Brian has had a surprising win over depression. His fascinating story has implications for us all. After sharing the story I’ll reveal some scientific research hinting at why this approach works.

Sixty-three-year-old Australian, Brian Egan, might be one of the happiest people alive, but it wasn’t always like that.

The first of Brian’s suicide attempts involved jumping out of a speeding vehicle. And his life continued to plummet. His farm was ravished by a drought and he was facing financial ruin but not even that could explain his breakdown. He spent hours looking into the distance, often crying.

“I didn’t understand what was happening to me,” recalls Brian, “and I didn’t know where to go for help.”

Before long his wife had to do almost everything. He couldn’t drive any vehicle. He was considered too mentally unstable to even sign any papers.

“The mental cruelty was terrible,” says his wife, Nerida, about how he treated her during those dark times. “He made me feel worthless. It was really hard. I hated him.” She corrected herself, “I didn’t hate him, but I hated what he did. He made our life hell, but he didn’t mean it, it wasn’t my Brian.”

Twice she left him for a while, taking her children with her. “I just couldn’t take anymore,” she explains, “and I couldn’t put the kids through any more, but he had nobody, he had his mother and myself. The rest of the family wouldn’t have anything to do with him. I’m sure they thought it was contagious, or they felt embarrassed. I suppose I can’t blame them in a way, but I had to stick by him.”

Finally, the drought won. Brian and his family walked off the farm forever, taking only their furniture and dog.

The next thing Brian knew, his mental state had landed him in hospital. He languished there for the best part of a year. Eventually it was discovered that a contributing factor to his condition was post traumatic stress disorder, stemming from his time in the defense force very many years before. Even today he still suffers nightmares over it.

One day a psychologist said that perhaps the best thing for Brian was to find somebody worse off than he is, and try to help him.

Brian laughed. “Who could be worse off than I am?” He was in his mid-fifties, impoverished, and hamstrung by severe mental problems.

“You’ll find someone,” came the reply.

Those words stuck with Brian. He ended up working for a voluntary organization, but he felt they were neglecting needy people in rural areas. “Let’s start our own charity,” he told his wife.

His daughter was staggered, convinced he could never do it. At that time his mental state was such that he couldn’t even look at her when speaking to her.

Nevertheless, Brian came up with the name Aussie Helpers, took food from his own pantry and made it into a hamper to try to raffle it in the hope of raising a little money. After several months, he raised enough money to start their own thrift shop, which became a source of revenue for their charity.

Brian describes what he calls his own personal road to Damascus when he came across a farmer whose bank had just foreclosed on him. He had lost everything. “We were hugging, he was sobbing. I must have spent half the day with him. I thought he was alright when I left. I found out [later] that the poor bloke had committed suicide.” Brian was devastated, blaming himself for not doing more. He sat on the ground and prayed, telling God that for as long as he has breath he will do anything he can to help people on farms who are in trouble. “And from that day to this, I haven’t stopped,” he comments.

“From the moment Brian decided to start up Aussie Helpers, he changed himself,” says his wife. “Instead of this withdrawn man, he was get up and get ‘em go type of guy, and really just started to put everything he had into it, show compassion toward others which he didn’t do before. I see the emotion that I’d never seen in all the years we were married prior to that, so it’s all about not what can I do for someone, [but] how much more can I do?”

“All of the things that were worrying him before,” says his doctor, “have now become insignificant and meaningless because he wakes up each day with a sense of purpose and a sense of self-esteem which he’s derived from this venture that he’s created.”

“I think anyone who’s been through a loss such as Nerida and I have would really know more than your normal counselor that’s just out of university and everything’s come out of a text book,” says Brian. “I don’t think having a loss is something to be proud of. But maybe it was meant to be.”

“My personal philosophy is giving is receiving. I often call Aussie Helpers my medicine. I don’t use medication any more. I use the work we do to keep a very positive mental attitude. It’s my savior, it’s my lifeblood.”

Brian delights in giving packs of goodies and hearing people say, “Wow! Haven’t been able to afford something like this for years!” Aussie Helpers turns over nearly half a million dollars a year in goods and money.

“I don’t have any material possessions. I live in a rented house. I’m probably there one night a week. I get a very meager war veteran’s pension which I live on, and quite honestly I’ve never been happier in my life.”

“The marriage is great,” says his wife, rejoicing in the transformation. “ . . . my husband hugs me now and I know he means it.” She notes that they could sit at home and watch television, but nothing could equal “the wonderful people we meet, the hugs and the thankyous . . . it’s worth a million dollars a week.”

Scientific Research

Most antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the body. Research has shown that a simple act of kindness both improves the immune system and increases the production of serotonin. These benefits were found in not just people receiving the kindness, but those giving it and even those witnessing it.

I presume that a bi-product of Brian Egan’s new lifestyle is increased physical activity. Studies suggest that increased physical fitness results in lowered stress levels. Some studies suggest that physical exercise can be as effective as antidepressants in reducing depression. When listing the benefits of exercise, the U.S. Surgeon General, explicitly mentions a reduction in depression and anxiety.

It is frustrating that, like showing kindness or doing almost anything, depression itself makes it hard to start exercising. Although some people report feeling a slight benefit from just one exercise session it is unrealistic to expect maximum benefits until several weeks or months after increasing one’s exercise.

Part of Brian’s lifestyle change involved meeting many more people. More as a sub-conscious act of politeness than anything, many of us tend to smile when greeting people. Research indicates that the mere act of smiling – even when done completely without feeling – lifts one’s mood. No matter how artificial it seems, it is beneficial for depressed people to make a conscious effort to grin often.

What this Means for You

It is wisely said that anyone wrapped up in himself makes a pretty small package. We are divinely created to live expansive, influential lives and this can only happen when we focus our attention on others. Anyone turning in on himself is in the process of shriveling up and dying.

As a child, I was taught that Jesus first, Others next, and Yourself last, spells JOY. Put the Y first and you’ll end up wondering WHY you were ever born.

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. . . .

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

It is no coincidence that Jesus, who said he came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly is the very one who instructed us to deny ourselves. Nor should it surprise that the apostle who kept speaking about joy is the one who kept speaking about dying to self. (Scripture references for this paragraph)

I make no claim that getting your eyes off yourself is the full answer to depression, but it is a significant component of the joy God wants you to enjoy.

Details of Brian Egan’s story taken from the transcript of the Australian Broadcasting Commission television program Australian Story, Down to Earth: Monday, 26 March, 2007