Heston Blumenthal says his wife saved him from 'dark place' after he was sectioned
Celebrity chef feared he would die or become a 'vegetable' after suffering severe depression
Heston Blumenthal has revealed he was "basically in prison" after being sectioned by his wife after suffering a severe mental breakdown.
The celebrity chef, 56, said he feared he would die or become a "vegetable" after suffering severe depression.
Blumenthal was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and spent two weeks in hospital in 2009.
'I was in a very bad way'
"I was in a very bad way," he told The Times.
"I was convinced that I was dying, that my brain was turning to mush and that I was going to become a vegetable. I didn't want to eat and I didn't want to drink."
Blumenthal said he had been suffering from depression for several years but had been reluctant to seek help.
'I was ashamed'
"I was ashamed of it," he said.
"I thought I was weak and that I should be able to sort it out myself."
But after a particularly bad episode, his wife, Zanna, called the doctor and he was sectioned.
'She saved my life'
"She saved my life," he said.
"I was basically in prison but it was the best thing that could have happened to me. It gave me the space and the time to get better."
Blumenthal said he is now taking medication for his depression and is feeling much better.
"I'm not going to say that I'm cured," he said.
"But I'm in a much better place now. I'm able to enjoy my life and my work again."
Blumenthal's story is a reminder that mental illness can affect anyone, regardless of their wealth or success.
It is also a reminder that there is help available, and that it is important to seek help if you are struggling with your mental health.
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