Niall Breslin Speaks Out About Mental Illness [VIDEO]

Niall Breslin, known to the world as Bressie, is a handsome, 6-foot-6-inch tall musician, producer and former rugby player. Does he look like someone who would want to rip the skin off his face?

While it may sound like he leads a charmed life, the fact is that he is a man tormented by mental illness. In a recent interview on RTÉ One's The Saturday Night Show, Breslin spoke publicly about his own battles with anxiety and depression, revealing what it is like to live with this debilitating illness.

At one point he slept in a park outside London for two nights, he said, while on another occasion he repeatedly banged his head against a wall in an attempt to knock himself out because he was so anxious about playing a rugby match.

Breslin's goal is to create a public dialogue about mental illness, to strip away the stigma so people who suffer from these conditions will seek treatment. He also hopes that he can prod those who aren't sick so they can readily offer help and empathy to those who do.

Already, he's received countless email messages from men thanking him for speaking out about this issue so publicly. Hopefully we will be able to keep the conversation going.

For more information about this topic, visit MentalHealth.gov or Cycle For Suicide, for which Breslin is an ambassador. According to Cycle's website, it is an initiative that helps "raise awareness of the considerable help and supports that are available for anyone battling depression, self harm, at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide."

[Upworthy]