Revealed: Mike King’s message to Mental Health Minister following controversial alcohol comments

I Am Hope founder Mike King’s Gumboot Friday initiative received $24m of government funding.

WARNING: This article discusses suicide, mental health and alcoholism, and it may be distressing for some readers.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey was unmoved by texts from mental health advocate Mike King, following his controversial comments relating to alcohol and mental health.

The I Am Hope founder made the comments on Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive late last month, claiming: “Alcohol is not a problem for people with mental health issues. It’s actually the solution to our problem, until you come up with a better solution.”

The comments sparked waves of criticism, including from the Drug Foundation and Doocey himself – who said he disagreed with the comments.

“I have a lot of respect for Mike King and the work he has done for young New Zealanders, but on this occasion, I disagree with the comments he has made regarding alcohol use being a solution to mental health,” he said at the time.

Labour has called on the Government to pause its funding of I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday – it has funded the programme to the tune of $24 million over the next four years.

Despite this, King dug in his heels and has so far refused to retract the comments – or offer an apology.

Now, Newstalk ZB can reveal King appears to have attempted to convince the Doocey that he was, in fact, correct to make the claims.

Texts, obtained through the Official Information Act, show King contacted the Minister roughly half an hour after Doocey’s comments refuting King’s argument were published in the Herald on October 31.

“FYI,” King said in a text, before quoting a line he himself had used in the aftermath of the interview for “context”.

“Drugs and alcohol are not a problem to addicts, they are a solution to our problem until a proper solution can be found.”

The next line started with the word: “Evidence,” then proceeded to explain the “self-medication hypothesis developed by Dr Edward Khantzian who, according to King, “proposed that individuals often turn to drugs and alcohol to manage specific psychological or emotional distress, particularly when other support or treatments are unavailable”.

The text is more than 500 words long and includes numerous references to alcohol and mental health studies, including Research by G. Alan Marlatt (1970s-1980s), Turner, Cooper, & Saunders’ Study on Anxiety and Depression (2000) and Baker, Piper, McCarthy, Majeskie, & Fiore’s Review on Negative Reinforcement (2004).

The messages conclude by saying: “These studies remain credible and influential, continuing to shape addition treatment approaches today.”

Contacted for comment on the text he sent to Doocey, and if he still stood by his comment, King said: “No comment. Just make something up that’s what you always do.”

The OIA shows Doocey did not respond to the text.

But a spokesperson for the minister said the text did not change the minister’s mind on the matter.

“Alcohol does affect the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so people may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But these effects do quickly wear off.

“As the Minister for Mental Health, I am committed to ensuring people have access to appropriate alcohol and other drug addiction services and that substance use is treated as a health issue. “

SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION

Where to get help:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234
• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.