Romesh Ranganathan has opened up about struggling with suicidal thoughts in his late teens and early twenties.
Appearing on the Diary of a CEO podcast, the stand-up comedian spoke candidly about contesting the “horrific” voice in his head, which had been at its strongest earlier in his life.
Describing the “really challenging” time, Ranganathan said: “I’ve got loads of memories of reacting really badly to things irrationally, over-the-top reactions. I didn’t do very well in my A Levels… and then when the A-Level results came, I was like, ‘This is the end. I can’t carry on.’
“I was thinking about taking my own life regularly. There were loads of times during that period when I thought about it and I’d fantasise about it… I’d spend time thinking about it.”
He continued: “That was the toughest time and then as I got older, I still had the same issues, but I started to be able to deal with them a bit more effectively. I managed to shut off the voice.
“There’d be long times I don’t have any voice at all. It’s just gone, and then occasionally, you just go dark again.”
Asked by host Steven Bartlett about the stereotype that comedians are often either depressed or have a family member with mental health problems, Ranganathan said: “I don’t think that all comedians are depressed, but I do think that all comedians are wired slightly differently.
“They’ve had something happen to them that changed the wiring, that has made them an outsider in some way.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
