could help others by sharing his own experiences. “Everyone copes differently. The biggest thing I learnt through cricket and life, and the experiences of people I’m with, is that you have got to understand what makes you tick when you’re at your best, and what are the [negative] cues that take you away from that.”
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