Mark Eustice – or Wally, as he’s known to many – is a former AFL player who turned out for Essendon, Richmond and Sydney Swans. Like many professional athletes, his career was defined not only by remarkable achievements, but also the trauma of relentless competition in an unforgiving, high-pressure environment. He struggled to adapt to life after early retirement, filling the void with cocaine and alcohol, not yet ready to face up to the mental health issues that dogged him during his career.  

Mark’s now more than 14 years’ sober, but the mental health challenges have persisted, and rarely more so than during the lockdowns of the past year and a half. He’s taking it upon himself to get out there once this is all over, raising awareness with his unflinching and passionate account of a personal struggle that’s anything but over.

Follow Mark at his personal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mark.eustice.3

Visit the website of Mark's Foundation: https://www.regainlifefocus.com.au/

Check out the community group that Mark mentions: https://goodblokessociety.com.au

The show is brought to you by the Association of Participating Service Users (APSU), which is a service of the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC). APSU is a Victorian consumer body that believes the voices of people with lived experience of AOD issues should be heard and incorporated into service design and delivery. 

The views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of APSU or SHARC. Names and identifying details may have been changed for privacy reasons.

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