Rory Lamont: A shaman cured my depression when I lost rugby career
However, afterwards, at a retreat in the Costa Rican rainforest, he found that his depression had gone. The illness had followed him since the enforced end of his rugby career — a career marred by injury, skull fractures and multiple concussions.
'The suicidal ideation, the repetitive thinking, the ruminating, the constantly being stuck in the past …it just lifted,' he said.
It was why, this week, Lamont was speaking not to Bwiti shamans but to academics at an event at Manchester University investigating whether psychedelics could play a role in helping sportspeople recover from trauma.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
There were 'failings' in care for cricket star Graham Thorpe in months before he died, says coroner as he rules death as suicide
There were 'failings' in the provision of care to former England cricket legend Graham Thorpe in the months before he died, a coroner has said. The 55-year-old died on the morning of August 4, 2024, after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey, with a coroner ruling the death a suicide. The inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking heard he had 'spiralled into depression ' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, and he had tried to take his own life on another occasion. Coroner Jonathan Stevens said that the last time Mr Thorpe was seen in person by healthcare professionals was on March 26, 2024. After missing an appointment with the community mental health team on June 28 2024, care co-ordinator Katie Johnson spoke to Mr Thorpe's wife on the phone, who told her he was 'constantly asking for help to end his life', the court heard. Ms Johnson then spoke to Mr Thorpe who told her he 'hadn't been out for a while' and 'didn't see the point of being here' but had no immediate plans to act on suicidal thoughts, the inquest heard. The coroner said appointments were offered to the cricketer but he 'found it hard to attend these' because of his mental health, and in his judgment Mr Stevens said 'someone should have gone to see him to properly monitor and assess him, to do a face-to-face risk assessment and understand and address his care needs as required by the care plan'. He added that saying 'come see me in two weeks' was 'not an appropriate response' In May 2023 Mr Thorpe had suicidal thoughts and was given in-patient treatment, and Mr Stevens said 'some similar protective measures should have been considered in June 2024'. Mr Stevens said: 'In my judgment there were shortcomings in the care that should have been provided to Graham in the last four months or so of his life.' He added 'there were failings in the provision of his care' but said he cannot on the evidence conclude the failures were gross, and therefore could not conclude that if it were not for the failures, Mr Thorpe would not have died. The coroner said there was no evidence upon which he could make a finding of neglect in the case. Mr Stevens added: 'It's clear there were shortcomings in his care. If he had been seen in those last four months, particularly after that incident on June 28, I cannot say whether it would or would not have made any difference.' Speaking outside Surrey Coroner's Court, Mrs Thorpe said: 'We will never get over the tragic loss of Graham, and we miss him every day.' She added: 'He was my best friend, my soulmate, and he was just a joy. 'And he loved life - but he got very ill.' Earlier on Friday, the inquest heard Mr Thorpe was not perceived by healthcare professionals to be in a 'crisis situation' after they were told he had been asking his wife 'for help to end his life' weeks before he died. The coroner said he did not accept that, adding: 'I don't accept that when Graham was constantly asking his wife to help him end his life, which was a new presentation... that he was not at that point in crisis.' Mr Thorpe's cause of death was recorded by a pathologist as multiple injuries, the coroner said. The inquest previously heard that while on tour in Australia with the England cricket team, there was an 'incident involving a video that was taken that had adverse publicity'. Mr Thorpe shared a video with some friends which was leaked, and the incident was 'blown out of all proportion', leaving Mr Thorpe 'distraught', Mrs Thorpe said. According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0, showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players. Mrs Thorpe described it as a 'horrible' time, and said the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board was a 'real shock to Graham', which was the 'start of the decline of his mental health'. An investigation was carried out by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust after his death, which details a number of findings and recommendations. Dr Shriti Burgul, a consultant psychiatrist who reviewed the investigation's report before it was finalised, told the court on Friday that one of the findings was that 'it was noted that Graham's presentation at his appointment on June 28, 2024, was in keeping with previous presentations and not perceived by the team as a crisis situation'. Given the conversation was over the phone, the psychiatrist was asked if it would have been appropriate to arrange to see Mr Thorpe very quickly. She said 'in the wisdom of hindsight, then yes, a home visit would have been clinically indicated', adding 'I think the team's view at that point was this was part of his chronic presentation'. Dr Burgul was asked if arranging an appointment for two weeks was an appropriate response and she said in the absence of Mr Thorpe expressing 'active intent' or an 'active plan' it would be appropriate to allow two weeks. She said Mr Thorpe was not at the level of requiring intervention from the home treatment team. The psychiatrist was asked if there was any evidence that if there had been an in-person assessment for Mr Thorpe, there would have been a different outcome, and she replied 'no'. The investigation noted that a letter from when Mr Thorpe was discharged from a private hospital in July 2022 said a neuropsychologist should be identified to provide further support, the inquest heard. This was never done by the private provider or the GP, and a risk panel advised it should be explored in June 2024, Dr Burgul said. Asked whether there was any neuropsychological impact that could have affected the cricketer's ability to engage in appointments, given he missed some, the psychiatrist said 'it's a possibility, yes'. Mr Thorpe's cause of death was recorded by a pathologist as multiple injuries, the coroner said. The Surrey batsman was not seen once in the final four-and-a-half months of his life by the psychiatrist in charge of his care, and twice at all by any of his local support team. And the team admitted Thorpe's lack of engagement with the mental health professionals - missing six appointments in two months - was as a result of his worsening depression. Thorpe's depression remained classified as 'moderate' - the middle of three in the seriousness scale - right until his death in August last year, in spite of showing clear signs that his condition was worsening. Medical notes described how Thorpe felt 'shame and humiliation going from a high-profile, knighted captain of the England cricket team to then publicly losing his position' and a failed suicide attempt months after the sacking from the ECB in 2022, so he 'certainly has a worrying propensity for significant risk to self'. An assessment by his new mental health care coordinator in May that year revealed Thorpe 'at times presents as high risk of suicide', which the Thorpe family's lawyer Mark McGhee said this demonstrated the fallen sportsman was 'crying out for a face-to-face assessment'. Yet Dr Amirthalingham Baheerathan, Thorpe's consultant psychiatrist at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, told the inquest he did not think it was necessary to conduct a home visit. An inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking heard Thorpe had 'spiralled into depression ' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022 Mr Thorpe was a mainstay in the England set-up for many years, first as a batter between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles. During a distinguished international career, he struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats. The former batsman, who spent his entire county career with his home club Surrey, will be honoured during the final Test match of England's series against India at The Oval on August 1 to raise awareness of mental health. For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Oswestry gym with wellbeing focus welcomes lottery boost
A gym set up with a focus on the wellbeing of body and mind has been awarded a £14,000 lottery grant to develop its Soma Space in Oswestry was established two years ago by Kevin Braddock, a psychotherapist and fitness instructor, and Jo Hazell-Watkins, a personal trainer and trauma-informed strength offers combined strength training and psychotherapy, and prospective clients can refer themselves or be referred by social care workers and Braddock said the gym was there to help people start exercising, know what to do and where, and who with, adding that everyone knew about the benefits of exercise on mental health, but the question for many was " how do you do it". The 12 lesson online Movement for Mental Health programme, which has received the lottery support, focuses on six basic movements designed to boost mental Braddock said: "Our tagline is movement for mental health."We're interested in is the benefits of exercise on mental health, which sort of everybody knows about, but the question is how do you do it."For somebody who might be struggling with mental illness or poor mental health, how do they go about starting to exercise? What do they do? Who with? Where?" 'A sense of relief' "As long as you've got a couple of metres square, or a garden, or a space where you feel comfortable to be in, you can start moving," Ms Hazell-Watkins could try a set of 10 squats just by sitting on a chair and getting back up again, or go for a walk 10 times around their garden," she added."A private space, no special clothes and anything that puts a little bit of demand on your body is a good start," she said. Imogen, who uses to Soma Space, had always been nervous of going to a gym because she thought it would be "full of people who were super fit and super strong and I didn't consider myself to be one of those people".She said her nerves soon evaporated, adding: "It's helped me certainly with low moods and feeling depressed... When I leave there I feel a sense of relief. I just feel calmer and more at ease." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Mum found dead in bed at Travelodge ‘after being discharged by hospital where doctors irreversibly damaged her brain'
A MUM who was struck down with a rare and debilitating condition took her own life seven years after she failed to recover, an inquest heard. Her family said 'her brain was irreversibly damaged' by the treatment she underwent. 1 Roisin Harron had been suffering with postpartum psychosis following the birth of her much-loved son Dominic in 2017. She was so seriously ill she needed 12 electro convulsive therapy (ECT) sessions but felt the treatment had affected her memory and cognitive abilities and 'became very upset at forgetting things', her family said. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder was given, which her family was sceptical of, and she was stabilised with the use of drugs including lithium. But after she was discharged from specialist mental health services and returned to the care of her GP, the civil servant took her own life. Her family said they felt she had been left with no access to familiar experts to talk to. The inquest at South London Coroner's Court in Croydon, south London, heard about Ms Harron's tragic spiral after she became a mum. Her family, including her dad Henry Harron, mum Margaret McMahon and husband Robin Miskovic, said it was 'impossible to underestimate the impact psychiatric medication had in Roisin's life.' They said: 'Roisin had been so unwell and such a risk to herself she was under the care of the psychiatric hospital. However there had been much progress over the years to 2024. 'She tried hard to help herself and seemed to want to do her best at the things that mattered to her - being a good mother, being good at her job and working hard on her relationships with family and friends. 'She worked on her appearance as she felt change might make her feel better, having her teeth straightened and also significantly losing weight as she had gained a lot of weight from medication use. The 15 signs a loved one is struggling with their mental health - and how to help 'It was clear to close family that beneath the smiling and friendly face that Roisin presented to the world there were very difficult struggles going on. 'There was still a deep and enduring depression and so many anxieties.' 'Roisin felt her brain was in some way irreparably damaged' The court heard Ms Harron had suffered bouts of depression from her teenage years which may have left her susceptible to postpartum psychosis. After the birth in October 2017 she suffered a week of "hypermania" - a severe form of mania - and was admitted to the mother and baby unit at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Bromley, which specialises in the treatment of antenatal and postnatal illnesses, remaining there until March 2018. As part of her treatment she was given the ECT sessions, with her family saying Ms Harron felt 'her brain was irreversibly damaged', leaving her unable to remember things. 'Roisin prior to her illness had an incredibly good memory. During her hospitalisation her memory became quite impaired,' the statement went on. 'This was partly down to the effect of her medication but also part of her treatment in Bethlem Hospital was an on-going course of 12 ECT sessions. 'Margaret and Henry were both shocked at the obvious damage to her memory and cognitive abilities at the time. 'The recovery from this appeared to be very slow and although her memory did improve greatly Roisin felt her brain was in some way irreparably damaged. 'She talked about having brain fog and became very upset at forgetting things.' Changes to medication When Roisin was given the diagnosis of bipolar disorder - a mental health condition characterised by episodes of extreme highs and lows, which can last for weeks - her parents contested this as there were no further manic or psychotic episodes following the one straight after the birth. She was given many drugs to try and stabilise her mood, but the trial and error nature of trying to medicate someone in her position left her feeling terribly anxious, the court heard. 'Over the next few years there appeared to be a lot of uncertainty from mental health services over Roisin's treatment,' her family said. 'Different medications were tried and doses often changed. Roisin was highly sensitive to even minor changes. 'Each time Roisin experienced anxiety planning the changeover and sometimes severe withdrawal symptoms. 'Robin believes that continual worry about medication and changes had a significant detrimental impact on Roisin's mental health.' 'Roisin put a brave face on' After a year of mood stability, Ms Harron was discharged from experts at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM) back into the care of her GP at the Paxton Green Group Practice in Gipsy Hill, south London. But her family said this often meant her having to traipse from pharmacy to pharmacy to get her drug prescriptions if they were unavailable, something which added greatly to her upset. 'Roisin put a brave face on (her discharge) but she clearly missed having some regular contacts that she had built up a good relationship with,' her family said. 'She had people to confide thoughts and feelings to that she was not able to do with her family and friends. She clearly felt she still needed mental health support. 'Instead of picking up her prescriptions from Lambeth Hospital she had to use local pharmacies. 'A new anxiety for her was not being able to access her medication. There were difficulties in the distribution and availability of many drugs. 'Roisin would have to track around various pharmacies hoping to find her prescribed medication. 'The negative impact of these changes in routines around her medication was significant.' Sarah Bourne, an occupational therapist at South London and Maudsley, said Ms Harron was referred to the OPTIMA mood disorders service, an outpatient programme for adults with bipolar disorder who have recently had hospital admissions, in August 2019. She 'engaged proactively' with sessions and was on five drugs as well as folic acid and B12, Ms Bourne said. 'She had a history of depression from 15 years and an episode at 21 at university when she took an overdose,' she added. 'She demonstrated resilience, courage and determination,' Ms Bourne said of her treatment, adding that Ms Harron didn't always recognise her own strengths. 'She had great family support and continued to work four days a week. I was very shocked to hear of her death,' she said. What is postpartum psychosis? Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health illness that can affect someone after having a baby. It affects around one in 1,000 mothers after giving birth. Many people who give birth will experience mild mood changes after having a baby, known as the 'baby blues', which usually only lasts a few days. But postpartum psychosis is different and should be treated as a medical emergency. Symptoms usually start suddenly within the first two weeks after giving birth and include: hallucinations - hearing, seeing, smelling or feeling things that are not there delusions - suspicions, fears, thoughts or beliefs that are unlikely to be true mania - feeling very 'high' or overactive, for example, talking and thinking too much or too quickly, restlessness or losing normal inhibitions a low mood - showing signs of depression, being withdrawn or tearful, lacking energy, having loss of appetite, anxiety, agitation or trouble sleeping sometimes a mixture of both a manic mood and a low mood - or rapidly changing moods feeling very confused If you think you, or someone you know, may have developed postpartum psychosis, see a GP immediately. You can all 111 if you cannot speak to a GP or don't know what to do next. Go to A&E or call 999 if you think you, or someone you know, may be in danger of imminent harm. Source: NHS Dr Aneesa Peer, consultant psychiatrist based at SLAM, said Ms Harron was discharged in April 2023 with her Bipolar Disorder in remission. 'When patients are dealing well and are stable for a year at least and they are on a good treatment regime they are considered for discharge,' she said. She added there was a one-year rule for discharged mental health patients that means they can be seen by an expert within four weeks rather than being added to a potentially longer waiting list. 'She herself didn't refer back after her discharge,' Dr Peer added. 'She was in communication with her GP, there was dialogue with her GP around her treatment and her treatment options.' Ms Harron's father Henry, a retired social worker, told the inquest he found the attitude towards his daughter's medication too 'blase.' 'It was one of the most anxiety-promoting things for Roisin,' he said to the court. 'Every time there was a medication change for Roisin since her son was born it caused a lot of anxiety and these were the trigger points. 'In the past she would have had support with these changes in medication and she didn't have that support.' Dr Peer replied, saying: 'Roisin was very astute around her medication. She would advocate for herself very clearly and concisely. 'This is not someone who is waiting on support, but I do appreciate that support is helpful when people have it and I do hear what you are saying. 'Patients come back to us all the time. The door is open. 'I'm not sure how we could have intervened.' Ms Harron's stepmother Siobhan Hier queried the number of deaths due to postpartum psychosis more than 12 months after birth and said she felt her stepdaughter's death was directly attributable to the condition, even though it occurred years later. 'The trigger was the birth,' she stressed. Ms Harron's GP, Dr Saif-Ur-Rehman Najeeb, said Ms Harron had not requested a referral back to mental health services, but said she had good insight into her condition. 'She didn't have any risk indicators,' he said. Cardiac arrest and overdose Ms Harron was reported missing and was found fully clothed in a bed at the London Crystal Palace Travelodge on June 17, 2024. She had taken a huge overdose of at least nine prescription drugs alongside ibuprofen. Dr Mihir Khan conducted a post mortem and found Ms Harron to have died of cardiac arrest and an overdose. The Royal College of Psychiatrists estimates that between 600 and 1,200 mothers experience psychosis each year in England and Wales. It is a medical emergency that causes high mood, depression, confusion, hallucinations and delusions and usually occurs within two weeks of birth. If left untreated, it can increase the risk of suicide and in rare cases put the baby's life at risk too. Suicide continues to be the leading cause of direct maternal death between six weeks and 12 months after birth, accounting for 39 per cent of deaths in this period. Assistant coroner Victoria Webb recorded a verdict of suicide and noted her having suffered postpartum psychosis.
