Harry Potter author JK Rowling has admitted she came close to committing suicide when she was struggling as a single mum in the days before the ‘boy wizard’ became a household name.
Now, obviously this story has been used to highlight how difficult life can be for single mums and that you should never give up hope, because things do get better.
What I find interesting about this is that JK has admitted this. She’s reputedly someone who shies away from the spotlight and rarely gives interviews, so it’s all the more of a surprise that she’d confess to something as ‘big’ as suicide.
The admission dovetails neatly with Mental Health Week and is a stark reminder that anyone can suffer from this sort of condition, no matter how rich or famous.
I know ‘mental health’ is still a dirty word to some people and to admit that you suffer from depression, suicidal thoughts or something similar is tantamount to weakness, but the sooner people get used to it being part of everyday life the better.
