PTSD and the challenge of adapting to 'normal' life after clearing mines in conflict zones, with David Gill

Dan is joined from New York by David Gill who opens up about how the stiff upper lip he (and many other Brits) have been encouraged to embrace came back to bite him. Our chat covers an awful lot of ground. David's career has taken some interesting twists and turns, arguably one of the most challenging of which was clearing landmines.He's been through difficult times, not least working for two bucks an hour and sleeping in a hammock at a craft brewery, and the dramatic consequences of neglecting his physical and mental health. Now living in New York, he's been sober for over 400 days, has transformed his diet and lifestyle, is enjoying the moments of joy in everyday life, and, as a newly admitted member of The Explorer's Club is plotting future adventures.Here are the timestamps for when each of our core questions is discussed, so you can fast-track to David's answers:0:00 Introduction to GoodEnoughChats and David4:36 Why are you sharing your mental health experiences with us today? 11:23 How has your last week been?29:09 How has your relationship with your mental health evolved?45:33 Have there been any lightbulb moments along the way?57:10 If someone facing a similar problem came to you today, what's the most important thing they can do?If you'd like to chat with David about his experiences, reach out to him via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gill-50951811/You can also read more about his experiences on his blog, here: https://www.gilloverland.com/blog/sweet-sweet-sugarIf you're interested in sharing your mental health story to help others who might be going through something similar, you can connect with Dan on LinkedIn too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbowsher/Find the show on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on all our socials via this link: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/goodenoughchats⁠⁠Why is GoodEnoughChats a thing? There is a mental health crisis for men aged between their mid-thirties and early fifties, and one of the things we know can make a positive difference is encouraging men to open up about what's on their minds. Each episode of GoodEnoughChats features a new guest who has volunteered to share their experiences to help destigmatise mental health amongst men. The discussions are all centred on the same five questions, but each one tells a unique story that might be useful for someone else to hear. We want to build a bank of these chats so they are there for people when they need them.If you have been affected by some of the issues addressed in this conversation, please know that you are not alone and there are some fantastic places you can turn to for help, including (but by no means limited to):NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/ The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), https://www.thecalmzone.net/Samaritans, https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/Mind, https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/where-to-start/