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Less than 24 hours after going public with his own life or death mental health battle, former Newcastle Knights star Owen Craigie has been swamped with cries for help from other sufferers.
"I can't believe the response to the story," Craigie said. "I've had that many people contact me through my Facebook and Instagram, thanking me for speaking out and asking if I can help them with their own mental health problems. I'll do whatever I can to assist them brother.
"If I can help just one person emerge from whatever dark place they find themselves in and get their life back on track, it will be worth it. If anyone wants to contact me on social media, I'll be there for them."
In a brutally honest interview on Thursday for the Newcastle Herald's Toohey's News: The Podcast, Craigie, a member of the Knights' 1997 premiership-winning side, details his battle with gambling and alcohol and drug addictions and made the startling admission he was talked out of committing suicide late last year by former teammate Matty Johns after his mental health had spiraled out of control.
Johns told the Newcastle Herald it was a conversation he is never likely to forget.
"For whatever reason, me and Owie were always really tight from the first time we met," Johns said.
"I picked him up at the airport and drove him and his old man around Newcastle when he first came down and sort of sold them the town. I looked after him and it got to the point where he was almost like a son to me. But like with all young players, when you hit it big so early, and Owie hit the big-time earlier than most, it attracts problems. I probably saw that coming with him.
"Even after our careers ended, we always kept in contact and that's been the case with all the boys from that era - we were so tight."
Johns said he knew Craigie was in trouble as soon as he answered the call towards the back-end of last year: "Owie was in a real bad way - he was driving at the time ... and I just told him to pull over and stop the car. His call was a cry for help.
"I told him he had that much support, just among the boys he used to play with and as soon as I got off from him, I got Kurt [Gidley] to ring him and then we got the Men of League involved and he was in rehab before you knew it."
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