When he harnesses up his dogs and heads for the hills around Ogmore to run with them Andy Caress feels happy to be alive. That wasn’t the case a few years ago when his mental health took a downturn and he began to feel suicidal.
Fearing stigma the former FE lecturer from Nantymoel, Bridgend, said he got to a “very low point” before a friend finally persuaded him to seek medical help. By that time his mood swings had begun to feel “like third degree burns” and he was contemplating ending his own life.
Urging others to recognise the early stages of mental health problems and not to fear seeking help, Andy admits it has not been easy. Now working as a mental health trainer in education he said he is concerned that people talk about “resilience” at a time when many people don’t feel resilient post-pandemic. He is glad people talk more about mental health now, but said it can be hard, especially for men.
