Phillip Schofield wants you to know there’s ‘strength in talking’ in a emotional message about mental health
Legendary TV presenter Phillip Schofield. (ITV)
Phillip Schofield impressed on his Twitter followers the importance of talking in an emotional message about mental health and suicide.
Schofield, who has been open about his own mental health struggles prior to coming out as gay this year, shared the fundraising page of Alison Watson, whose son Morgan took his own life on May 17.
Watson, raising money for mental health charity Mind, wrote: “Morgan was a very troubled soul and even through he was surrounded by a loving caring family and many caring and devoted friends this wasn’t enough for him to open up… Talking to whoever is so important for everyone, especially young men.”
Schofield wrote on Twitter: “Another heartbreaking story. There is strength in talking.
“Please don’t try to fight your head on your own. Talking saved me.”
Another heartbreaking story. There is strength in talking. Please don’t try to fight your head on your own. Talking saved me #bekind #talk https://t.co/8d9ZBwAFDu
— Phillip Schofield (@Schofe) May 21, 2020
Phillip Schofield was having thoughts of suicide before he came out as gay.
This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield came out as gay in February, 2020.
In an interview with The Sun he said that he tried to convince himself he was bisexual, but as the years went by he was forced to admit this wasn’t the case.
“You never know what is going on in someone’s head when they you think they are leading the perfect life. And I was. But then it was there,” he said.
His turmoil over his sexuality took a huge toll on his mental health, bringing him to the brink of suicide.
Schofield said: “There is no doubt living with this kind of secret can take people to the darkest of places. And there is no question for me it got very dark, because it felt hopeless.”
He said he credits the love and support of his wife and their daughters Molly, 26, and Ruby, 24, for pulling him out of depression.
“I understand completely why so many men and women in this country get to the point of suicide,” he added.
“I had Steph and I had my girls and I don’t think I could have left them like that. But if I hadn’t have had their support, then who knows?”
