Ambassador-Obi Burchell
I will always be incredibly grateful for my upbringing. I was brought up in a family with two loving parents, two younger siblings in an incredibly fortune background.
I did fairly well in school, played football and was always outgoing, friendly and had a good group of friends around me.
And yet, almost 10 years ago, I almost took my own life.
Depression manifests itself in different ways for different people, but for me it was a continuous feeling of emptiness. I couldn't find enjoyment in anything and I felt as if my life didn't matter. That being alive was a burden on those around me.
Whilst growing up society taught me that as a young man if I ever felt sad, stressed, anxious that I should ‘MAN UP' and get on with it. This led to years of bottled up feelings of anger and sadness that I did not know how to share and express.
Rather than feeling able to discuss how I felt with friends or family, I allowed those feelings to build and build within my own headspace. This meant I was continuously telling myself that I wasn't smart enough, strong enough or good enough.
This weight became too much to carry on my own and in October 2012 and I came within moments of taking my own life.
That day and everything surrounding it will stay with me for ever, but if not for the incredible support system of famil and friends I have around me, I would not be here today.
And for that I am incredibly grateful.
Nowadays, spending time in the gym and keeping myself physically active has been one of the tools I use to keep myself mentally healthy. Whether it's going for a walk, playing football or training in a gym, there is significant evidence that exercise has huge benefits in combating symptoms of depression.
Last year, I spent 24 hours in the gym lifting weights in remembrance of the 154,363 people that have died by suicide in the UK in my lifetime in order to not only remember each one of them but to also raise money for MIND, CALM & YoungMinds So far, I have raised of £22,000 towards Suicide prevention
I did fairly well in school, played football and was always outgoing, friendly and had a good group of friends around me.
And yet, almost 10 years ago, I almost took my own life.
Depression manifests itself in different ways for different people, but for me it was a continuous feeling of emptiness. I couldn't find enjoyment in anything and I felt as if my life didn't matter. That being alive was a burden on those around me.
Whilst growing up society taught me that as a young man if I ever felt sad, stressed, anxious that I should ‘MAN UP' and get on with it. This led to years of bottled up feelings of anger and sadness that I did not know how to share and express.
Rather than feeling able to discuss how I felt with friends or family, I allowed those feelings to build and build within my own headspace. This meant I was continuously telling myself that I wasn't smart enough, strong enough or good enough.
This weight became too much to carry on my own and in October 2012 and I came within moments of taking my own life.
That day and everything surrounding it will stay with me for ever, but if not for the incredible support system of famil and friends I have around me, I would not be here today.
And for that I am incredibly grateful.
Nowadays, spending time in the gym and keeping myself physically active has been one of the tools I use to keep myself mentally healthy. Whether it's going for a walk, playing football or training in a gym, there is significant evidence that exercise has huge benefits in combating symptoms of depression.
Last year, I spent 24 hours in the gym lifting weights in remembrance of the 154,363 people that have died by suicide in the UK in my lifetime in order to not only remember each one of them but to also raise money for MIND, CALM & YoungMinds So far, I have raised of £22,000 towards Suicide prevention
