Jamie O’Hara admits secret battle with depression following his mum’s death and reveals he ‘drank too much and was on antidepressants’
CELEBRITY Big Brother star Jamie O’Hara has shared his account of struggling with depression to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
The 30-year-old reality star and footballer urged followers on Twitter to share their own stories stating he hoped to reach those “suffering in silence”.
Jamie wrote in some detail about his own struggles and shared them on the micro blogging site on Thursday in support of Mental Health Awareness Week 2017.
He revealed the loss of his mother Ann, who died of cancer aged 46 in 2004, sparked a long fight with depression.
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“I really struggled with depression for a number of years,” he began.
“I lost my mum at 17 and I never really dealt with the death until years later because I was so driven on becoming a professional footballer that I put it behind me,” he wrote.
“It affected every part of my life I would drink to much I would sleep all the time and I never interacted with anyone, I pushed everything away [sic],” he continued.
The Billericay Town midfielder explained that being injured during his career helped him realise he needed help.
“I was on anti depressants for 9 months when I was injured and it was then that I realised I needed help [sic],” he revealed.
“I felt like I could never speak to anyone as I was scared of the reply, how can you be depressed you’re a footballer living in a mansion [sic],” he wrote.
A wild night out prompted Jamie to seek help, he explained in his post.
“It was after a night out where I spent a crazy amount of money and woke up in a hotel I didn’t even know that I spoke out,” he stated.
“I sat down with a psychologist every week spoke about all my fears and worries and what I want for my future,” the dad of three – Archie, six, Harry, five, and three-year-old George from his marriage to Danielle Lloyd, 33) – said.
“My answer kept leaning towards making my three boys proud,” he wrote.
Jamie wrote that he realised he needed something of a social life cleanse.
“I had to make changes I started to surround myself with positive people who wanted the best for me and not the paid night out [sic],” he explained.
“[I] moved closer to my family and the people who were there at the start, I changed my outlook on life I realised the material things in life don’t matter [sic],” he said.
“It’s only now I feel ok to talk about it there’s so much more to say but I want people who are suffering to hopefully see this in any walk of life and feel ok to speak out and not suffer in silence,” he wrote.
Mental Health Awareness Week 2017 is taking place this week, between Monday May 8 – Sunday 14.
The event is coordinated by the Mental Health Foundation and this year’s theme is “Surviving or Thriving”.
The NHS page includes organisations you can call for help, such as Anxiety UK and Bipolar UK.
The Samaritans helpline is on hand 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, for people who need to talk to someone in confidence.
You can call 116 123 free today to access the helpline.
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