The Nutters Club

Book excerpt: Mental health advocate and 2019 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Mike King is, in his own words, a ‘certified nut’. Since 2009, Mike has hosted the hugely popular Nutters Club show, now on NewstalkZB, as well as the TV programme of the same name, and as ‘Head Nut’ has seen the Club expand into an online community with a vast and loyal following. The Nutters Club deals with all the tough stuff that many would prefer to keep in the closet — mental health issues like anxiety and depression, drug and alcohol addiction, eating disorders, rape and sexual abuse — as told by real people sharing their life experiences to help others discover coping mechanisms, recovery and hope, in a way that is non-preachy and easy to understand. This book shares eleven of those stories, along with insights into Mike King’s own story and his battle with depression, drugs and alcohol. Candid and compelling, The Nutters Club is as relevant today as when it was first published in 2011. Enjoy!