AN OAKWORTH man who has fought mental health problems all his life has set up a global support network for fellow sufferers.

Andrew Gill said his life was a “living wreck” for 31 years before he finally received a diagnosis, and he did not want other people to go through the same torment.

This summer he set up a peer-to-peer support network entitled LTCWMHD - Learning To Cope With Mental Health Disabilities – whose members communicate mostly through Facebook.

There is a Facebook page for anyone to follow, and a group specifically for people with mental health issues, who are supported by seven members from the UK, USA, Australia and Canada.

Andrew said: “We are growing massively daily, and the group has now reached out to 16 different countries. We have over 700 followers worldwide.

“There is 24/7 support due to all the different time differences, so if anyone needs to speak to like-minded people, there is always someone available, either in the group or private and confidential.

“Our motto is ‘it is better out than in because you are certainly not alone’.”  Andrew said he had suffered with mental health issues for the majority of his life, and was not proud of many things he did.

He said: “I left school at the age of 11, had my first daughter at 15 and ended up in jail at 17. I’ve been in and out of rehabs and hospital for mental health, and wanted to end my life on many occasions.

“At 31 I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder and obsessive.

"I was still going missing for days on end and running away from my family, taking stimulants and alcohol because my head got too much for me.”

Andrew said the breakthrough came when his doctor got him to talk about his life story, and referred him to an ADHD clinic, which eventually led to the right treatment programme and medication.

He added: “In July I thought, how could I help others who suffer mental health?”

LTCWMHD live-streams a video interview every Wednesday at 7pm of someone who wants to share their “strength, courage and hope”.

For further information, email ltcwmhd@gmail.com or search for LTCWMHD on Facebook.