Jay Blades: There was a time in my life after I noticed no future on this world
J
ay Blades has mentioned there was a time in his life when he noticed “no future for me in this world”, as he opened up about his earlier struggles with psychological well being.
The Repair Shop host, 53, mentioned he had “fallen down” and hit “rock bottom” however had overcome his issues with the assistance of his neighborhood.
Speaking to Spencer Matthews on the Big Fish podcast, he mentioned his early experiences of racism at school and the way he had discovered to precise his vulnerability.
Blades arrange the charity Out of The Dark, educating younger individuals how one can restore and promote previous furnishings, which later ran out of funding in 2015.
The one factor that basically labored for me… it is a case of my vulnerability – after I confirmed my vulnerability, wow, I simply flew… issues simply began occurring
At this time his marriage additionally broke down, with Blades saying he “saw no future in this world”.
“I call it falling down because I believe we all have to fall down to then be able to get back up,” he instructed Matthews.
“Some people can’t get back up, but the way that I got back up was with community, the love that they gave me, they built me back up, basically.”
He continued: “I’d say hit rock bottom. Some people want to say suicidal thoughts, depression… At 45 years old I saw no future for me in this world.
“I had three children already, I had a failed marriage… I wanted to end it. If I could have I would have.”
Blades mentioned that he had had “a lot of support” throughout that interval of his life, together with a number of counsellors, and had discovered to eliminate the “macho male” angle he had maintained throughout his youth.
“The one thing that really worked for me… it’s a case of my vulnerability – when I showed my vulnerability, wow, I just flew… things just started happening,” he mentioned.
“I’ve just got rid of that macho male, ‘Oh, I’m tough as nails, I can handle this’. I can’t handle it, and if I can’t, I’m going to tell someone, ‘Look, I feel a bit rubbish’.”
I believe one of many issues that we have completed on this society now, we have made a giant, massive noise which I’m actually joyful about close to psychological well being
He added that he now had a teddy bear that he carried with him when feeling uncomfortable or nervous.
“The missus (is) like, ‘If you take that teddy bear, I know I’ve got to call you at least three times, because you’re feeling a bit nervous’,” he mentioned.
Asked for his recommendation to others experiencing struggles with psychological well being, he mentioned: “One of the things that worked for me is speaking to people and speaking to people that care.
“Because sometimes you could speak to friends or you can give them a sign and they might take the mickey and those are the people that are not going to help you, plain and simple.
“I think one of the things that we’ve done in this society now, we’ve made a big, big noise which I’m really happy about with regards to mental health.”
The full interview with Jay Blades will be listened to on the Big Fish With Spencer Matthews podcast on Global Player now.
– For anybody who wants assist, Samaritans will be contacted at no cost on 116 123, emailed at jo@samaritans.org, or go to www.samaritans.org to search out your nearest department.