Freddie flintoff health: top gear host on his condition

Freddie Flintoff has already had his dream career – as an England cricket Captain – he has a beautiful wife, three children (with another on its way), and stars on TV, yet his condition

still affects him. What is it? Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has openly spoken about his experience with depression. “I don’t even know when it started and I don’t care really,"

he told GQ magazine. “All I know is that it’s something which affects me, and by talking to people it helps and I’m on medication.” Describing his point of view of antidepressants, Freddie

added: “Same as when my knee hurt, I’d have an anti-inflammatory. I see it as exactly the same.” The 41-year-old retired from cricket at the end of the 2009 Ashes Series, following an

ongoing knee injury. Explaining how he tried to cope with his dark feelings, he revealed: “I’ve used drink in the past to change my feelings. “Whether it was feelings of insecurity or

depression, I’d drink in the hope that I wouldn’t go on feeling that way.” DON'T MISS Now completely tee-total (not allowing one sip of alcohol to pass his lips), Freddie has other ways

to manage his mental health. “Through talking about it and getting help, I know how to deal with it,” he said. The NHS also recommends talking therapies for those who suffer from

depression. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling are available on the NHS. Antidepressants are effective, though, as research from the Royal College of Psychiatrists revealed.

The institution found 50 to 65 percent of people treated with an antidepressant for depression will see an improvement, compared to 25 to 30 percent of those taking a placebo. A placebo is

when patients take a drug thought to be antidepressants, in this case, when in actual fact it typically only contains sugar. As with any drug, antidepressants can bring about side effects.

For more information, visit the NHS website.