An Irishman who told everyone on Twitter ‘I am not OK’ says he has had his faith restored in humanity.
Edmund O'Leary now hopes to make a documentary to encourage men to speak out about their mental health.
The ‘people person’, who fell victim to depression during lockdown, had 666 followers before he reached out with his now-famous tweet.
Since the tweet - liked by nearly 305,000 people across the globe - he has picked up an extra 15,000 followers and says it has changed his world, Surrey Live reports.
Most importantly, they did what he asked, and more, sending thousands of pictures, artwork, song lyrics and poetry capturing moments of joy.
He was inundated with images of sunflowers, sunsets and rainbows from as far away as Peru, India and Japan.
Complete strangers sent Edmund videos of their son’s first words or their daughter standing up for the first time.
“I was losing hope, I had contemplated checking out,” said Edmund.
“I thought I’d get no more than 50 people tops, just saying hello. But it clearly struck a chord and it went to Mars and back.
“I think what Twitter has shown is that we’re all in this together. People just need that little bit of light to get them through the day.”
Edmund, an Irishman who has lived in Epsom in the UK for over 20 years, found himself appearing on television for the first time on his 53rd birthday.
“My life will never be the same again,” he said. “I always told my sons to reach for the stars; now I am going to do it myself.”
He wants to make a documentary about men with mental health issues after finding so many chose to confide in him.
Edmund, a divorced father of twin sons, is trained as an employment advisor specialising in mental health. He said: “Men don’t like to admit they have an issue with mental health; they feel like they have to be strong.
"Many have messaged me privately because they don’t want other people to read their response. Women have contacted me, concerned about their partners.”
Edmund is a trustee of Love Me Love My Mind, an Epsom charity that aims to support people’s wellbeing. Throughout the pandemic it has maintained connection with its 70 members by phonecalls and a weekly newsletter.
He said: “I haven’t been able to do anything for the charity this year, I became so depressed during lockdown.”
Despite feeling he has done nothing, its chair, Reverend Sue Bull, said: “Edmund's tweet has meant that the charity's name has been spoken of or written about nationally.”
And one man high up in a different mental health charity sent Edmund a message to say his tweet had done more than he had managed to achieve in the last seven years.
Edmund was one of the founders of Safe Havens in 2016, the evening drop-in service for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, in Epsom, Woking, Guildford and Redhill.
It is now an integral part of Surrey’s mental health service and is run by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the Leatherhead charity the Mary Frances Trust.
Edmund left as a practitioner last year as he said it had been very challenging working on the frontline.
A Surrey County Council task group, who researched mental health services in Surrey throughout this summer, has recommended Safe Havens extends its hours throughout the night.
The group’s chair, Elmbridge Councillor Nick Darby, said: “If someone is having a mental health crisis it seems odd they should be restricted in having that support.
“We found they effectively couldn’t have a crisis in late evening or night-time, there was nowhere to turn to, so they end up in A&E.”
Safe Havens operates 6pm-11pm, 365 days a year. Find addresses at www.sabp.nhs.uk/our-services/mental-health/safe-havens
Love Me Love My Mind, based out of St Barnabas Church, can be contacted on 01372 721518.
If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised in this article please contact:
Samaritans helpline 116 123
Aware helpline 1800 80 48 48
Pieta House on 1800 247 247
