Chad Stahelski, the director of John Wick 1, 2, 3 & 4, has finally provided an update regarding the fifth John Wick film. And – though the decision is still in the studio’s hands – it looks like it could well be happening…

We’ve all been waiting with bated breath for the fourth John Wick film to hit cinemas. Sadly, the film was majorly delayed because of COVID-19 but it’s now set to (finally!) be released next year on March 24th.

John Wick: Chapter 4 will obviously follow the events of the first three John Wick films but we officially now know that it won’t be the end of the franchise. Sure, Lionsgate did announce there would be a fifth John Wick back in 2020 and that the studio planned to shoot John Wick 4 & 5 back to back but COVID threw that plan out of the window.

And since then, there’s been no update about John Wick: Chapter 5, so fans – us included – were unsure if it was going to still happen. Thankfully, Chad Stahelski, who has directed all four John Wick films, recently spoke to Collider and confirmed that a John Wick 5 is definitely still on the cards.

In fact, Stahelski said he’ll likely start working on John Wick 5 next year with the film’s star, Keanu Reeves during the John Wick 4 press tour.

“I have no doubt that we’ll start jonesing about a year from now going, ‘Yeah, it’s time to make a [John] Wick.’ And it’s every time we do, literally, every [John] Wick has been written or at least conceptualized in Japan at the Imperial Hotel with me and Keanu on our press tour. It starts with a few glasses of Yamazaki or Hibiki and next thing you know, we’re like, ‘I didn’t know we could do this.’ And that’s how we start writing them.”

Chad Stahelski

WATCH: The official teaser trailer for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’…

Stahelski also talked about how the first John Wick film was an unexpected success that led to a beloved franchise and he’s incredibly grateful for the experience.

“… John Wick 1 was a goof. We made it as a fun little action movie that we’d like to see. And the fact that now, nine years later, it’s changed our lives. It changed my life. It changed Keanu’s life. It’s changed a lot of other people’s lives. And people still want to see more.”

“I am the luckiest dude out there. The fact that fans still want to see more, the fact that we still want to make more is a testament.”

Chad Stahelski

Furthermore, die-hard John Wick fans will be delighted to know that Stahelski is open to making more than just five John Wick films. The director said, “We’d love to keep going until we all drop or can’t walk or can’t direct any more.”

We can picture it now: the year is 2056 and a ninety-two-year-old Reeves stars in John Wick: Chapter 17. Sure, that’s probably a bit of a stretch but hey, if it happens, we’ll be lining up at the cinema eager to see it…

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The post ‘John Wick 5’: Director Chad Stahelski Gives Intriguing Update appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Airbnb was founded in 2008, and swooped into the travel industry like an Albatross with an MBA. As of August 2022, it has a market cap of $74.89 billion. Airbnb has many benefits – it’s full of quirky properties and cool experiences you’d never get in a hotel. There’s one thing I hate about Airbnb though, and that’s when you have to bring your own sleeping bag or linen.

If you’ll allow me to get up on my soapbox for a moment, I have a complaint. I hate it when Airbnbs don’t provide linen. Before you tell me to suck it up: hear me out. This isn’t a comfort-based complaint. I’m perfectly happy sleeping in my car. I regularly brave the evils of economy (tough gig, I know). I have no qualms about sleeping in a tent.

But I find it ridiculous that a four-bedroom property on Airbnb, equipped with rainforest showers, $1,000 mattresses, a kitchen that puts Masterchef to shame, sliding doors, its own wooden boardwalk and a garage could possibly draw the line at providing linen.

It seems I’m not alone in my irrational anger, with various aggrieved Airbnb users also taking to The Internet over the years to voice their shock that some hosts don’t provide linen. Reddit user u/icycld, for instance wrote in 2020: “My partner and I have an upcoming confirmed reservation and we were just told to bring our own towels, sheets and pillows for a week-long stay.”

“This would be a massive inconvenience to us. Would it be reasonable to ask for a reduction in price? I understand that there’s extra effort involved in getting the property up to par for covid cleaning standards, but we wouldn’t have booked this property at this price if we had to sort our own linens out.”

One response to this summed up how I feel about Airbnb, with Reddit user j00xis chiming in: “I have been travelling for decades and even the crappiest hostels I’ve been to provided linens. I didn’t know this was something to even be considered. I think guests will rightfully complain if you don’t provide them because I’m sure the majority of people expect them.”

It wasn’t just this Reddit thread that discussed the phenomenon, with the same gripe being aired on Airhosts Forum, Quora and Twitter.

I’ve personally never been a huge fan of airbnbs. Hotel breakfast, fresh linen every day & whatever toiletries I forget for free…and don’t let them have a complimentary HH.

Yes, please.

— Culler (@YouNeedMoCuller) May 18, 2021

One Airbnb host’s linen query on Airbnb’s Community Centre page provides an insight into the mindset of an Airbnb provider who does not include linen in the price, essentially explaining it comes down to saving money and time (for both the guest and the host), and also writing: “It is not unusual in our area for full houses to not offer this type of service.”

Other hosts say it’s fine because guests should check to see if the linen box under amenities is ticked before they make the booking. Another Airbnb host on Reddit said they were concerned that guests damage the sheets with things like sunblock and oil.

Airbnb’s Help Centre advises hosts that, though it’s not required they provide essential amenities in their listing, it is strongly recommended because “guests have told us that these are the items they expect for a comfortable stay” and that “when viewing potential places to stay, guests are able to see the amenities you offer and filter to only see listings that offer the amenities they feel are important.”

RELATED: Airbnb Host’s ‘Illegal’ Request Of Australian Travellers

My take? Though it’s cheaper in the long run for hosts to convince guests to bring their own linen, the inconvenience factor really can’t be overstated (especially when we’ve had our expectations set, in this regard, so highly by even the worst hotels). If you’ve got to bring your own linen, you may as well save the money and sleep in your car or van (or in a tent on the side of the road).

• Could Airbnb’s Empire Come Crashing Down In 2022?
• Indulgent Airbnb Trend Australia Can’t Get Enough Of

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Tom Cruise’s film Top Gun: Maverick may be smashing box office records, but the actor’s not celebrating. He’s instead preparing to star in an upcoming musical film…

Known for performing death-defying stunts himself, Tom Cruise is going to once again step out of his comfort zone for a film. This time round though it won’t be scaling the tallest building in the world or subjecting himself to intense G-forces; it’ll be singing and dancing.

According to Deadline, Cruise is once again working with Christopher McQuarrie – who’s directed Cruise in a few Mission: Impossible films and produced Cruise’s latest film, Top Gun: Maverick – and the two are developing three new films together; one of which will be an original song and dance-style musical.

Cruise has been involved with a musical before – he played a supporting character (a rock star named Stacee Jaxx) in the 2012 film, Rock of Ages. Cruise actually learnt how to sing for Rock of Ages but Cruise only performed a few songs and was never required to dance.

Whereas Cruise will star as the leading man in this new musical film and will have to sing and dance in a traditional musical style. Currently, the musical is in the very early stages of production so Cruise will have a long time to prepare…

Although we have to be honest, it’s hard to imagine such an iconic action star suddenly performing like Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire or Hugh Jackman but hey, we know that Cruise is dedicated. The man trained insanely hard to be able to hold his breath for six minutes just so he could perform an underwater stunt for one film scene, so we’re sure Cruise will put his all into his singing and dancing training.

The other two projects Cruise and McQuarrie are developing include an original action film that they’re hoping will kick off a franchise à la Mission: Impossible and a film involving Les Grossman. If you’re not sure what or who Les Grossman is, he’s a character Cruise played briefly in the 2008 film Tropic Thunder.

At this stage, it’s unclear if Cruise and McQuarrie are wanting to make a spinoff film where Les Grossman is the main character or a Tropic Thunder sequel where Cruise can just cameo as the character once again. Either way, we’re excited, as we think Les Grossman is one of the best performances of Cruise’s career.

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• The Best Tom Cruise Movies & Where To Watch Them

The post Tom Cruise Runs Out Of ‘Mission Impossible’ Stunt Ideas, Runs Off To Star In A Musical appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Lando Norris is one of Formula 1’s youngest and most exciting talents… But it’s the high-end timepieces he wears when he’s not on the job that has got us excited lately.

The 22-year-old Brit, who races for McLaren alongside Daniel Ricciardo, has established himself as one of the brightest stars in international motorsports since his F1 debut in 2019. Halfway through the F1 season, which. has paused for a summer break, Norris sits at 7th in the standings – an impressive feat considering how lacklustre McLaren’s car is this year.

McLaren is currently finding itself in a rather sticky situation, with all the drama around Oscar Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo consuming the beleaguered team. Lando, for his part, is staying well out of it, announcing he’s going on a holiday by sharing a fake out-of-office autoreply on Instagram.

“Thanks for your email. I will be away from the office until [next week] for [holiday] with no access to email. If your request is urgent, please contact [@mclaren]. Otherwise, I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible when I return…” Love it.

Seems he’s also treated himself to a rather nice watch to wear on his holiday, too.

Norris’ recent posts show him wearing a brand-new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph “50th Anniversary” (ref. 26240ST.OO.1320ST.01), which retails for AU$45,420.

As the name implies, this model celebrates the 50th anniversary of this popular luxury sports watch, and as of such features a unique 50th anniversary automatic rotor design, which AP will discontinue next year. It also boasts a unique shade of blue for its “Grande Tapisserie” dial called Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50.

RELATED: Audemars Piguet’s Most Iconic Watch Ever Gets A ‘Jumbo’ Update

This AP isn’t the only flashy watch Norris has been spotted wearing lately. After the Miami Grand Prix, Norris was spotted wearing an AU$15,100 Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Pepsi’ (ref. 126710BLRO-0001) – one of the most iconic watches of all time – while partying at a Kygo gig alongside the Norwegian DJ and fellow F1 young gun and reigning World Champion, Max Verstappen.

The two drivers also copped some diamond-studded palm tree necklaces from Kygo’s fashion label, Palm Tree Crew. Ah, the lives of the rich and the famous…

Of course, Lando’s most commonly seen wearing a variety of Richard Mille watches when he’s on the job, as Richard Mille is a major sponsor of McLaren.

RELATED: Lando Norris Spotted Dismantling His Car Whilst Casually Wearing $300,000 Watch

This is hardly an imposition – Richard Mille is one of the most desirable and hard-to-attain watch brands on the planet – but it’s interesting to see what watches he spends his own money on.

Read Next

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The post The Watches Lando Norris Wears When He’s Away From The Formula 1 Track appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

A video is halting thumbs on Instagram, showing a bunch of people getting pummelled by waves in a rock pool in Nusa Penida, an island 12km southeast of Bali.

A video currently banging brains online shows why it pays to be careful when picking a rock pool to swim in, especially in Indonesia. Why? When you’re surrounded by views and protected by coral, it’s easy to get lulled into a false sense of security.

The clip shows what appears to be a group of tourists hanging out in a pristine watering hole in Nusa Penida, an island near Bali renowned for its incredible views, Instagram-famous treehouses and turquoise waters. The video starts off looking like something out of a dream, but then – if cuts, bruises and near-death experiences aren’t you’re thing – quickly turns nightmarish, with multiple waves washing the girls around the rocks.

The video was captioned: “The most beautiful and peaceful beaches can be the most dangerous ones…Stay safe out there people!”

WATCH: Tourists Get Smashed By Waves Inside Nusa Penida Rockpool

One Instagram user wrote: “Growing up by the ocean I was taught about freak waves (unexpected waves) and to NEVER turn your back on the ocean and always stay alert around rocks and rock shelves. There is a reason that area in the rock cliff is worn out by the ocean and these waves are it. Hopefully no one was pinned under the rock shelf.”

Meanwhile, the guy that filmed it allegedly said everyone in the video survived (various Instagram users in the comments of the video claimed). The video, which is credited to @sssextreme, was reposted to @teklatravel and currently has upwards of 22,687 likes. One Instagram user in the comments section said: “According to the owner of the video all of them are alive. Apparently they were not suppose[d] to be there in the first place.”

RELATED: ‘Stop Deifying Tourists’: Bali Urged To Make Big Change

Another wrote: “I find it shocking that someone keeps making a video instead of helping them get out. Nature can be dangerous, but human…..”

Whatever your take: it’s a good reminder to keep your wits about you when selecting a rock pool to swim in.

• I Tried Bali’s Instagram Famous Floating Breakfast Experience. It Was A Complete Disaster
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The post Video Shows Hidden Danger To Watch Out For In Nusa Penida appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

These days, Formula 1 teams and car marques are fully-fledged luxury brands… And now, one of motoring’s most iconic names, McLaren, has expanded into the sneaker world with a high-octane collaboration.

The legendary British F1 team and supercar manufacturer has teamed up with Los Angeles-based performance footwear brand Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) on a sneaker called the HySpeed, a stylish all-purpose trainer.

Not only do the colourways and swoopy angles of the shoe bring to mind McLaren’s exotic road cars, but there’s F1 and supercar-inspired tech in the sneakers, too. They boast a carbon fibre shank, nitrogen-infused soles and a 3-piece cushion heel padding inspired by the seats of McLaren’s range-topping Senna hypercar.

Also like a McLaren car, they’re bloody expensive. At AU$747, they’re APL’s most expensive sneakers to date… No wonder they’re calling them “the height of luxury performance”.

For comparison, a pair of Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% – the trainers that controversially helped Eliud Kipchoge crack the 2hr marathon barrier in 2019 – will ‘only’ set you back AU$370 (i.e. less than half the price of the HySpeeds).

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A post shared by Athletic Propulsion Labs (@apl)

This collaboration is the latest in an increasingly long line of collaborations McLaren has penned with luxury brands. McLaren has long worked with ultra-high-end watchmaker Richard Mille on exclusive models, and last year worked with cult luxury fashion label Rhude on a unique (and similarly pricey) clothing capsule collection.

RELATED: McLaren’s Latest Fashion Collaboration Further Evidence Of Big Changes In Formula 1

“Collaborative licensing relationships are absolutely what we’re trying to do, whether it’s sunglasses, sneakers or streetwear… [we want to] stay culturally relevant,” McLaren Chief Marketing Officer Gareth Dunsmore tells Bloomberg.

McLaren isn’t the only F1 team that’s using fashion as a way to appeal to new fans. Ferrari also launched its own high-end clothing brand last year, for example. Hell, AlphaTauri (Red Bull’s junior team, previously called Toro Rosso) is a clothing brand.

This all speaks to a growing reality that in modern Formula 1 – a sport that’s become defined by the blockbuster success of Netflix’s Drive To Survive and one that’s increasingly popular among young people – competition isn’t just on the track…

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The post McLaren’s New Sneakers Are Like Supercars For Your Feet appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australian tourists love whinging about Australian tourists… But isn’t that a tad hypocritical?

The mojitos are mintier. The gin and tonics are stronger. The beach bars are classier. The friendships are firmer. The rockpools are prettier. Travellers are obsessed with greener grass.

Don’t believe us? Just read The Beach or listen to the inevitable dick measuring contest that happens most nights at most hostels (“oh, you’ve hiked to Everest Basecamp with no water, no phone and only a map and compass? Well I crawled it and subsisted on insects the whole time; then did it a second time just for fun”).

One of the prime ways we try to seek more verdant pastures is with boarding passes. Escaping people similar to ourselves. Escaping ourselves, even. This is so prominent it’s become a bit of a fetish, with many Australians seeing things (whether that’s an alcohol brand or an inflatable pink flamingo) as being classier simply because they’re from overseas.

RELATED: The Awkward Truth About Australia’s Europe ‘Fetish’

There are a few problems with this though. First: it’s hypocritical. Second: in many cases, it’s flat out wrong (Italy’s beaches may seem classier than Australia’s, for instance, but they are nowhere near as comfortable…).

RELATED: Photo Shows Why Australians Shouldn’t Romanticise Overseas Travel Destinations

So: why do so many Australians find it so irksome to have ‘their’ holiday spots bespoiled by tourists? Why do we spend so much of our time complaining about other holidaymakers? Why do we think that because we’ve shucked our Bintang shirt and bought a pair of Birkenstocks we’re suddenly better than our thong-wearing compatriots?

This discussion was had over the weekend after Instagram account The Canggu Pole posted the following image to Instagram.

Comments on the post brilliantly skewered the act of complaining about Aussie tourists… as an Aussie tourist. One remark read: “I’m a better tourist than you because I’ve toured longer.”

Another was: “Lol this is so accurate. Like who are you? WE LIVE HERE.” Another said: “Back when it was still rice fields.”

“Saying ‘tolong boleh minta satu lagi latte’ real loud so everyone knows I’m ‘from here.'”

The Canggu Pole

RELATED: Bali Reopening Has Australians Ready To Reclaim Their Title As Worst Tourists On The Island

To be fair, it’s not just Australian tourists who love to complain about other tourists. There has been a spate of ‘Instagram vs. Reality’ videos lately where travellers from all sorts of corners of the world have a laugh about how different many popular destinations are compared to the romantic images people imagine of them.

RELATED: Santorini’s ‘Other Side’ Instagram Doesn’t Want You To See

As Reddit user RockyRockington put it in 2019, complaining about other tourists as a tourist is a bit like complaining about a traffic jam from a car (“you’re not in traffic, you are traffic”).

Blogger JessieOnAJourney summed it up well, too, when talking about how her frustration with tourists in New York made her realise she did more or less the same things when she was travelling abroad.

“As my face burns red with frustration, Cristen [a friend of JessieOnAJourney] turns to me calmly and asks, ‘And what do you think you’re like when you visit other countries, Miss World Traveler?'”

JessieOnAJourney

Another interesting theory, and one that might explain the ongoing huffiness of tourists, was offered by William Finnegan and Bryan di Salvatore way back in 1979.

They wrote, for an article in Australian surf magazine Tracks: “But the heaviest cross that these subsequent waves must bear is knowing that they are following, not leading. As sweet as the final reward may be, the knowledge of being an ‘also’ results in a huffiness, an elitism that grows louder as it spreads wider.”

“The later the appearance at a Discovery, the huffier and more insecure the arrivisie.”

Tracks

Food for thought. Good luck and safe travels – with all the cancellations and delays going on, you’re going to need it.

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The post One Hypocritical Thing All Australian Tourists Do appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As other countries go to great lengths to phase out or replace old physical currency, we wonder when (or if) Australia will ditch real money entirely…

When’s the last time you paid for something using physical money? For many of us, particularly in Australia, it’s a tough question to answer. Thanks to the proliferation of online banking, contactless payments and even cryptocurrencies, fewer and fewer transactions are being made with cash.

This trend has only accelerated during COVID. According to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2019 Consumer Payments Survey (CPS) – which was conducted in late 2019, prior to the onset of The Spicy Cough – contactless tap-and-go payments accounted for around 55% of in-person transactions, with both industry data and anecdotal evidence indicate that the pandemic has only increased that proportion.

That’s why it’s so baffling that so many countries around the world, including Australia, are investing so much money in, well, printing money.

The United Kingdom is the highest-profile example. The world’s sixth-largest economy is currently in the process of demonetising paper £20 and £50 notes – making up £14.5 billion in circulation as of June, according to Bloomberg – in favour of new polymer notes, with Brits having less than 8 weeks to spend or get rid of those paper notes before they become worthless.

While polymer notes are more durable and cheaper to produce than paper notes, this demonetisation process will no doubt cost the UK government millions of pounds to finalise.

From 2016 to 2020, Australia issued its second-generation polymer banknotes, with an eye to eventually phase out the first-generation notes that were introduced in 1992. Converting from paper to polymer cost Australia plenty, and the phasing out of first-generation notes will also, no doubt, cost a pretty penny.

RELATED: Nearly 20% Of Male Suicide Is Linked To Financial Stress. So Why Don’t Banks Do More For Men?

Another country that’s recently spent enormous amounts of time and resources keeping the business of physical money going has been India, which in 2016 demonetised all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes, replacing them with new ₹500 and ₹2,000 banknotes in exchange – giving Indians only 50 days to do so.

This move, which was supposed to cripple the black economy and terrorism, threw India into chaos. Not only did it cost the government millions to do but it caused a massive currency crush and stock market losses; crippled the country’s industrial production and its GDP growth rate, and caused 1.5 million people to lose their jobs, The Guardian estimates.

Obviously, India is an extreme example. But it does make you think: how much longer will governments around the world continue supporting physical money, despite the enormous negatives and costs involved with doing so? Have we moved beyond the need for money?

The first major problem with moving to a cashless society – other than the obvious one, that when technology fails, physical cash is king – is that consumers will be at the mercy of merchants. When you pay by card, whether that’s credit or debit, businesses attract transaction fees. Sometimes businesses will simply note that they add a surcharge for card users, but it’s more common that they’ll pass on that fee to consumers by raising prices – which affects those who pay by cash, too.

Effectively, those who use cash subsidise those who use credit, and if we ditch cash entirely, that won’t happen any more. It’ll also allow merchants to raise their prices because they won’t have competition from cash.

The other major problem with going cashless is the privacy angle. In China, mobile payments such as AliPay and WeChat Pay are prolific, and unlike Western services like Apple Pay, don’t charge a transaction fee… But they do collect a huge amount of data about what you’re purchasing, with the Chinese government effectively subsidising the difference in order to continue their surveillance.

Basically, it’s picking your poison. Are we happy to deal with the hassle of manufacturing and transacting with physical currency if it means lower prices and more personal privacy? It’s hard to say…

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The post Australia Has Moved Beyond The Need For Money appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

According to recent data, not many Australians are willing to forego alcohol and/or drugs to improve their mental health. But it’s actually extremely important for those struggling with mental health issues to cut back their alcohol/drug intake.

It’s common knowledge that alcohol is a depressant and is bad for both mental and physical health.

And according to Headspace, using alcohol to try and manage a mental health difficulty and/or tough times may feel helpful in the short term but ends up making things worse in the long run.

Therefore, it’s shocking that according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2020-21 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, only 5.5% of Australians suffering from a mental health issue tried to improve and ‘self-manage’ their condition by cutting out alcohol and/or drugs.

That’s despite Australians trying all sorts of other strategies to improve their mental health, with the stats showing Australians were more inclined to increase their level of physical exercise (37.5% tried this), think positively (28.6% tried this), do more of the things they enjoy (27.6% tried this) and better organise their home (26.7% tried this) in an effort to improve their mental health, all before quitting drinking (only 5.5% tried this).

Of course, it’s no secret that Aussies love to drink – the latest ABS data shows that people born in Australia are almost twice as likely as those born overseas to exceed the Australian Adult Alcohol Guideline.

But clearly, Australians need to be better educated about the relationship between mental health and alcohol, if stepping off the booze cruise was the least-tried method Aussies used to improve their mental health.

In light of this, DMARGE exclusively spoke to Dr Erin Lalor AM, the CEO of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, who enlightened us as to why it’s best to keep away from alcohol and/or drugs if you’re suffering from mental health issues.

“It’s been a really tough couple of years and some people have been consuming alcohol or other drugs as a coping mechanism for stress or anxiety. Whilst alcohol and other drugs impact everyone differently, if you are feeling stressed or down, it’s best to avoid consumption as it can intensify those feelings.”

Dr Erin Lalor AM

“Depending on your mood and the setting you’re in, drinking or using illicit drugs can make some people feel sadder, anxious, or paranoid. Hangovers or comedowns can also lead to anxiety. And some drugs can worsen conditions like personality disorders and schizophrenia.” 

“The effects of mixing drugs – including with over-the-counter or prescribed medications − can be unpredictable and dangerous and cause some people to panic, lead to paranoia, or increased anxiety and sadness.”

Dr Erin Lalor AM

Dr Lalor went on to offer several other methods that Australians wanting to improve their mental health can use in conjunction with cutting back alcohol and/or drug consumption.

“The Alcohol and Drug Foundation recommends people adopt healthy coping strategies that can help boost health and wellbeing, including things like exercise – exercise reduces your body’s stress hormones and releases endorphins which boost your mood.”  

“Taking care of yourself – eat nutritious food and get enough sleep.  Prioritising downtime – even 10 minutes of ‘you’ time to turn off your phone, meditate, do some stretches, or listen to music can help tackle stress and challenges. Prioritise time to connect with friends and family, kick a footy around, take a walk in nature, or play/listen to music.” 

“Connect with people who positively motivate you – we all need social connection. Being around people who look out for you, and positively encourage you, can be important support. Distract yourself – do things you enjoy, like watching movies, cooking, reading, drawing, or playing video games, or join a gym or sports club.” 

Dr Erin Lalor AM

“Talk it out – share your worries with someone you trust. Working through problems with someone can help put things in perspective and may provide solutions you hadn’t considered.”

Of course, improving or trying to self-manage your mental health yourself can be challenging. So, if you have stopped drinking alcohol but don’t feel like your condition has changed, Dr Lalor highly recommends seeking guidance from a professional.   

“If you still don’t feel yourself, feeling like you aren’t coping, or feeling depressed, we encourage you to connect with a health professional. There is lots of help and support available.”

Dr Erin Lalor AM

Of course, Dr Lalor is right. There’s an abundance of organisations that can help you, and DMARGE strongly encourages our readers to seek help if they need it. If you’re struggling with your mental health and/or an alcohol/drug addiction, please contact the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Suicide Call Back Service, MensLine Australia or see your GP for help.

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The post Australians Will Do Anything To Improve Their Mental Health, Except Quit Drinking appeared first on DMARGE Australia.