THE FIGHT FOR OUR FARMERS 'We've lost too many'

A NEW FILM IS RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IN RURAL AREAS

- Emma Levett

Leila McDougall walked into her parents' farmhouse I in Walcha, NSW to a scene of chaos. Pills lay scattered across the table and floor, and alcohol bottles were strewn all over.

"I threw my son at my husband and started frantically looking for Mum, but she was gone," Leila tells New Idea.

Thankfully Leila's dad, James, had arrived home in time and called an ambulance. Her mum, Sonia, was in hospital. Her attempt to take her life had been unsuccessful.

Eight years on from that awful day Leila, 35, says, "It came a bit out of nowhere. Dad has bipolar and Mum's always dealt with his ups and downs, but being the carer takes its toll.

"She was admitted to rehab for three weeks and had a lot of support when she got home but it was hard. There was a lot of shame."