Former Bay of Plenty teacher Lynda Hills to publicly speak about mental health battle

Former Bay of Plenty teacher Lynda Hills is speaking at a public event in Pāpāmoa on April 4 to talk about hope beyond suicide. Photo / Megan Wilson

Warning: This article discusses suicide, depression and mental health issues.

• Former Bay of Plenty teacher Lynda Hills is speaking about her mental health battle and how she found hope and happiness at a public community talk tomorrow night.
• Hills, 43, is a PhD student at The University of Auckland researching suicide and common treatments used for suicide prevention.
• The Hamilton mother-of-two hopes her research can help produce suicide prevention educational material to support “frontline” prescribers.

Lynda Hills attempted suicide in 2009 after battling bulimia, anxiety and depression for more than eight years.

After her attempt – which cannot be reported for legal reasons – Hills spent more than seven months in Tauranga Hospital.

While in hospital, Hills told the Bay of Plenty Times she had a “strange” and “near death experience” which “took away” her suicidal thoughts.

But it has been a long physical recovery.

Since her attempt, she has had 42 surgeries and been left with permanent physical disabilities.

After she was discharged from the hospital, she rented a place in Mount Maunganui where she could “see the ocean from my bed”.

“I slowly but surely learned to walk, and I set a goal of being able to get up the Mount.”

Hills returned to university and got her Master’s degree in disability and inclusion studies.

Now a PhD student, she is researching suicide, including the risks and benefits of common treatments used for suicide prevention such as antidepressant and antipsychotic medication.

After graduating, she hoped to collaborate with medical professionals to produce educational material focused on suicide prevention to support “frontline” prescribers.

Long-term, she wanted to produce material for patients and support people.

Hills is giving a free community talk about hope beyond suicide at 7pm on April 4 at the Golden Sands Baptist Church in Pāpāmoa. Anyone is welcome.

Where to get help

If it is an emergency and you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

For counselling and support:

Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP)

Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

Need to talk? Call or text 1737

Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202

For children and young people

Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234

What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)

For help with specific issues

Alcohol and Drug Helpline: Call 0800 787 797

Anxiety Helpline: Call 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY)

OutLine: Call 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) (6pm-9pm)

Safe to talk (sexual harm): Call 0800 044 334 or text 4334

All services are free and available 24/7 unless otherwise specified.

For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, hauora, community mental health team, or counselling service. The Mental Health Foundation has more helplines and service contacts on its website.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.