In this weeks' episode, I welcomed Jonny McCambridge on the podcast to talk about all things mental health, his lived experiences with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts which culminated in the release of his book "Afraid of the Dark" in January 2021, available at all good booksellers.

Jonny is quite simply an incredible human being - for sharing his story so candidly but also for opening himself up in both the book and this episode so that his story could help others who are either going through similar times themselves or just for anyone who would benefit in hearing his experiences and musings.

We speak on the episode across a range of topics, including;

• Launching the blog "What's A Daddy For?"
• Feedback so far on the book since its launch in Jan 2021 and some of the people it has already helped
• Jonny's own experiences with mental health, charted back to 18yo when he first sought help with a local GP and was left exiting the GP surgery in a worse state than when he went in
• Northern Ireland's mental health facilities and provisions, and steps you can take to seek help if needed
• Details from within the book about being admitted to hospital after thoughts on suicide, and the toll his professional life took on his own mental and emotional well-being
• His love and admiration for his wife Debs and son James, who he calls out - alongside wider family - as his anchors who have kept him afloat at the toughest times
• What Jonny would say to his 18yo self if given the opportunity

Ultimately this is an incredible discussion with a brilliant person. The overriding message throughout is that if you or anyone you know is feeling in any way similar to what Jonny details, that talking is absolutely the first step and every step afterwards. To communicate, to talk and to listen are so important for all of us, and never more so one year on from a global pandemic impacting our lives.

Please sit back and enjoy the episode - I'm certain you will - and make sure to get out and buy the book "Afraid of the Dark" if you are able to - available at all good booksellers.