Charities praise Ant McPartlin’s courage in seeking help and revealing his battles with drugs and depression
The Mental Health Foundation said the TV presenter's move will encourage others to seek help
ANT McPartlin was last night praised by charities for revealing his battles with addiction to prescription drugs and depression.
The Mental Health Foundation last night backed Ant for showing “courage” which will lead to more people “reaching out for help”.
A spokesman for the Mental Health Foundation praised Ant for his courage in seeking help.
“Two in three of us in our lifetimes are likely to experience a mental health problem - recovery is possible but it often requires support,” he said.
“We also know that men are less likely to reach out for help, it takes courage to do so and if a positive can be taken from Ant’s experience it’s that more people will reach out for help.”
Sue Baker, director of anti-stigma campaign Time to Change, run by charity Mind, also praised Ant for speaking out.
She said: “We highly commend Ant for speaking out, he has such a high profile it’s so important for us to hear from men when they’re struggling and to talk about seeking help because the earlier you get help the faster your recovery will be.
“It’s so important, men don’t talk about mental health enough and suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45.
“A lot of men don’t talk to anybody and then they’re not with us anymore.
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“So having someone high profile that a lot of people can relate to, he’s a very down to earth guy with a big following, it really helps get the message across that you can seek treatment, there’s no shame attached to it.
“The most important thing is that you’re not alone, it happens to one in four of us and it’s just part of being human, there should be no shame attached to it.
“Obviously we want to wish Ant all the best for his recovery and look forward to seeing him back on our screens soon.
“It’s good to see he’s getting expert help for it and not trying to struggle on and not come to terms with the fact that he’s experiencing something he needs expert help with.”
If you’re suffering from problems with drugs, alcohol or depression these hotlines can help:
- Action On Addiction 0300 330 0659
- Mind 0300 123 3393
- Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 9177 650