A brave Scots suicide survivor has opened up after losing all four of his siblings and a nephew to mental health battles over the last 28 years.
Billy McAvoy, from Stevenston, Ayrshire, was forced to say goodbye to his brother John in 1993 after he took his own life aged just 24.
The 58-year-old struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss of his loved one and took a dangerous overdose which landed him in hospital for five weeks.
His kidneys began to fail and he was placed on dialysis before undergoing two years of gruelling physiotherapy as he learned to walk again.
Despite battling back to health, the family’s heartache continued after sister Mary McAvoy, 53, passed away in September 2017 followed by her son Thomas, 31, just weeks later.
Billy’s remaining siblings Louise Barr, 59, lost her fight for life in February 2020, tragically followed by Yvonne Hogg, 60, just three months later.
As the one-year anniversary of Yvonne's death approaches, sole survivor Billy, who suffers from depression, has taken the brave decision to speak out in a bid to help others.
He explained: “Every morning is a battle for me with my mental health but every night I go to bed is a victory.
“I’m not ashamed to have mental health problems, some of the greatest people in the world have them. I don’t want anyone to be ashamed - it’s okay to struggle.
“This just can’t happen to someone else, another family shouldn’t have to go through this.
“Anyone who is struggling needs to know that they’re not alone. I know it’s difficult when you’re younger and you try to hide it because you want to fit in with everyone else.
“Some people need to be kinder to each other. I’ve been called names like ‘loony’ and ‘dafty’ in the past and I think that should be taken more seriously.
“I think it should fall into the same category as racism.”
He added: “I’ve never heard of anyone else who lost four siblings, no one can quite believe it.
“I believe all our mental health problems come from our childhood. My dad walked out on us when I was three and my mum struggled to cope so started drinking.
“I keep on trying to come to terms with it and work out when it started and it all comes back to our past.
“I write wee poems and write wee things down and that helps me get it out. Me speaking out about it all is a huge step that I’ve been thinking about for a wee bit.
“I just don’t want them to have all died in vain.
“I've got emphysema, COPD and mental health problems myself so if anything happens to me, that’s it. It’s the end of the line.
“Who is going to remember our John, Mary, Yvonne, Thomas, Louise or any of them? I don’t want them to have died for nothing.”
* If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
Help is also available from Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87.
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