Carrie Bickmore has been praised for being “raw and real” after sharing a candid photo on Instagram of herself crying, aiming to open up discussions about mental health.
In the image, a bare-faced Bickmore is seen staring into the camera with tear-stained eyes. However, it was her heartfelt caption that truly resonated with the Australian public, as she spoke about the reaction on her 2Day FM radio show.
A message of solidarity
“Scrolling through my camera roll this morning, I found this photo I’d sent a friend a few months ago when I was having a terrible day, and she had checked up on me,” she wrote initially on Instagram.
“I don’t often post on the days I feel crap (and there are a lot of them) because I usually go quiet. But I thought it was worth sharing. We all have sad days/weeks/months for so many varied reasons, and if you are having a s*** one, I hope tomorrow is a brighter day. You are not alone,” she wrote.
The post quickly garnered an outpouring of positive comments, with Bickmore’s followers and celebrity friends applauding her honesty.
“Your power in your vulnerability never ceases to amaze me,” wrote Rove McManus.
Network 10 star Angela Bishop added: “You’re doing a good thing xx.”
Explaining her decision
Bickmore later expanded on her decision to share the emotional moment during her Carrie & Tommy radio show, revealing she came across the photo while deleting images from her phone.
“I found a photo that I’d sent my friend, who had asked me a few months ago if I was having a good day or a bad day. Because she knew I was going through a really tough time. I was on the floor, leaning against the wall, on the carpet, and I was in the middle of crying. I just sent her the photo and said, ‘Not a good one,’” she explained.
She went on to say that she felt compelled to post the photo because she does seek help for her mental health struggles and believes “Instagram can just become a bit of a showreel of all the happy stuff that’s going on in your life.”
By sharing her struggles, she said she hoped to make others feel less alone.
The image of Carrie Bickmore Australians are used to seeing.
A national crisis
The media identity then went on to say she was “in a spot where she is finding stuff hard at the moment” revealing she had chosen to seek help from a professional.
“I see a psychologist, which I know is not available to everybody. I’ve got so many friends trying to get in to see people at the moment. And the wait in Australia is so hard, and we have to do something about that if we want to get on top of mental health issues in this country,” she said.
Bickmore’s message is timely with the nation’s mental health sector currently under severe strain.
According to The Australian Psychological Society’s Healthcare Index Survey, nearly two-thirds of patients have waited more than 12 weeks for care, while one in three (33%) psychologists are unable to take on new clients due to overwhelming demand—an increase from one in five (22%) in June 2021.
These long wait times have created a gap in care, leaving those whose conditions are too complex for a GP but not severe enough for hospitalisation with little support. The Victorian Royal Commission identified this issue, describing our mental health system as “crisis-driven” and overly reliant on medication and hospitals.
‘Everyone has a bad day’
Bickmore ended her chat on her show by detailing just how many people reached out to her following the photo to thank her.
“My DM’s have just been full of people ranging from saying they had just a bad day, or a bad day at work, or a fight with a partner, all the way through to incredibly tragic things,” she said.
She went on to add that sharing the photo has given her an “incredible perspective”.
“You realise that everybody, everyone you walk past, even those that are smiling, even those that are laughing, have stuff going on in their own lives,” she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling and needs help you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Pictured: Carrie Bickmore