“MND Took Everything” Matt Nable on Grief, Depression & What Really Matters

In the end, Matt Nable wished his brother would give in.

Motor neurone disease had taken everything, except his brother’s will to live.

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Joining us in the studio today is writer, actor, boxer, and former rugby league player, Matt Nable.

Recognisable for playing infamous tough guys on screen (Arrow, Underbelly, The Dry), Matt’s experience of loss and mental ill health has starkly redefined what he believes it is to ‘be a man’.

Using the analogy of a ‘double edged sword’, Matt explains his experience with bipolar and hypomania, and how those periods have lead to the best, and worst, decisions of his life.

Matt is incredibly generous in sharing his experience of biological melancholia depression, and explores with Josh just how quickly everything can seem to unravel.

Matt speaks about the immense grief he carries for his brother who passed away MND, and how he was able to move through this grief to find purpose and compassion.

*Content Warning: today's episode includes a discussion about psilocybin. In Australia, psilocybin is a controlled substance. Outside of authorised clinical settings, its use, possession and supply are illegal. This episode is not medical advice, and we're not encouraging or endorsing illegal drug use. Psilocybin can carry serious risks, particularly when taken without professional screening and supervision. Our guest's experience is their own and won't be typical of everyone's. This episode also mentions suicide. If you're struggling with grief or your mental health, please speak with your GP or a mental health professional.

🚨If you, or someone you know, are experiencing suicidal thoughts call lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 – TRAILER
• 00:02:48 – Childhood shapes who we are
• 00:03:40 – What does it really mean to be tough?
• 00:07:38 – Why Matt doesn’t think he is a tough man
• 00:09:21 – Redefining Masculinity, and Rejecting the Manosphere
• 00:12:00 – Letting Go of Ego
• 00:13:34 – Losing his brother to MND
• 00:20:40 – A Psilocybin Retreat for Grief: Matt’s Experience
• 00:23:08 – Meeting his younger self
• 00:24:09 – Reaching Acceptance
• 00:28:34 – Figuring out what really matters
• 00:35:12 – A brother’s love: Hugh & Josh reflect
• 00:38:55 – Finding humour in grief
• 00:40:34 – A Parent’s Grief vs a Sibling’s Grief
• 00:41:30 – The Meaning of Matt’s Tattoos
• 00:42:10 – Bipolar II + Melancholic Depression Diagnosis
• 00:43:46 – Hypomania: The Double-Edged Sword
• 00:46:52 – Matt’s rise to fame
• 00:51:10 – Bipolar vs Depression: The Crash, Exhaustion + Regret
• 00:52:34 – Sitting with someone in the dark
• 00:54:08 – The Quicksand of Men’s Mental Health
• 00:56:02 – Standing on the Edge: Josh’s Story
• 00:58:01 – Finding Joy in the Small Moments
• 01:01:29 – Writing as an Anchor Point
• 01:07:29 – Why men need to be vulnerable
• 01:07:59 – Journaling Club “How would you like to be remembered?”

Some other great resources are below

• Black Dog Institute - https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
• Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au

📚Things to read

• Mire, by Matt Nable - https://bit.ly/4hYglT0
• Other books by Matt Nable - https://bit.ly/4dI1uut

📺 Things to watch

• The Final Winter - https://bit.ly/4s3EYSC

Things to donate to

• Fight MND - https://fightmnd.org.au

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The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Trailer footage sourced from Mr Inbetween.