A Kiwi fisherman's succinct yet effective message about mental health has captured hearts worldwide with hundreds of people commenting their appreciation for his powerful analogy.
The fisherman, named Clay, uploaded the 57-second Instagram video to his YouTube channel 'Clay Tall Stories' on Saturday.
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The short but sweet clips shows Clay out on his fishing boat after catching his "very first snapper for the season".
"I'm on my little boat here, and I was just thinking that if my little 3.3 Mercury broke down out here, what would I do if the wind was blowing me out to sea?" he said to the camera.
"Well, I'd probably put my ego aside and tell one of my mates on the telephone, 'Hi, I've broken down. Can you come and pick me up?' or if I was way out at sea and it was too hard to paddle back into shore, I'd probably ring up the Coastguard."
"The same thing applies to you," he said.
"If you have a breakdown, like a mental breakdown, your head breaks down - because that bit of jelly between your ears occasionally, just like a motor on a boat, can break down."
"So put your ego aside if you're going through a hard patch and you've had a breakdown, and call someone. Call someone, say, 'Hey man, I've had a breakdown and I need help'.
"That way you'll be sweet as, bro. And good luck with your fishing. Be good, and if you can't be good, be careful."
The message, shared to Clay's 41,500 subscribers, has since attracted thousands of views. Another YouTube channel under the name 'Josh Magro' also shared the clip on Saturday, since amassing more than 542,000 views. Clay's words have also gained significant traction on Reddit.
"A problem shared is a problem halved. This year in New Zealand we have had the highest rate of suicide ever. It kills me every time I hear that another soul has left us because their burden was too heavy to carry," Clay wrote in the video's description box.
"Talk to someone and share that burden. Talk to your parents, your teachers, your friends or call Help Line. You are not alone."
Viewers took to the comments to express their gratitude for the message, praising the simple but effective analogy.
"Good advice, Kiwis are far too stoic for their own good," one woman wrote.
"Wholesome as f**k, thanks Reddit for sending me here," said another.
"Great message, straight to people in a way they will relate to," another commented.
Clay commented on his video that despite his clip being "robbed" and widely circulated, he was thankful for it going viral.
"It's getting the word out there, that matters most to me," he wrote.
Where to find help and support:
Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
Samaritans - 0800 726 666
Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
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