CHAT SESSION 80 with Jordan Coady
Topic- Jordan has truly found himself, who he really is, and most importantly has found happiness and purpose.
Catch up and listen to our chat session https://megaphone.link/LCRUI5065797649
Monday 4th November 2024 1pm https://rppfm.com.au
Jordan (top row, second from left)
Jordan had to quit his job as a sales rep for a timber company because of his addiction challenges. On his return to work in a supermarket he became very close with
10 of the guys he met there. Today, they continue to be remain great friends.
Jordan Coady is an advocate for, and deeply passionate about mental health and wellbeing. As an emergency department mental health peer worker, Jordan uses his own lived experiences with mental health challenges, as well as the principles of peer work, to provide non-clinical, emotional and empathetic support to individuals that attend ED in acute mental health crisis’. From depression, anxiety, suicide attempts and ideation, self-harm, drug overdose, addiction and psychosis, Jordan can hold a space for those in the worst moments of their life. He allows people to talk openly, and freely to express themselves and to be listened to in an empathetic manner. To know that they don’t have to feel alone in their fear, pain and hopelessness is of paramount importance to Jordan. To be present with them in what they’re going through and to help advocate for them towards recovery as well as provide hope is an integral part of Jordon’s work. Jordan is a living example, that things can get better.
Jordan has worked extremely hard to get to this stage. He has completely rebuilt his life over time into one in which he can make use of all the emotional pain and suffering that he has endured. Helping those in need, sharing his wisdom and knowledge and inspiring others who need support whilst remaining focused on living a life in which he can be proud of is a priority. Each day Jordan continues to find real purpose and meaning is his life.
From early teenage years, Jordan has had several mental health challenges as well as subsequently going through substance use challenges for approximately 10-15 years. Stemming from the development of early age trauma, maladaptive cognitive schemas and worldview beliefs that impacted Jordan’s sense of self, identity, own self-worth as well as having major difficulty in being able to understand and regulate emotions, took a heavy toll on Jordan’s mental state of mind.
Through school, Jordan was reserved, quiet, and found it difficult to find his place to fit in. He also struggled with major depression and anxiety. Jordan had a hard time in articulating what he was feeling or experiencing, so quite often, he never expressed or shared his thoughts with anyone. Jordan knew that something was wrong and eventually expressed those thoughts to his parents, who organised help through a psychologist.
Jordan attended psychology appointments and gained help in expressing how he was feeling although, due to the nature of his mental health challenges, and difficulty in not being able to express himself, Jordans emotions fluctuated. There were times when he felt good, and other times, not so good. He couldn’t articulate what he wanted to say, or express his feelings honestly, and as a result his health and wellbeing took a turn for the worst.
Jordan didn’t feel as though he had a place in this world even after attending therapy sessions. He was convinced that he wasn’t worthy of a happy and bright future but held onto a belief that maybe, just maybe, things would get better when he grew older. He thought that life might start to make sense but, as he got older, it didn’t get any easier and it didn't make any sense.
At the end of high school Jordan struggled even more than ever before so, to cope with the setbacks he was experiencing, he began drinking alcohol and taking drugs. Overall, his negative thinking and pessimistic mindset resulted in him not doing well academically. There were some detrimental incidents that happened in Jordan’s life that caused him to spiral downwards. These setbacks lead to him engaging in self-harm. He also had consistent thoughts of suicide. Suddenly, alcohol and drugs became his vice, his way to cope. Primarily he was only drinking and doing drugs on weekends, but it wasn’t before long that his substance use became a weekly habit. Eventually it became a daily necessity just to get up out of bed.
Jordan continued to keep his mental health struggles to himself, feeling a deep sense of shame and remorse about who he was as a person. He would induce alcohol to bury his thoughts and emotions but was unable to hide the developing alcohol addiction from his family. Jordan put his family through so much stress. He caused a lot of pain toward them while slipping heavily into addiction and although his family tried everything they possibly could to help, Jordan could not bring himself to get sober. Unable to face the trauma that was buried deep within, Jordan rebelled. He became angry, violent, aggressive and manipulative, and would do horrible things to continue his substance abuse. That became his way to cope.
Using substances was the only way Jordan felt like he was able to function but, living his life this way and behaving in a negative manner caused Jordan and those around him an incredible amount of pain. Eventually, this led Jordan to hitting rock bottom. Jordan knew he had to make a change, or he would not be live much longer.
Jordan sought help. He went through detox and rehab and begun attending psychology again. For years, he tried to get sober but would slip up and as a result kept going back to drinking, and drug use. Jordan continued to think about his family, who he had put through so much. He kept trying to improve and do better and did not want to give up on himself. Deep down he would always think of his two younger brothers. He wanted to be an inspiration to himself and to them and wanted to make his family proud. Whenever Jordan felt hopeless, and utter hatred towards himself, and who he had become, it was the thought of being there for his brothers, wanting to make them proud, that would always get him through.
"My brothers truly mean absolutely everything to me.
I would not be here if it wasn’t for them" say Jordan
Reid (left), Liam (right) and their cat, Chip.
Over time and after encountering many struggles, Jordan’s life began to improve. Through therapy, Jordan began to work through the deep, underlying issues he had buried for such a long time. He begun to see a possible future for himself and began exercising, joined a gym and surrounded himself with good people that motivated him to become a better person.
On the 27th of February 2022, Jordan enrolled to study psychology at university. The day before semester 1 started, Jordan had his last alcoholic drink. He hasn’t touched any substances ever since.
Today, Jordan has truly found himself, who he really is, and most importantly has found happiness and purpose. Jordan still goes through mental health challenges relating to the early age trauma every now and then, but now has the ability to cope in healthy ways. He doesn’t hesitate to reach out to others when he needs support.
Jordan plans to continue his studies to become a clinical psychologist, but in the meantime, aims to do everything he can to be there for others that are going through mental health and substance use challenges. Jordan is available to inspire others and give them a sense of hope for a safe and brighter future. Jordan is a testament that yes, life can get better.
Jordan met Hayley, Dylan, Brooke and Leo at 'Safe Space'
Now they all live together and are great friends.
Jordan with Hayley (left), Dylan (back), Brooke (right), Leo (front)
Jordan facilitated a 'Safe Space' session
In 2019 Jordan started training at ' Virtus Performance'.
Business owner Lochy has played a big part in his recovery.
Jordan (left) and Lachy (right)
If you, or anyone you know needs support reach out anytime:
Need help now?
If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on Triple Zero (000)
My hope is that when you’re looking at yourself in the
‘The Daily Mirror’
YOU SMILE
EMBRACE BEING YOU
AND FIND 10 MINUTES IN YOUR DAY TO NOURISH YOUR SOUL!
To get in touch with Cathy email smileinthedailymirror@gmail.com
'The Daily Mirror' acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.
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