Anyone can develop overwhelming anxiety and depression symptoms over time. Because of a misplaced sense of shame, Thomas went through this himself and tried to brush off the signs of his escalating mental health issues, which ultimately led to him attempting suicide. In order to inspire others to get the support they require, he shares his story.
Thomas, 37, a resident of a village in Hampshire, claims that he once believed himself to be the kind of person who "had real grit and determination, that I could cope with anything.".
"I thought I could just handle it, but that turned out to be untrue. ".
Even when Thomas was at his lowest point, he resisted getting professional help because he didn't want to stop.
"I started having panic attacks at 2:00 in the morning. Although I did open up a little bit to people, I didn't really reveal how bad things were, he claims.
"I had no idea where it was coming from, but I just decided I could handle it and push it down. ".
He made the first of several attempts to end his life in July 2020 after this strategy was unsuccessful.
He was referred to a specialized NHS team and received care for the first time; Thomas ultimately credits this as a turning point for the better in his life.
I can still picture myself sobbing uncontrollably to the ground and wondering, "How does anybody recover from this?".
"The feelings I had then and the feelings I have now are really very different. ".
But it took time for him to lose the sense of shame he felt about his own feelings as well as to begin the road to recovery.
- Focus on getting through today and try to avoid thinking about the future.
- Don't use drugs or drink alcohol.
- Get to a safe location, like a friend's house.
- Be in a crowd of people.
- Do something you typically relish, like spend time with a pet.
the source. the NHS website.
It has been three years, and Thomas feels stronger now. He wants other people to seek help before it is too late and not "bottle things up" like he did.
He asserts that you have the ability to recover from even the depths of despair.
"Don't believe that the only way to handle things is to sit there and let them accumulate in your head. Get assistance, talk to someone, and consult your doctor.
"There is a culture, I believe, that discourages whining and encourages people to simply deal with the challenges life presents them with instead of talking about them or admitting that life can be really, really difficult at times.
Mental health is something that will affect everyone's life at some point, even if you don't personally experience it. As a result, we need to have more conversations about this topic. ".
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, whose paramedics saved his life, has decided to benefit from his decision to share his story.
Any funds raised by Thomas will aid others, according to Keith Wilson with the air ambulance service.
He says: "Not only are we deeply moved and grateful to Thomas for sharing his story, but we are also incredibly happy that someone who was so gravely ill when we arrived has made such an amazing recovery. ".
The BBC Action Line has information on organizations that can help if you are impacted by any of the problems discussed in this article.
