For four years, Lee Hogarth shielded the severity of his anxiety and depression from family and friends.
To those around him he appeared young and popular, with a good job as an electrician and a nice car.
But in reality, crippling anxiety at times confined him to his bedroom and at the age of 26 he planned to take his own life.
And now he is sharing his story in the hope of encouraging others to talk about their mental health.
Lee said: “There’s a perception, especially on social media, that it’s okay not to be okay – but it’s not.
“No-one should feel like that and everyone deserves to be as happy as they can be and have the best out of life.”
Last year, Lee, from Washington, Sunderland, decided to talk openly about the night he planned to take his own life for the first time.
(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
He told his mum how he got in his car and sped towards South Shields, but suddenly he had a change in his mindset.
He hit the brakes and returned home and continued to act as if nothing had…
