A veteran’s brave battle to overcome PTSD

In 2010, three years after Rachel Kerrigan left the RAAF, her mental health deteriorated rapidly. At her lowest point in 2012, Rachel attempted suicide, she was diagnosed with severe post traumatic stress and depressive disorder, was put on 30 pills to manage her moods, anger and anxiety, was having two psychiatrist visits a week and she became physically unhealthy weighing in at 119 kilos.

Rachel was also diagnosed with uterine cancer and had to fight the disease alongside managing her mental health and learning how to re-use the left side of her body after having a stress induced stroke.

In this very special Anzac Day episode of the Briefing, we explore Rachel’s motivation for beating PTSD and how sport – and the Invictus Games – led her out of her post-war depression.

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