Case study: ‘I started to feel very, very strange’

WHILE the lives of his fellow students at Edinburgh University were opening up in front of them, Tom Pavey’s came crashing down.

Even as a psychology student in his third year, he was powerless to recognise the depression that began to take hold of him – and it almost cost him his life.

Mr Pavey, 28, from the Scottish Borders, survived, made a full recovery and is now working as a charity fundraiser in London. But even now he has to be careful to look after his mental health.

“It was about five years ago and I was in my third year when I start to feel very strange,” he said.

“I was living dysfunctionally, I stopped going to university and wasn’t really speaking to friends. I really withdrew from life. I didn’t know why this was happening. I felt lethargic and quite down.”

His vision became blurred and he became obsessed with the fear of losing his sight, despite doctors telling him he was fine.

Mr Pavey said: “There’s six months of my life where I don’t remember much, just what friends have told me about my behaviour.

“I became depressed and suicidal, but not knowing I was suicidal, and then I attempted to take my own life.

“I remember thinking I would do it and being at the point of doing it but it was such a detached time.”

After his experience he finally opened up to a doctor and was diagnosed with depression.

He took a year out of his studies, went home to his parents, and eventually got better.

He said: “My depression came from a chemical imbalance, I think I was depressed for two years before it all started to happen.

“There has been an ongoing process for me of managing my mental health through support mechanisms such as medication, therapy and speaking to parents.”