Ex-Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry opens up about his mental health struggles sparked by the death of his brother and admits his depression ‘will come back’
- Sir Jake Berry told GB News he struggled with depression after brother’s death
- He said he had ‘really dark days’ but talked to his wife to help cope with illness
- For help, call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry has opened up about his mental health struggles sparked by the death of his brother.
The MP for Rossendale and Darwen and former minister admitted he has suffered with depression and that it ‘will come back’.
In an interview with Gloria De Piero, set to be broadcast on GB News tomorrow, he said his battles with poor mental health came after a series of tragedies including the death of his brother which led to ‘really dark days’.
Sir Jake added that talking about his mental health with his wife and others helped him cope with his depression.
Former Tory Chairman Sir Jake Berry (pictured) admitted that he has suffered with depression and that it ‘will come back’
Sir Jake (pictured) said his battles with poor mental health came after a series of tragedies including the death of his brother which led to ‘really dark days’
Sir Jake said he struggled ‘quite badly with depression’ while at university but ‘sort of got that sorted’ when he was in his early 20s.
But after several challenges – the death of his brother, giving up his job as Northern Powerhouse Minister and his mother dying shortly – he found it ‘really hard just to cope with the day-to-day’.
He said his biggest barrier to coping with his mental ill health was ‘saying that I had a problem’ – but he said the best thing was to talk to his closest family and friends.
‘It’s only the point at which you sort of sit down and say, “Actually, I do think I’ve got an issue with this. I think I should seek a remedy”,’ Sir Jake said.
‘Whether that’s talking to people or whether it’s medication, that is when you can start to make that journey back to the person that you were.’
Sir Jake (right) told Gloria De Piero (left) that his biggest barrier to coping with his mental ill health was ‘saying that I had a problem’ – but he said the best thing was to talk to his closest family and friends
Sir Berry was interviewed by GB News’ Gloria De Piero (pictured) in a piece to go out tomorrow evening
Sir Jake said that his depression can and will come back, but thinks he will be well prepared when it does as he has got through it before.
He said he learned to not ‘suffer in silence’ but to instead talk to other people as you ‘won’t be the only person who’s had that experience, and you may free, and enable, other people to talk about it’.
He said that his wife opened up to him about her own struggles with post-natal depression, so they were able to healthily discuss each other’s experiences.
Sir Jake said a ‘key message’ was to not suffer alone with mental health as ‘there is a bright sunny day on the other side and you come out of it’.
The politician also shared his experience in the last days of Liz Truss’ premiership after the ‘mini budget’, where the flailing PM asked him to set up a ‘war room’ in No 10.
- For help, call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
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