Matt, 32, lives in Salford with Alfie his Yorkshire Terrier
"In my late teens and early 20s, I struggled with bouts of depression and made two suicide attempts. My first attempt was when I was working on a building site. I hated it so much.
"I wanted to make my family happy even though I felt it wasn’t for me. It was a different environment and I struggled to fit in, which took a toll on my mental health. I worked as a plasterer, seven days a week, 13 hours a day with no holiday. There was a lot of banter on site and I was bullied – I didn’t know how to handle it as it was my first proper job since leaving school. It got so bad I tried to take my own life one night. I’d sent a text to my friend when I was going to end my life, but my friend told my Mum. It was a cry for help.
"I moved to a new company after that happened. Things were better but I still hated the job. I worked in that line of work from the age of 15 until I was 17, until I finally moved to an office job. Changing my job made a huge difference to my mental wellbeing, and I was also prescribed anti-depressants by my GP for the depression.
"However, I kept on being ill in my mid-20s. I went for lots of tests and was diagnosed with Bile acid malabsorption. I started treatment and met someone at the support group I started attending. We ended up dating and we moved in together, but sadly things went downhill after that. My partner had mental health issues, which were difficult to live with and this impacted on my mental health. One night she went out to spend the night with another man. The next day, I decided it was all too much again. The dog saved my life, if it hadn’t been there jumping up and barking at me, I might not be here today. That’s when I thought, enough is enough, so went to live back at my parents’ house on a mission to get well again.
"I had a really supportive friend who I was able to open up to. It felt a relief to finally be able to talk about what had been going on and how I’d felt. It was as if a weight was lifted and I was able to start feeling more optimistic about the future."
Matt, what message would you have to men who are struggling?
"Any bloke who is struggling should reach out even if that person is a stranger. I’d say get help, you don’t have to be alone, things do get better. Life goes on – I know that sounds corny and it is easy to say but it is the truth."
What advice would you have to encourage someone to contact Samaritans?
"Look at Samaritans website to get info on how to contact a volunteer who can support you. It’s OK to ring and take your time before you speak. There’s no pressure and its very informal. If you can’t speak then its fine to be silent or ring back.
"No one should worry about what the volunteer thinks of them if they do remain silent on the line. It is right to make that call, it’s what we’re there for, sometimes just knowing someone is there on the end of the line can make a difference."
What would you say to someone who is struggling?
"Don’t isolate yourself. Find something you enjoy that distracts you from the tough thing that’s causing the problem. Do something you enjoy. Choose to be with people who make you feel good when you are around them."
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