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In a new interview, Prince Harry spoke about his relationship with alcohol and drugs… but also about his mental health. He confides that he suffered from “four mental illnesses”.
It was during a rather special interview, produced by Penguin Random House (the publishing house of Prince Harry’s book) and moderated by Dr. Gabor Maté, a specialist in the treatment of addictions, that Prince Harry entrusted this Saturday, March 4 on his mental disorders.
Prince Harry opens up about trauma from his past
During this interview, Meghan Markle’s husband returned to the death of his illustrious mother, to his drug use, but also to his mental health.
“Since I was 12 years old, in addition to being in shock, I was in a state of fight or flight”, he reveals to the doctor.
The young father of the family has also revealed to have suffered from disorders of the post-traumatic stress (PTSD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), anxiety and depression.
As a reminder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after a traumatic event (mourning, accident, etc.). They are characterized by different symptoms: sleep disturbances, irritability, distress, partial amnesia, difficulty concentrating, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, etc. Memories and flashbacks of the event are also very common.
As for attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, it is defined by the association of attention deficit, motor hyperactivity and impulsivity.
To combat this state of stress and anxiety, the patient often resorts to psychotropic substances. This is what Prince Harry did, who says he used many “psychedelic” drugs to fight his demons – including alcohol, cocaine and marijuana.
“It took everything away from me and brought me a feeling of relaxation, liberation, comfort, a lightness that I managed to keep for a while.“, he confided.
Statements that are controversial
Prince Harry concludes: “I started doing it recreationally and then I realized how good it was for me. I would say that it is one of the fundamental parts of my life that has changed me and helped me to deal with the traumas and pains of the past“.
His statements aroused a lively controversy, some seeing in it an apology for the use of drugs. Remember that no drug is currently recommended in the treatment of mental health disorders. In addition, the consumption of alcohol and drugs is at the origin of addictions and other deleterious consequences for physical and mental health: alcohol is the second cause of avoidable death after tobacco, cocaine increases the risk sudden death, drugs increase risky behavior…