Nick Ansell Nick Ansell

SINGER ROBBIE WILLIAMS has revealed that he has often struggled with his mental health.

The 44-year-old former Take That star opened up to The Sun about his battle with depression that has brought him close to death ‘so many times’. He described his depression as a “disease that wants to kill [him].”

Fortunately, and unfortunately, left to my own devices, I’m inclined to sabotage everything. I’ve got a disease that wants to kill me and it’s in my head, so I have to guard against that.

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Robbie said that things have gotten very difficult for him many times.

The things I put myself through. I’ve been close to… It’s like ‘By the grace of God go I’. It’s been so close so many times.

He said he feels ‘overwhelmed’ by his battle with depression sometimes, but other times he finds it’s ‘a tool [he] needs to get on stage’.

Most of the time I’m human – having a human experience, trying to deal with the trials and tribulations of what goes on between my ears.

Just a few weeks ago, Robbie Williams told NME that he believes society has come a long way in the last few years when it comes to discussing mental health. He said:

Back in the day, you didn’t know what’s going on with yourself; you just knew that you were living in your head and you didn’t understand what it was. You’d heard words that are called ‘depression’, but you didn’t equate that with what’s going on with you.

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Society’s attitude towards mental health was not very sympathetic when Robbie first began to struggle. The singer said that most of the time, people would be like “Well, can’t that snowflake pull his socks up and get on with it”, which left him feeling a great deal of shame.

It made me more introverted. Now it’s different. I turn on the TV and people are talking about these things all the time, and it’s more accepted.

Indeed, it’s quite hard to imagine someone like Robbie Williams feeling comfortable enough to speak so candidly this time ten years ago.

If you need to talk, contact:
Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Aware 1800 804848 (depression, anxiety)
Pieta House 1800 247247 or email mary@pieta.ie – (suicide, self-harm)
Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833634 (for ages 13 to 19)
Childline 1800 666666 (for under 18s)

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