Medibank chief executive David Koczkar on his mental health

Seeking professional help has been key to combating “nasty figures” that appear when Medibank chief executive David Koczkar is sleeping.

Seeking professional help has been key to combating “nasty figures” that appear when Medibank chief executive David Koczkar is sleeping.

The health company has collaborated with News Corp Australia on the Can We Talk? campaign, which is raising awareness for mental health – a cause close to Mr Koczkar’s heart.

He has sought professional help during his life – both as a young man, and in the high-stakes CEO role.

In more recent years, Mr Koczkar has realised his stress manifests at night.

“There’s been times I’ve had really terrible trouble sleeping,” he said.

“It’s affected my health.”

He underwent a sleep test and spoke to his GP, and a sleep psychologist who “really helped” him break down triggers and find coping mechanisms and strategies.

While he still sometimes has “pretty bad” sleep, he said seeking professional help was “incredible” to help with techniques.

“During the day, I make sure that I have some time where I’m either meditating or being mindful, and for me, that’s either music or cooking or doing some jobs around the house or something that is a break from my role,” he said.

“Even five minutes makes a massive difference.”

Techniques he’s deployed have included visualisation, and sleep hygiene measures like limiting screen time and making sure his bedroom environment is “very relaxed”.

“In my sleep, I tend to see nasty figures who are approaching me, and really that’s a manifestation of the stress or the problem during the day,” he said.

“So I will, during the day, visualise those figures in my mind and almost pre-empt them coming to me in my sleep.”

Mr Koczkar’s two adult daughters are now studying at university, and he reflected for him how it “wasn’t all easy at that age”.

David Koczkar, with his mum, right, and late father. Picture: Supplied

He loved playing footy, but at 20, he was told to stop due to having “the knee of a 70-year-old”, leaving him “pretty devastated” and “lost”.

“It probably exacerbated other thoughts I had and became quite a significant issue for me,” he said.

Football was not only a physical outlet – it provided confidence and validation.

He sought counselling at university, and leant on family and friends.

“Most people are going through something, and so that’s why mental fitness is as important as physical fitness,” he said.

Can We Talk? is a News Corp awareness campaign, in partnership with Medibank, helping Australian families better tackle mental wellbeing. To follow the series and access all stories, tips and advice, visit our new Health section.