Adam Deacon thought he had "lost it completely" due to his mental health issues.
Adam Deacon
The 38-year-old actor - who appeared in BBC medical soap 'Doctors' earlier this year - has opened up on his recovery after he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act in 2015 following a breakdown.
Speaking at the Sapper Support charity event, he told BANG Showbiz: "It’s not always pretty, sometimes it can be ugly - I’ve been there - but we shouldn’t shy away from that.
"We need to embrace everything, the nasty inside, as well; the kind of - the stuff that doesn’t look so good.
"We need to see that - to see it for what it is and understand that we can all be there, anyone can lose their mind at any time - and they can get it back as well, which is so positive, which, I didn’t realise that.
"I thought, I lost it completely, and wasn’t ever going to get it back, and then you can. Before you know it you’re directing again, you’re just back being creative, it feels amazing."
The 'Kidulthood' and 'Adulthood' actor recently announced he will be produce, direct and star in upcoming urban action comedy 'Sumotherhood'.
Reflecting on the project, he added: "It feels amazing. It’s been such a journey to kind of get here.
"Literally we had this idea six years ago to make the comedy we’re about to make, and it’s been such a journey, kind of so many times we thought we were going to make it and it didn’t happen, and just being able to do it now feels amazing.
"We’re trying to do something different, we’re trying to mix action with comedy this time, and just raise the levels from where 'Anuvahood' was 12 years ago."
And after his comeback, Adam - who has trained to be a mental health support worker at the same NHS hospital where he was sectioned - has called for an end to stigma surrounding PTSD and other mental health issues.
He said: "Every company, every industry has their statements, they have their hashtags, but we actually need to start making real change and listening to people’s stories, what they go through, and have organisations change the way they - for ‘mental health’ not to be such a big thing, it should not be a big thing.
"We have time off if you break your leg, we have time off if you get the flu - if someone needs a bit of time off because of their mind, they need time off because of their mind! It shouldn’t be looked down upon."
For more information of Sapper Support and their support PTSD Lanyard go to: www.sappersupport.com.
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