Sadiq Khan says dying threats, disasters and terror assaults gave him PTSD

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has stated he has suffered psychological trauma after coping with common dying threats, disasters and terror assaults.

Describing it as a “cumulative” kind of post-traumatic stress dysfunction, the previous authorities minister harassed he was not equating it with that confronted by refugees or individuals who have had comparable excessive experiences.

Mr Khan, who will search a 3rd time period as London mayor subsequent yr and hopes to serve many extra occasions, additionally spoke about how the COVID-19 pandemic had additionally impacted his psychological well being, revealing how he “lost his mojo” throughout lockdown.

In the face of threats made towards him, heightened after being attacked on Twitter by Donald Trump, Mr Khan stated he wanted “the same level of protection the prime minister and the King receive”.

On high of this got here the stresses of coping with the aftermath of the lethal Grenfell Tower fire and terror assaults in London.

Mr Khan stated he suffered from PTSD “without a doubt”.

In an interview with The Guardian, he stated: “One of my best friends is a doctor and we talk about it.

“I feel the phrase is cumulative.

“By the best way, I’m not evaluating what I’m going by way of to a few of the stuff individuals undergo – as a lawyer my purchasers with PTSD had been asylum seekers and refugees. I’d by no means give equivalence to what I’m going by way of, nor would I ever need individuals to really feel sorry for me.

“I’m very privileged to do the job I do.”

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He added: “By the way, if this means I’m a snowflake, so be it, right? Mental health is fragile if it’s not looked after. And I shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it.”

Referring to the threats he has confronted, Mr Khan pointed to the assault on the Finsbury Park mosque in 2017.

The 52-year-old stated: “The terrorist was looking for me.

“He could not discover me so he determined to focus on Jeremy Corbyn and Muslims.

“Every time Trump says something horrible about me there’s a massive increase in hatred towards me on social media.

“Then there are individuals who comply with Daesh (Islamic State) and al Qaida who assume you may’t be a Muslim and a westerner, I get it from each side in relation to the dying threats.”

‘I wasn’t so sparky’

Mr Khan also admitted he had struggled during the coronavirus crisis.

He said: “I misplaced my mojo. I did not have readability of pondering. I wasn’t so sparky. I wasn’t inspiring my crew.”

Having held the capital’s high job since 2016, Mr Khan is in search of re-election in 2024 and informed The Guardian he finally hopes to serve six phrases.

He has written a ebook known as Breathe: Tackling the Climate Emergency, which particulars his objective to make London a cleaner metropolis.