Blog - The Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association

S2:E32 | Dacre Danes: How Bullying Pushed Me to Breaking Point

Written by Brittany George | Sep 15, 2020 12:23:41 PM

The psychological impacts of bullying go far beyond hurt feelings – with persistent bullying leading to depression, anxiety and contributing to feelings of suicidal behavior. One man committed to speaking up and speaking out is this week's guest, Dacre Danes.



Dacre grew up in the beautiful surfing community of Cronulla in Sydney. His adult years have seen him live all around Australia and throughout Europe, where he has had a successful fashion photography career. Dacre helped with the creation of Brisbane Fashion Month in its early days, and has been writing since he was a young man.



An avid surfer, Dacre learned to surf before he could even spell. He went through years of intense and systematic bullying that slowly led to taboo medical issues.



In his debut novel, DANYON, Dacre blurs the lines between what happens in the mind of someone who has been bullied for a long period of time. He was able to survive suicide and make it through to tell this tale. DANYON touches on his own experiences, along with others carefully wound together to form a fictional tale based on true events. This read is not only confronting, but provides hope for anyone suffering the same issues.



Dacre's mission is to reach as many people as he can with his stories – as no matter where you grew up - bullying doesn't discriminate and so much is at stake when you use your words to another as you never know if that person is about to take their own life.



Tune in as Dacre joins us to talk about his personal experience with bullying, its psychological impacts, and how he is actively speaking out to others who may be faced with a similar situation.