MP reveals his struggles with mental health
AN MP has candidly opened up about his affliction with mental health following World Mental Health Day.
Andrew Gwynne, 44, bravely talked about his on-going struggle with mental-ill health after he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness in 2010.
The Labour MP, whose constituency includes Denton and Reddish, talked of the stigma surrounding mental health – particularly in parliament.
Until recently, the law prevented anyone with a ‘mental infliction’ to hold public office.
Now that the law has changed, the MP has penned his own story in an effort to break down public stigma.
“I’ve always been an up-and-down kind of person throughout my early life,” Mr Gwynne wrote.
“But my downward spiral really hit in 2010 when a serious illness nearly killed the 35-year-old me... worse, it hit in the course of the General Election of that year.
“Just the worst possible time, and my family, friends and team hid it well.
“The experience scared the life out of me to the extent that I could barely get out of bed.
“That feeling of helplessness, of raw numbness is just awful. Endless crying. Horrid. The lack of self-worth. Horrendous,” he said.
The Tameside-born MP, who has three children, aged 12, 10 and eight, was elected to office in 2005 after serving as a local councillor.
Talking about his nature of work as an MP, Mr Gwynne said: “For those of you who know me, I hope you’ll be surprised that someone who works so hard to help others can feel such a sense of helplessness themselves. “Mental illness is cruel like that.” The MP opened up about his treatment, which has included counselling and a long-course of antidepressants.
He added: “I’m now on an even keel, in fact, in many ways I’ve never felt better in myself.”
World Mental Health Day, which takes place in October each year, celebrates global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.