Former SNP MP Mhairi Black has spoken candidly about her battle with depression and how her time at Westminster took a devastating toll on her mental health. In a BBC documentary, Being Me Again, which aired today, Black reflected on the pressures of life as an MP, admitting that the job left her struggling with anxiety and depression.
Her father, Alan, became emotional as he recalled witnessing her breakdown while she was in London, saying, “She just broke down, really broke down. And it was hard to watch”, reported Daily Record.
Black made history in 2015 when she was elected as the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South at just 20 years old, making her the youngest MP in over a century. Her powerful maiden speech went viral, cementing her reputation as a strong left-wing voice in the SNP. But behind the scenes, the pressures of Westminster were weighing heavily on her.
Speaking in the documentary, Black didn’t hold back in her criticism of Parliament, describing it as “toxic” and admitting that she eventually reached breaking point. “My anxiety became just far too much and then fell into depression, and it got so bad to the point where the doctor signed me off,” she revealed. “That was burnout. I just thought ‘I’m losing it’.”
Black was signed off sick in 2017, and after struggling to understand what was happening to her, she was eventually diagnosed with ADHD. “It was a case of the doctor going ‘look, you need to remove yourself from this environment completely…’ and this period was when I was diagnosed with ADHD.”
She also hit back at those who criticized her for not always being present in Westminster. “It looks to the rest of the world that I’ve just not been turning up when in actual fact I’m in the fetal position in my house.” Her wife, Katie, reflected on how isolating Westminster had been for Black. “It seemed like really bad mental health. I was so surprised at how isolated she was,” she said. “She didn’t like being there. She just wanted to be home.”
The documentary focused on Black’s personal experiences rather than SNP party politics, but she did make a pointed remark about Nicola Sturgeon, suggesting that the rise of career politicians in the SNP happened under the former First Minister’s leadership. After a friend read out a quote from Sturgeon about there being “too many careerists in the SNP”, Black laughed and said, “She’s right, but it was on her watch.”
Despite speculation that she might stand for Holyrood next year, Black has ruled out a return to frontline politics, disappointing some of her supporters. Her father admitted he is “more than happy” for her to stay away from politics, while her wife was even more firm, saying, “No, she’s done.”
As for what’s next, Black is keeping her options open. “I’m looking forward to just being me again and seeing where that takes me next,” she said at the end of the program.
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