Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has opened up about his struggles with poor mental health and described himself as going to bed with a “heavy head and wet eyes” for some time. 

The Labour MEP for Dublin said his mental health took a turn for the worse after several “negative” changes in his life and bereavement left him in a “very difficult position”. 

“The reason I wanted to talk about it or post about it online was just maybe to give the message that if anybody is going through a period of darkness that it’s not unusual,” he told The Anton Savage Show. 

“What I’ve learnt through my experience is that thousands of people go through it. 

“I don’t have a one liner or a book or a podcast or a piece of advice for people. 

“But that’s my central message because it can feel intensely lonely if you’re going through something which is particularly dark in your life.” 

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Over the weekend, the annual Darkness Into Light event took place, which is organised by the charity Pieta to help highlight suicide prevention. 

Previously, Mr Ó Ríordáin said he had not been involved in it because he did not think it would have helped him. 

Instead, he focused on his work as a TD, which he described as a “sanctuary from the things in my head”, as it was his personal life that was “problematic”. 

“It became quite regular for me just to sit in the car,” he said. 

“Because maybe I was trying to cling to the workday a little bit?” 

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Picture by: Gareth Chaney / Collins Photos.

Even then, he found that negativity and frustration would “creep into work the odd time”. 

“There was one occasion where I made a particularly impassioned speech and I got a lot of credit for it,” he said. 

“I took the head off Norma Foley and I think about 75% of that speech was a genuine annoyance at how the Minister for Education was handling something. 

“And probably about 25% of it was my own issues in my own head. 

“So, apologies to Norma Foley for that one.”

People with mental health problems experience a wide variety of symptoms, for Mr Ó Ríordáin they manifested themselves through a “lack of energy, just a lack of enthusiasm for anything”. 

“Basic things like that; an inability to do the most basic chore,” he said. 

“You’d go to bed with a heavy head and wet eyes.” 

Recovery

Mr Ó Ríordáin added that while he had problems before, he did not have a similar reaction. 

“It became something I just got used to,” he said. 

“That this is me now; I used to be something else, I used to wake up with a certain freedom in my head or a way of addressing the day. 

“And now I wake up like this - just heavy headed.” 

Nowadays, Mr Ó Ríordáin said his mental health has much improved but he does not want to give people advice on how they might improve theirs. 

“I have a sense that people in this position, the last thing they want to hear is of somebody who does a look at me now speech,” he said. 

“It just got easier over time and I sought a level of professional help, which has definitely benefited me.”

If you or someone you know need help with their mental health, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.ie or visit www.samaritans.ie to find your nearest branch.

Main image:  Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Picture by: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie