Friday, 22 June 2007

Keisha Buchanan: Depression nearly ruined my life

The Sugababe tells how success caused her to feel so low

Being offered a record deal at 14 sounds like every teenager’s dream. But the reality of coping with fame at such a young age left Sugababes’ Keisha Buchanan spiralling into depression.

‘By the time I was 17, I was very depressed,’ she says. ‘Suicidal, if I’m honest. There were moments when I’d think stupid things, like: “If I put this pillow over my head or sleep with it over my head, what’ll happen? What if?” I didn’t know what it was.

'I kept crying all the time, but I felt I couldn’t say anything. But bottling it up only made things worse.’

We were far too young to handle it

Fortunately, after months of suffering alone, Keisha finally told her mum there was something wrong. She was referred to a counsellor and, with the support of her family, she managed to beat her depression.

Now she’s philosophical about what she went through and even visits a hospital that treats victims of self-harm to give others support. She’s convinced that her sudden fame played a part in her poor mental health.

‘If you’re taken away from a normal life at a young age, it does something to you,’ she says. ‘I think we were far too young to handle it. My friends wouldn’t speak to me because they couldn’t accept what I was doing.

One in six people suffer with depression

'When you first come into the pop world, it’s like a whirlwind. Finding some kind of balance with normality was important – when that happened, I settled down.’

Keisha’s experiences are far from uncommon. One in six people suffer with depression at some point in their lives and the most likely trigger is a big life change.

‘Normally, the change is negative,’ says Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation. ‘But seemingly positive changes, such as winning the lottery, can also have the same effect.

'Struggling with a big development in your life is very stressful and that can be a cause of depression.’

Keisha's not alone

Keisha isn’t the only star who’s found it hard to reconcile a successful career with feelings of worthlessness. When Billie Piper shot to fame at 15, she had a similar experience. Cut off from her family, she travelled the world for work with no one to look out for her.

The pressure to succeed eventually got too much for the then singer, who admits contemplating suicide.

Fortunately, like Keisha, Billie sought professional help and recovered from her illness.

‘Most people do recover,’ says Dr McCulloch. ‘It’s a treatable illness and if you suspect you’re depressed the best thing you can do is contact your GP. He or she will be able to put you in touch with a counsellor or, in more serious cases, prescribe medication.’

DEPRESSION IN BRIEF

What is it?
Depression describes a range of moods – from low spirits to a severe problem that interferes with everyday life.

Symptoms
Insomnia, frequent crying, loss of appetite, loss of sex drive and a prolonged feeling that the joy in life has disappeared.

Treatments
Can include a combination of medication and psychotherapy or counselling. A change in diet and increased exercise can also have an effect.

For more information, visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Emily Attwood