Love Island's Dr Alex George reveals health update as he opens up on depression & reveals sweet tribute to late brother
DR Alex George has opened up about his ongoing battle with depression and 6st weight gain after his brother's tragic death.
The Love Island star, 34, was left completely devastated in 2020 after aspiring doctor Llyr took his own life aged 19.
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The former reality star has now opened up about dealing with his grief and what pulled him through those dark times.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Alex said: "I went back on antidepressants earlier in the year, it's been a few months now and they've definitely helped.
"By nature what's happened in my life, things like losing my brother to suicide, the pandemic, also my makeup - I've got ADHD, although that's not a mental illness, some of the things that are associated with that can definitely make you more likely to struggle.
"There are times when I have definitely struggled with it and I'm not ashamed of that, that's why I started the campaign 'Post Your Pill', it's an anti-stigma campaign.
"If you need it, then don't be ashamed of it, that's what I want people to feel.
"My mental health isn't perfect, some days are better, some days are worse... so is life.
"I'm doing my best as everyone else is."
Opening up about what pulled him through when he was at his lowest, Alex revealed he got three inspirational tattoos.
He said: "The one on my left wrist, 'this too shall pass', I have a sense of belief that there's not permeance to feeling and moments.
Love Island's Dr Alex gets tattoo tribute to late brother Llyr a year after he took his own life
"That's what's really hard, it's hard for young people especially that feeling what you're feeling right now will be ever, that it won't pass but as you get older you realise as you've gone through times of hardship in your life and good times as well, you realise things do move on, you do get over things that happen.
"If you lose a job, you find a new one, if you fail your exam, you learn that you actually get it and it works out.
"What is meant to be, is meant to be. That helps.
"Family and friends is also really big as well, I think everyone needs at least one person they can talk to when things are really bad.
"Having a conversation with someone when you're at your lowest and when you're really low, it can be the difference, it can be life saving.
"Sometimes just having a voice outside your head to help you ground there in the moment can make a huge difference.
"Family and friends have been really important to me."
Alex fondly remembered his little brother and spoke about his legacy five years after his passing.
"Llyr and I were very similar, we were 10 years apart and I named him. Llyr means God of the sea in Welsh, I love that name. He was quite annoyed about it when he was younger because people couldn't pronounce it but later in life he learnt to love it," Alex recalled.
"But as a person we were actually quite similar, he loved sport like I did, he loved Formula One and cars, he had a place at Southampton medical school - he was going to be a doctor as well.
"He was a lovely lovely young man and that's why it's such a difficult loss because it's losing someone who would have been a great part of this community and society.
"The legacy is through his memory and remembering him and taking about him and also through action as well, that's why I've gone onto do a lot of the work that I've done.
"Those are the legacy I guess, all the work that I do, he is in all of that, I hope through that he kind of lives on in that sense."
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
Alex admitted there are times he feels his brother around him at times, especially in moments of hardship and challenges.
He shared: "I don't know what I believe in afterlife but I do so many times feel something, certainly that he's with you.
"I think big moments in your life or hurdles you're getting over, you kind of think 'oh gosh, I hope you're kind of with me on this one and you're helping me out on this one'.
"The most important thing is ensuring someones memory lives on because if their memory lives on, they live forever."
Alex's little brother was just 19 when he took his own life, and had been due to start medical.
The TV star has said his brother had no prior history of a diagnosed mental health condition, and never disclosed how he was feeling to him or other family members.
Alex spoke about how his family cope day-to-day with the loss, saying "There are difficult times and that won't change".
He said: "It's a forever experience that never gets better, you learn to live with it in a more conducive way or a way that you can enjoy your life.
"My mum and dad do amazing work for mental health, my mum started knitting when my brother died to distract himself and give him something to do and all of a sudden someone was like 'can I buy the gloves you knitted?' but she was like I don't want the money, so she was like 'I'll give it to charity', now they have around 300 knitters and they've raised £100k through knitting, all of the money goes to young peoples charities.
"That gives them purpose and I think purpose is very very important, not just when you're going through a difficult time but generally. That's when people struggle, having some reason you get up in the morning with a skip.
"There are difficult times, Birthdays are hard, Christmas is hard, anniversary of his passing is hard, that won't change I don't think."
Alex, who has teamed up with Bioglan to create an audio running guide where he will share his best advice, motivation, and anecdotes from his time running, has spoken about how he had reached 20st after being "knocked off kilter" following a series of events.
The medical professional has since shed the pounds after losing 6st by transforming his diet and lifestyle.
Alex shared: "Exercise has become about how I feel - running has changed my life, a few years ago I was 20st in weight, I was definitely out of balance.
"I wasn't in balance at that time, I was drinking too much alcohol, I was depressed, I was eating too much, I wasn't exercising enough. I had to address that.
"I really first hand have seen how running can change your life. There are other aspects to it, like diet and so on.
"I've never been someone weight-centric and throughout my weight loss, I never weighed myself and not until the end and that's only because of ADHD medications - I didn't calorie count.
"I looked at my life and said 'am I imbalanced?... am I in a situation where I'm doing things that are conducive of being healthy.
"I lost my brother, the pandemic, most of the things that have happened in my life have knocked me out of kilter.
"So I looked at my diet fundamentally, 'does the plate look healthy? Is it full of colour?' and I approached eating meals with that view.
"I thought I have to move my body everyday, I went for a walk every morning, I went either to the gym or a run most days of the week.
"That was the fundamental thing I did, I never counted calories at all.
"The other big thing I did was stop drinking and between all of that it changed, not overnight, it took around a year to a year-and-a-half to go from 20st to 14st, it takes a long time but it has made a huge difference.
"I live healthier and I've never felt better."
Alex has partnered with supplement brand Bioglan for their fourth series of 'In Bioglan Balance' to show how he finds balance in his busy life.
With running taking the lead as one of the hottest fitness trends, the guide will encourage people to find balance in all aspects of life by considering a more well-rounded and balanced approach to wellbeing which goes beyond diet and physical exercise.
Alex said: "You're a runner if you put one foot in front of the other faster than a walking pace. When you start running you worry about how fast you're going, as soon as you start running you realise all of that stuff is normal.
I was walking loads, but it's actually part of that. No one cares, they respect you for being out running.
"The hardest part of running is the first few weeks, when your body adapts to it, it gets so much easier."
To listen to the series visit Bioglan Supplements Spotify page.
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