“My heart is black and my body is full of anger and I wish I was dead.”
Can you imagine what it would be like to hear those chilling words from your 10-year-old son?
Yet Adam Schwartz said that exact sentence to his mother 14 years ago as he struggled to cope with crippling depression.
Thankfully, Adam is now 24 and he says he is now well after having undergone electric shock therapy.
In this incredibly raw video, he shares his battle with mental illness with Mamamia TV and talks about how parents can help teens who are going through a similar struggle.
If you don’t have time to watch the full interview you can head to the below cue points for the most powerful parts:
01:34 – At 10 years old, Adam said, “My heart is black and my body is full of anger and I wish I was dead.”
07:05 – As a teenager, his mind was so broken he lost the ability to walk.
08:50 – When he was suicidal at 15, he finally got help.
11:44 – As a teenager, he coped by emailing his mum about his fears.
14:39 – Adam speaks about his electric shock therapy.
19:00 – He offers advice to other young people suffering from depression.
For more on Resilience:
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Watch more from Mamamia TV here.
Adam Schwartz is the author of Mum, I Wish I Was Dead: The story of a teenager who conquered depression. You can buy a copy here.
