A dad-of-two who tried to take his own life said he had to go to the "deepest, darkest places on earth" before finally turning his life around.
Phil Parsonage from St Helens said the past six years of his life have seen so many "surreal twists and turns".
The 49 year-old said his mental health issues had been coming for a number of years and that numerous things were affecting him, from his dad's death and mum's health, to his employment.
Phil said he was taken to the deepest, darkest places on the planet and attempted to take his own life - but with help he got through it and was getting back on track.
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But months later in 2018, Phil was involved in a serious accident which left him paralysed for around two months.
Phil said he wants to share his own story to inspire others and more than anything let people know "there is light at the end of the tunnel".
Phil told the ECHO: " One of my major things is I've suffered with my mental health. I t had been coming for a number of years.
"In 2014, the last week of November, I lost my dad with a few weeks notice to myeloma (a type of blood cancer).
"There were many other things carrying on in life outside of that which was affecting me. Then in 2016, I took my mum the hospital and they gave her two to three months to live. She has leukaemia with Philadelphia chromosome.
"She's still with us today and as far as I know she's the only surviving patient with it on her treatment in the North West. It’s mystifying that she's still here.
"Over the years, I was also struggling with my employment and it cost me my job and that's where I hit my lowest. It took me to the deepest, darkest places on the planet.
"How I've described it is when you look outside a window. It wasn't like life when you see the trees and grass blowing, leaves falling down or any of that. You're just staring out at another scene.
"I did try to take my own life, only on the one occasion."
Phil said it took around 12 to 18 months to get his life back on track and by 2018 he became medication free.
But in September that same year, Phil fell 18-20 ft and broke his back in L3 with an explosive fracture, which left him paralysed for the best part of two months.
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Phil said he is now able to walk but would struggle to run and that despite everything, he feels "lucky" that he is where he is today.
He added: "I think it was sort of a plan for me. Now I feel complete again, I feel whole again.
"There’s life with and after mental health issues, there’s life after Covid, there's life after whatever you are going through. You can achieve other things. You just need to believe in yourself and want to do it."
Phil said looking back, he would have never believed he would reach the point he is at now in his life and that he wants others to know that you can "reach your goals."
Before the first lockdown in 2020, Phil decided to take an opportunity to own his own restaurant in Haydock, The Wood Pit Cafe and Bistro.
He has since spoken about his own experiences with mental health, participating in video interviews shared across social media and in the future is hoping to attend group sessions to speak to others about mental health.
He said: "I’d like to get the business back to where it was in the first lockdown. I want to give people those opportunities and chances I had. I'm looking at starting another venue up which will employ more people.
"It’s just my way of trying to give myself goals and also giving people opportunities. You can achieve your goals, you've just got to want them hard enough and work hard yourself.
"Keep going, ask for help even though it may be hard to do so and don’t be frightened. Know there is always hope and light at the end of the tunnel, mental health can be managed or even overcome. "
Have you got a St Helens story? Email jessica.molyneux@reachplc.com
