Northumberland 's Peter Wise has spoken out about attempting suicide last year - when his mental health spiralled - and wants to find the good Samaritan's who saved his life in Seaton Sluice one October day.
Peter, 32, now lives in Morpeth. He is neurodivergent - he is autistic and has ADHD - and has experience mental health difficulties over a number of years. Though born in Whitley Bay, he was living in Grimsby during the Covid-19 lockdowns when things became too much.
He told ChronicleLive : "I had found a new job working as a mentor with autistic adolescents. But this was at the start of lockdown. I had gone from having colleagues around to basically being a hermit. It really impacted me. I probably didn't leave the house for half a year. My mental health was really dropping.
"Me and my partner had a really difficult time. And by that time my mental health had dropped to such a point that led to problems in our relationship. So in the October I came up to Blyth to stay with at my mum's. By this time I was having intrusive thoughts - I would wake up every day thinking about jumping off bridges."
In the middle of the month, he went to Seaton Sluice "with the intention" of killing himself. But, luckily, passers-by saw what was about to happen. Peter said: "There's a farmer's on the road out of Seaton Sluice - the farmer, he came out on his tractor and spoke to me. And there was a lady with a spaniel. I had a cuddle with the spaniel and that was amazing. She had either autism or ADHD too. She said 'can I have a hug' and that was an incredible moment."
With their help, Peter was able to get help and taken to hospital. He was full of praise for the support he received. But after leaving hospital, he felt he had to return to Grimsby where his home was. Sadly, his mental health deteriorated again, and he had another close call. He said he again was about to kill himself when "two strangers" came up to him and "talked me down".
After this, he again sought help. He said: "I started attending Andy's Man Club and that was really remarkable. I've had some problems in life in my past and it was so good to have a space to talk.
"At the same time I was referred to the North East Lincolnshire crisis team. That had a really positive impact from that. Within three months they were happy to discharge me. Then, me and my partner got back together - and now we are expecting a baby.
"My real message is that's there's a real stigma around mental health - and if you reach out there's not necessarily the services because they're so stretched. But my message is that though it might be difficult to get the hep because f that, if you are in real crisis, there are always people who can help you."
Now Peter has turned to art - and sharing his story - to help others. He runs a photography page on Facebook, has had work exhibited in Blyth, and occasionally video-blogs as "The Wise Owl".
A year on, Peter wants to find the people who helped him in his darkest moments - mid-way through October 2021 in Seaton Sluice. If that was you - contact him directly or email sam.volpe@Reachplc.com.
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