A Bristol man has told how he was almost driven to suicide after struggling to cope with the cost of living in in the city.
Jacob, who did not want to give his surname, sent a goodbye text to his girlfriend and then set off with the intention of ending his life.
"I felt like there was a massive chain around my neck and I couldn't see a way out," said Jacob.
"I couldn't see how things were going to get better, my thoughts were getting worse and worse.”
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After staying in one place for almost an hour, Jacob changed his mind and returned home.
He has since changed his job and undergone private hypnotherapy sessions which he says have helped him, and he has been referred by his GP for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). His partner’s mum has now launched a scheme to help people in similar situations.
The 28-year-old had been grappling with mental health issues for almost ten years.
But it wasn't until he moved to Staple Hill in Bristol with his partner Kassi that things really escalated.
In Wales, where he lived previously, he had never felt stressed about meeting the costs of bills. But moving to Bristol, where the cost of living is higher, resulted in Jacob opening an overdraft for the first time and being unable to afford daily life.
He had been working as a science technician but was signed off on sick leave after struggling to sleep and experiencing several panic attacks.
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Despite his GP referring him for a CBT course, by the time his suicidal thoughts escalated he had not been seen by a single expert.
Even after the attempt, he still had to wait two months for a place on a 12-week course.
"When I was signed off from work I had barely been sleeping for more than three to four hours a day,” he added.
"I couldn't work, but then that's when things really got bad. It was horrible. I had horrible thoughts. I didn't know what to do.
"The day it happened my girlfriend had friends round and I couldn't face being around people. I went out but didn't know where to go. I just walked around.
"Something clicked in my head, it felt like I had lost control of my body, which was really terrifying because I could feel all of the consequential fears of what I was doing but was unable to physically stop myself.
"I texted my girlfriend and said I was sorry.
"I must have been there for almost an hour. I don't really remember much about it.”
After seeing what Jacob went through, his partner Kassi's mother, Nicky Marshall, launched a scheme to help people suffering from mental health issues, which will see an army of volunteers share a coffee and conversation with them.
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The idea is to give everyone a chance to have someone to talk to and to be listened to, she said.
“It broke my heart to see Jacob suffering and I vowed to do something to help," said Nicky. "Wouldn’t it be great if we could reach out to someone in their darkest hour and make a difference?”
She has also planned a Mental Health Hackathon where professionals and people affected by mental health challenges will come together to work out how charities, businesses and the local councils can all work together to solve the city's mental health crisis.
The event will take place on April 16 at the Bristol and Bath Science Park from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Deputy director of operations for Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Sarah Branton said: “The wellbeing and safety of our service users is of paramount importance to us and we work hard to ensure they have access to interventions in a timely manner in order to meet their individual needs.
“We are unable to comment on this specific case due to patient confidentiality but would be happy to speak directly with Jacob about his experience and concerns.”
To find out more about the Hackathon, click here.
