David Walliams, 48, has achieved an eye-watering amount in his lifetime. He became an overnight success on the BBC One sketch comedy Little Britain, but this was only the beginning. The actor went on to swim the English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar and River Thames for charity and has also become a bestselling author of children’s novels. He has also captured the nation as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. His enduring success only tells one side of the story, however.
There is no-one to call
David Walliams
The actor took fans by surprise when he opened up about his battle with depression in his autobiography, Camp David. The star revealed he went through turbulent times when he was on the brink of fame. The TV favourite said his depression manifested in mood swings and lows that got so bad he was treated in the Priory clinic.
In his book he said: “Many people who suffer from depression confirm early morning is the worst time.
“At 4am you are totally alone. There is no-one to call.
“It was not just the terrible elemental sadness I felt, but fear.
“Fear of death, fear of life, fear of love, fear of everything. This went on for six months.”
But earlier this year, the BGT judge revealed becoming a dad helped to lift him out of his dark place.
Opening up in an episode of Bear’s Mission, David admitted: “I have had struggles with depression in the past.
“There have been periods through my life when I’ve been very, very down and it’s been very long lasting.”
But he added: “I’m certainly in a better place now and one great thing about becoming a parent.
“Your whole life starts revolving around them and you do stop dwelling on your own problems so much, because you don’t have time to.”
The TV funnyman revealed what triggered his depression: “A variety of things, end of relationships…all kinds of things can take you to a very bleak place.”
Walliams also offered advice on how to treat depression.
He said: “Seek help and not feel ashamed…I did and that really, really helped.”
Finding a creative outlet can also help, he suggested: “I don’t really like being alone with my thoughts for very long…when you’re writing you’re not alone.
“You’ve got the characters, they’re like – it sounds a bit tragic – but they’re kind of like friends.”
What is depression?
Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days, explained the NHS.
It added: “Most people go through periods of feeling down, but when you’re depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days.
“Some people think depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They’re wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression is not a sign of weakness or something you can ‘snap out of’ by ‘pulling yourself together’.
“The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery.”
The health body recommended consulting a GP if a person is experiencing symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks.
Fellow BGT judge Simon Cowell also faced a health battle. Find out what it was here.
Source: Read Full Article