100 Voices: Niall Boylan on Finding Strength in Difficult Times: #NowWereTalking

My marriage broke up after 25 years. I can’t talk about why we broke up. But, believe me, it’s not something I expected or wanted. For about four months, I was so depressed. There was one night I genuinely felt like there was no way out. I was up on Howth Head, five hours sitting in the car. And if it wasn’t for a good friend of mine on the phone, I don’t know what I would’ve done.

I always thought I was stronger than that. I listen to other people’s stories about suicide all the time on the radio and I always go, ‘That wouldn’t be me’. You never realise what it’s like to be in that place until you’re there. You feel there is absolutely no way out. Where you’ve tried everything. You’ve given it everything. You’ve surrendered everything. And still can’t get back what you want.

100 Voices was published in the Hot Press Mental Health Special in conjunction with Lyons Tea and Pieta House as part of the Now We're Talking Campaign. For more please visit hotpress.com/now-were-talking/