Prince Harry has come out recently to speak about his own struggles with mental health. He said, “I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions [...] The experience I have had is that once you start talking about it, you realize that actually you’re part of quite a big club."
“I can safely say that losing my mom at the age of 12 and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years has had quite a serious effect on not only my personal life but also my work as well,” Harry said. “My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum because why would that help?”
At royal engagements, Harry found himself overcome by a “flight or fight” sensation. The prince felt angry, he told the Telegraph, as if he were “on the verge of punching someone.” But he didn’t understand what was causing the eruptions.”I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I just didn’t know what was wrong with me.” Harry admitted that the years of burying his emotions led to “two years of “total chaos” in his 20s and, with the support of his brother, Prince William, he decided to seek professional help when he was 28.
“Because of the process that I’ve been through over the last 2½-3 years, I’ve now been able to take my work seriously, be able to take my private life seriously as well, and be able to put blood, sweat and tears into the things that really make a difference,” he said.
Harry, Prince William and Princess Kate have created Heads Together, a campaign intended to start conversations about mental health awareness and shed the stigma.
What a Prince.