BBC Gardeners' World's Monty Don admits 'I've struggled' as he opens up on health battle
Monty Don, the presenter of Gardeners' World, has shared with listeners about his long-term battle with depression that began in his teens.
Talking to broadcaster Nikki Bedi on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live, Monty spoke passionately about the comfort and importance of nature in managing his mental health.
Now aged 69, the horticulturalist disclosed that his struggle started when he was young, saying: "Over the years I've struggled with depression. With hindsight, since my teenage years."
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Monty, who finds solace in the soil and outdoors, elaborated on how connecting with nature aids his wellbeing: "And always getting outside [helps]. For me connecting with the soil, the soil is really important to me, literally putting my hands in the soil and feeling that, planting things."
He described the healing power of nature, noting: "But getting outside, seeing the sunrise if possible, and sunset and walking, I'm looking out the window now, talking to you and it's great and the branches are bleak and bare, but I know if I go out there, I'll feel better.
"There's a lot of good work done on this, that exercise outdoors is really good medicine."
Monty has been open about his mental health struggles before, revealing in previous discussions that he also copes with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). To manage this, the beloved gardening expert shared that he seeks warmer climates during the colder months for some much-needed 'winter sun'.
Last year, while appearing on the Travel Diaries podcast, he shared his views on combating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as 'winter depression'. He noted: "A few weeks of that (going abroad during the winter months) has a profound effect. If you can afford it, or organise it, that really makes a difference."
The NHS defines SAD as a type of depression with symptoms that wax and wane according to the seasons.
Common indicators of the disorder include a persistent low mood, altered sleep patterns, and lethargy. Statistics suggest that about 5% of the UK population is affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder.