Ben Fogle opens up about mental health journey and the therapies that helped

The 50-year-old TV presenter has been open about his struggles with anxiety and paranoia, which led him to have a breakdown in 2020, and has shared the treatments that helped him.

Ben Fogle has bravely shared his struggle with "crippling paranoia and anxiety" that led to a breakdown for the popular TV presenter.

Now 50, the Countryfile host has become an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness after experiencing a terrifying episode in 2013, which he first publicly discussed in 2020. He recalled on social media how a night out at a Cotswolds pub brought him to his lowest point, describing it as "one of the scariest experiences of my life" when he felt suicide was the only way out. Ben revealed that his drink had been spiked, leading to dark thoughts.

In a frank post last month, the father-of-two shared his journey through anxiety and paranoia, revealing his commitment to a strict regimen of therapy and medication to regain control over his mental health. "A year ago I suffered a mental health wobble. An episode. A storm. A blip. I don't know if there is a specific term for it but it was basically a burnt out, breakdown," he wrote in an emotional Instagram update.

Since then, Ben has embarked on a path of self-discovery and recovery. "I've been on quite a journey since. I've learnt a lot about my neurological uniqueness. And I've navigated the storm. Through a mix of CBT, medicine, and now some alternative therapies I feel like my old self," he shared, expressing relief at having overcome the intense paranoia and anxiety that once plagued him.

An individual has opened up about their mental health struggles, not to seek attention but to show it's okay to be vulnerable: "I'm telling you this firstly because I believe as someone who shares my successes it's important to also share our vulnerabilities. It is not to jump on some trend or for sympathy. It's because if it happened to me, I can happen to you. But just like a broken bone or a pneumonia ravaged lung or even a flesh eating bug (all of which I have had)," they revealed, reports the Mirror.

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

The person went on to detail that recovery isn't out of reach: "We can heal. They don't define us or make us weak. They prove that we are human. Vulnerable to the pressures of modern life. A mental health trauma should not be a stigma but a reality check for the increasingly complicated world in which we live.'

"What's helped me is doing less and simplifying my life. Less social media. Less work Less pressure to be perfect The results are that I worry less. Stress less. Anger less Fixate less. Giving me more time has helped me back to reality. To being me. Exactly the same person I have always been. Simple. Love, peace and simplicity," they added, endorsing a more simplistic approach to life for better mental well-being.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.