Episode 03: Stuart O'Neill
Just One Reason: Stuart O’Neill on Survival, Hope and the Power of Connection
AIRED: 28/10/2025
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Introduction
WARNING: This episode deals with the important but difficult topic of male suicide and what prevention might look like.
When life falls apart, most of us search for a way through. For Stuart O’Neill, that search began in the darkest moment of his life — a moment that nearly ended it. What emerged instead was Just One Reason, a small, unassuming book that has since saved lives across the world.
In this deeply human and at times confronting episode of Don’t Let the Old Man In, Pod O’Sullivan speaks with Stuart, author, mental health advocate and founder of the Just One Reason movement, about survival, resilience, and the simple but profound act of finding one reason to keep going.
From Rock Bottom to a Reason to Stay
Stuart’s story begins with the collapse of his marriage and the sudden, crushing realisation that life as he knew it was gone. Alone overseas, he planned his own death — until one thought changed everything. “I realised that my plan would involve another person, an innocent driver who’d carry that guilt forever,” he tells Pod. “That became my one reason not to do it.”
That moment became the seed for Just One Reason, a 10-minute read that asks practical, grounding questions to interrupt suicidal thoughts. It’s not therapy; it’s a circuit breaker. “Your brain plays tricks on you,” Stuart explains. “The book teaches you to play one back.”
Since its self-published release, Just One Reason has grown into a global movement. Over 50,000 copies have been printed and shared in 20 countries, and it’s now used by Lifeline, health professionals, and universities. People read it in police stations, on farms, in hospital wards, and even at their kitchen tables.
Its readers are as diverse as its reach: from a 10-year-old boy in Melbourne who spoke again after reading it, to a doctor who prescribes it to patients, to men and women of all ages who find a lifeline in its pages. “I thought I was writing a book for men,” Stuart says. “But what I’ve learned is pain doesn’t care about gender. We’re all human.”
In this episode, we explore:
- The making of “Just One Reason” — how a moment of despair led to a global message of hope.
- Mental health myths — why depression and suicidal thoughts are not always long-term or predictable.
- The psychology of survival — how asking the right question can stop a fatal impulse.
- The role of family and intergenerational trauma — including the extraordinary story of Stuart’s mother, whose honesty helped heal their bond.
- Bringing help to rural Australia — from flying books into drought-stricken communities to sitting at kitchen tables with families in crisis.
- The ‘mental health pub’ experiment — how Stuart turned the Deepwater Hotel into a community hub for connection, kindness, and conversation.
- Why men need new spaces to talk — and how a long table, a good meal, and a listening ear can sometimes save a life.
- The importance of failure and purpose — and why Stuart sees his own mental health as a source of energy, not weakness.
- The wisdom of the storm — his advice that no matter how bad it feels, “every storm passes — you just have to wait it out.”
Guest info
Stuart O’Neill is an author, public speaker, and founder of Just One Reason, a suicide-prevention movement built around his bestselling book of the same name. A former surf lifesaving captain and entrepreneur, Stuart has transformed personal trauma into a mission to reach others in crisis. His book has been adopted by health organisations, emergency services, and mental health educators worldwide.
From running Australia’s first “mental health pub” to flying books into rural communities, Stuart is a passionate advocate for hope, connection, and honest conversation.
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