Four years ago, Breifne Earley sat on his bed, thinking about ending his life.
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All around him, in his sharehouse, were people who had no idea of the battle raging inside Breifne’s head.
Like so many others, Breifne suffered in silence.
At 29 years old, weighing 125kg, feeling alone and unhappy in his job, he could momentarily see no other option.
But rather than go through with it, Breifne found the courage to go on, and by the time he left his room that night, his life had changed forever
Armed with a list of 10 personal challenges, he vowed to complete each between October 10, 2010 and November 11, 2011.
It’s hard to reconcile this troubled man with the one who sat in the Magnet office today, having ticked them all off one by one, a now confident and jovial partway through his greatest pursuit yet.
“When I wrote that list, my life was about as dark as it could’ve gotten, but I decided to do something about it,” he said.
“Over the next 13 months, I completed every challenge and I had an absolutely phenomenal year.
“My life today is no comparison.”
Breifne describes the challenges as “relatively simple in isolation” – losing a bit of weight, finding a new job, getting a girlfriend, travelling, putting some money away, learning to cook and to swim, rediscovering his passion for singing, and competing in a list of sporting events.
While he was successful in all of them, it was one in particular that inspired this newest conquest.
“One of the things I did was compete in a triathlon, and I just felt really at home on the bike,” he said.
“I ended up getting involved with a charity in Ireland called ‘Cycle Against Suicide’, where we’d ride around the country delivering presentations to teenagers about mental health and the different options available for people who might be struggling with their mental health.
“The first time I sat in one of those presentations, I realised that I wasn’t alone – other people had the same thoughts I did, and the same desire to change their lives for the better.
“So I approached the founder of the charity and said, ‘I want to compete in the World Cycle Race and ride around the world; can I do it on behalf of you?
“He jumped at the chance, and that’s what’s brought me here to Eden.”
The trip to Eden has been a long one for Breifne, having left London to start his 29,000km journey way back on March 1.
He’s been through 19 countries en route to Australia, by way of Europe and Asia, and plans to head home via New Zealand, the United States and Mexico, before passing through a bit more of Europe, ahead of his planned arrival at the London finish line next June.
While there are some hair-raising stories to tell, including being robbed outside both Perth and Istanbul, and being shaken down by Thai police after a collision with their car, Breifne prefers to focus on the true message of his trip.
“This is a cause that I’m very passionate about, and its message is a simple one – ‘It’s OK not to feel OK, and it’s OK to ask for help’,” Breifne said.
“When you go through something like I did think you’re alone, and that no one knows who you are or what’s going on in your head.
“The reality is that most of us have days where we don’t want to get out of bed, and some of us have months or even years of feeling like that.
“But the way to beat it is to just talk, whether it’s a family member, friend, neighbour, teacher, sports coach or a complete stranger at the end of a phone at Beyond Blue or Lifeline.
“Talk to somebody, and I guarantee you’ll be amazed at the support you get back.”
Far more than raising awareness of depression, Breifne’s story has inspired many of those he has met along the way.
He insists he is not an inspiration, but says what keeps him going is the messages from people who have taken his words to heart.
“Every day, I get messages on social media from people I’ve met,” he said.
“They often say, ‘I’ve been trying to build up the courage to talk to you and tell you that I’m in the situation I was in four years ago’.
“That’s huge for me, and that’s why I do it.
“In Ireland, we see people with national profile in the papers and on the TV nearly every week, talking about their own battles with mental health.
“Your Average Joe sees that and all of a sudden they realise that if someone who appears to have it all has issues, it’s OK for them to have issues too.
“I’m just a normal guy, but if my story helps people who are struggling, that’s fantastic.”
Breifne now has his eyes set on Sydney, and says he will look back fondly on his Eden experience fondly.
Having stayed at the Nethercote home of SPROUT manager Karen Lott on Tuesday night, he set off on the next leg of his trip after a fresh, local meal at the café.
“Breifne found us through an app called ‘Couchsurfing’,” Ms Lott said
“My daughter, Ellen, is going travelling during her gap year next year, and I encouraged her to sign up for it.
“When you sign up, you find a list of people who are happy to host travellers in the area you’re going to, and you also become a host.
“We’ve had an amazing night listening to Breifne’s story – it’s just incredible.”
If you are struggling and need to talk to someone, contact Lifeline on 13 11 44 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.