Food And Your Mood

Depressed? Anxious? Did you know your food can affect your mood?

- Neil Martin

The first time I took antidepressants was in early 1998 following the death of my Dad when he was just 50 years old. I was 22 and didn’t know how to cope. It was a good friend of mine that suggested I see a doctor. I walked out of the surgery with a prescription in my hand for ‘happy pills’ to help it all go away.

Following my dad’s death, mental health challenges became a regular part of my life. I could be in a room filled with family and friends and still feel alone. I could have great moments of fun and excitement, but fear and paranoia always followed. I could be in beautiful sunshine, but my personal black cloud was always just above me.

I was getting sick, both physically and mentally and for more than a decade I tried my best to ignore the steady decline in my health. I was so obese, I was off the chart on the NHS healthy weight calculator and I was suffering from an ever-growing list of illnesses (both physical and mental).

There were some highly visible signs, like my weight gain, that I would try my best to cover up with baggy clothes. I was even better at hiding the less visible signs, like my depression and mental health challenges. Afraid of the stigma and the impact it could have on my career, I hid them from everyone, including many of my closest friends and family.