Leisel Jones: ‘The doorknock that saved my life’

To mark R U OK? Day on Thursday, swimming great Leisel Jones opened up about the extraordinary moment of intervention from her coach that pulled her out of suicidal thoughts.

Leisel Jones has discussed the intervention by her swimming coach that likely saved her life during a consuming bout of depression.

In support of R U OK? Day on Thursday, which she emphasised shouldn’t be limited to one day, Jones opened up about the period of her illustrious swimming career that she contemplated suicide.

SCROLL DOWN TO HEAR LEISEL JONES TELL HER STORY

Jones, a nine-time Olympic medallist who held 14 individual world records, spoke to her co-hosts on Triple M’s Rush Hour about the moment her mental health spiralled during an altitude training camp in Spain.

Leisel Jones hosts Triple M's The Rush Hour. Picture: Peter Wallis

“I was struggling with achieving everything I had wanted and the thought of the future was so overwhelming for me that I fell into a place where my mental health was not good,” she said.

“I couldn’t see anything good, every day was such a struggle I’d end up crying … and it felt like this really heavy cloud was around my head, every single day.

“It was hell for me. I was struggling …. and felt guilty about that, because I was not happy and not enjoying it … I was sitting on a bathroom floor, I couldn’t think about anything else other than leaving …. to be really frank, in a body bag.”

It was at that point that her coach Rohan Taylor knocked on the door of her hotel room.

“I don’t know what it was, whether divine intervention or someone sent him or whatever it was, but for him to knock on the door at that exact moment and to pull me out of that place is just extraordinary. I am so thankful every day that I had someone like Rohan Taylor.”

“But not everyone gets that opportunity.”

Jones talks regularly to Taylor who is now Swimming Australia’s head coach.

Leisel Jones with coach Rohan Taylor in 2008

She said she never imagined having mental health struggles, having enjoyed a happy and stable childhood and friendships and a successful swimming career, “but I was not immune to falling into a hole and not knowing where I was going to go next”.

Retiring in late 2012, she later opened up about the toll the sport had on her mental health in her book, Body Lengths.

In a bid to further encourage Australians to check in on each other on days other than R U OK? Day, Jones also shared an Instagram post on Thursday about her recent mental health struggle.

SCROLL DOWN TO HEAR LEISEL JONES TELL HER STORY

Studying psychology on top of her radio job, she reached a point last week when, having scored badly on an exam, the burden of expectation overwhelmed her.

“Tired, overwhelmed, high expectations, pressure and burnout caught up to me,” she wrote.

“This was the first time I considered calling Lifeline. I was between appointments with my (psychologist) and I didn’t want to dump on anyone else in case they were also having a hard time.

“This too shall pass is one of my favourite sayings and just like that … the sun rose the next morning and I felt good again.

“Sometimes that feeling doesn’t pass and you need a bit more ongoing help so don’t let R U OK? Day be a one-time thing.”