BRANDON, Fla. — 43-year-old Nicholas Murray says his struggles with mental health started as a child, a journey that saw him attempting to take his own life multiple times.

It's a story he's sharing as part of National Suicide Prevention Month, hoping to spark more conversations.

What You Need To Know

  • September is National Suicide Prevention Month

  • 43-year-old Nicholas Murray of Brandon says through a long journey of psychiatric treatment and physical activity, he overcame lifelong struggles with mental health

  • Hoping to help others find healthy solutions to help support their mental wellness, Murray founded Mind Muscle Pro, a nonprofit which works to combat mental illness through various activities

“I started at a very early age becoming very worried and depressed, I had incredible anxiety and it progressed as I got older,” said Murray. “I had several suicide attempts and I think at that point in my life, it wasn’t that I wanted to die, it was that I wanted to not feel the way I was feeling, so, it was through the grace of God that I found some solutions to that.”

Murray, who lives in Brandon, says his treatment has included psychiatric hospitals and medications, but when he started working out to get into better shape physically, he admits it helped start his emotional healing journey.

“I started seeing changes in my body, but what I really felt were more than that were changes in my head,” he said.

Hoping to help others find healthy solutions to help support their mental wellness, Murray founded Mind Muscle Pro.

“We help people find solutions that are struggling with depression, anxiety and low self esteem,” said Murray of the nonprofit organization. “It’s become this community that’s saying you know what, it’s okay to talk about things and here are some ways that we’ve found to help us.”

Murray says sharing his story helps in healing.

“If I’m not holding things in and I’m talking about what I’m going through, it’s the most therapeutic thing in the world,” said Murray.

President and CEO of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, Clara Reynolds encourages starting those conversations.

“When you notice somebody who’s struggling, it’s okay to ask them, ‘how are you feeling? Are you having thoughts of suicide?’ I think for so many years there were so many fears around just saying the word, suicide,” said Reynolds.

Familiar with that fear, Murray says he hopes sharing his healing journey helps others find support and strength.

“That’s what I hope changes, that we become okay with talking about our feelings and not just men, women as well,” said Murray. “We all need to be vulnerable and be in a safe space with that.”

This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.