Woman’s powerful photo shows 'suicide doesn't have a look'
A woman has shared a photo from five days after her suicide attempt in a powerful takedown of people criticising Meghan Markle over her mental health battle.
Ellie Anderson, from Wales in the UK, posted a photo to Twitter following Markle's explosive interview with Oprah last week where she revealed she "didn't want to be alive".
In the wake of the interview, people accused the Duchess of Sussex of lying and pointed out she attended an event at the Royal Albert Hall at the height of her depression.
"Someone with suicidal thoughts doesn't get ready, make-up sparkly dress, to attend the Royal Albert Hall," one person tweeted.
Having battled mental health issues herself, Ms Anderson posted the photo taken after her suicide attempt to bring awareness to the fact "suicide doesn't have a look".
In the photo, Ms Anderson is smiling with a face full of make-up and wearing a red dress while out for dinner, an image of what seems to be a perfectly happy woman celebrating her two-year anniversary with her boyfriend.
"I attempted suicide 5 days before this photo was taken," she tweeted.
The 21-year-old woman told Wales Online just five days earlier she considered taking her own life for a second time as she locked herself in her university dorm room.
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"I was going through a really difficult period," she said.
"Things took a turn for the worse in October last year and I'd had a lot of abuse online. I'd had messages on Twitter telling me to kill myself and one man sent me three messages detailing exactly how he would rape me.
"It was incredibly rash and it took all my might to tell myself that this was wrong and I shouldn't go through with my plan. Really what stopped me was the thought of my loved ones."
She said she was ashamed and alone in her own head for a few days until five days later she put on a happy face to celebrate with her boyfriend.
"People have come out publicly and said Meghan's lying and making it up for attention, that she couldn't be suicidal because she was smiling at the Royal Albert Hall," Ms Anderson told Wales Online.
"It has to be understood and stopped. People have this image of what mental health looks like."
Dangerous comments about Meghan Markle interview
Ms Anderson's brave post comes after Professor of Psychiatry at Monash University, Jayashri Kulkarni, said it was harmful for people to suggest Markle was lying about the state of her mental health and it could invalidate the struggles of people who saw those comments.
"People say Meghan could put on a glittery gown and dance the night away, there's nothing wrong with her, but it is a fluctuating condition and people can put on a facade," she told Yahoo News Australia.
"On the inside they are experiencing a considerable amount of hurt and pain."
Ms Anderson has been praised for her courageous post and for encouraging people to have a more open mind about people's struggles.
"As a guy that’s been there, I woke up every day and tried to look my best going to work to not let anyone know how I was feeling/what I was going through," one man commented.
"It's all about painting on that smile, I was suited and booted after a full day's work before my first attempt," another said.
"Mental health doesn’t have a range of clothes, it’s what’s going on inside that's important," a third added.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
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