Mark Levy has shared a personal story of grief and guilt to remind listeners to access support services themselves when loved ones are struggling with mental health.

“I’m not embarrassed to admit that I’ve called Lifeline in the past. I lost a couple of my mates to suicide a few years ago now, and I kept beating myself up about it.

“Should I have recognised the problem?… Is there anything I could’ve done to prevent them taking their own life? At that particular time, no – they were set in their ways.

“I spoke to a lovely lady… she was very well trained, and she just reassured me that it wasn’t my fault.”

The Christmas season is particularly busy for Lifeline, with magnified feelings of loss and loneliness increasing the need for additional volunteers.

“It is a lonely time,” says Lifeline Chair John Brogden. “We’ve seen already since the beginning of December a 10 per cent increase in our phone calls, and we receive just under a million telephone calls a year from Australians in crisis.”

He says mental ill-health has increased in recent years, with enormous mortgages and social media trolling being significant contributors to the issue.

“People pile on, on the social media, and all of a sudden there are thousands of strangers telling you you’re horrible or worthless.”

Mark had a concise message for those being harassed online. “Just get off it, or block them. Don’t read it.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

If this story raised concerns for you, contact Lifeline by calling 13 11 14 or go to www.lifeline.org.au. In an emergency call 000.