Romesh Ranganathan battled suicidal thoughts
Romesh Ranganathan was "super depressed" and "came very close" to suicide as a teenager.
Romesh Ranganathan "came very close" to suicide as a teenager.
The 47-year-old comedian felt "super depressed" and didn't feel like he wanted to "carry on" with his life as a result and though he overcame his lowest point, he is always aware of his own mental health and staying "on top" of any issues.
Speaking to the new issue of Runner's World magazine, he said: “When I was 18 or 19 years old, I feel like I came very close [to] ending my life. I just couldn’t see the point in carrying on. I was super depressed.
"Then I started to do suicide ideation, where you start to fantasise about it.
"The best way I can describe it, when I thought about taking my own life, it felt like a weight was being lifted.
"Mental health is something I’m still aware of, and it’s been a battle for me.
"I think once you come close to something like that, it’s a bit like being an ex-smoker: you have to stay on top of it.”
The 'A League of Their Own' panellist - who has three sons with wife Leesa - admitted he faces an "ongoing struggle" with his mental health, even when things are going well.
He said: “I’m very privileged in my life now, but sometimes I can feel I might be getting a little dark in my head, or the anxiety creep in.
"Sometimes, to be honest with you, it can be that I’ve not been running. But it’s been an ongoing struggle.
"I’ve only relatively recently dealt with this p**** that’s living inside my head, this inner voice that’s constantly telling me I’m a piece of s***. That’s something I’ve had to live with for a long time. Now I don’t have it anymore, but I know what it’s like.”
Romesh has found solace in running but admitted it wasn't always a positive exercise experience for him.
He said: “My recollection of running was being forced to do the cross-country as part of PE. It was always the PE lesson that you dreaded, because you hadn’t done any running and you just dragged yourself round.
"I was massively overweight and not very fit, and I have memories of my PE teacher shouting, ‘Come on, Ranganathan! Pick your feet up!’
"That left me with a negative association with running.
"I’m in my 40s, and a lot of people in my generation who aren’t into running see it as hellish.”
The full interview can be read in the May issue of Runner’s World UK, on sale now.
