Stopping FIFO suicide
ISOLATION, long swings, 12-hour shifts and a culture that shuns vulnerability are, according to FIFO Zero co-founder Blake Wood, the major contributing factors to the shockingly high levels of mental health and substance abuse problems among FIFO workers. Mr Wood faced his own demons when his nine-year FIFO career descended into chronic anxiety, panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts, and after losing a close friend to suicide, Mr Wood decided to get help. After taking George Helou’s EP7 seven-step program, Mr Wood and Mr Helou created an adaptation of that program – FIFO Zero – a targeted and practical way for FIFO workers to get the follow up help they need to stamp out suicide among FIFO workers. Mr Wood…