Amy Andrews Gossip Girl


Amy Andrews Gossip Girl by Amy Andrews

Irish country star Daniel O’Donnell’s wife reveals suicidal depression

Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 07:22 AM

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Irish country star Daniel O'Donnell's wife Majella has revealed how she considered suicide and went through deep periods of depression.

She spoke to the Irish Daily Mail about sitting on a toilet seat in a London hotel at 4 in the morning clutching a rosary beads and trying not to think of killing herself.

Her frank account thas won her many admirers among those who deal with depression.

A spokesman for Aware, the organization involved in combating depressions stated, “This was an extremely courageous thing for Majella O’Donnell to do - it was her own secret battle and there was no onus on her to bring it into the public domain.

“Her interview will give people suffering from the disease inspiration and show them that the battle can be won. There are many types of depression - reactive and clinical and Majella was obviously suffering from the latter which essentially a chemical imbalance which can be successfully treated by drugs.

“There is no shame in this condition or any other mental illness - it is a condition just like a broken leg or a bad flu and can be treated. I think Majella deserves a medal for bringing it out into the open and hopefully her words will bring solace to many people and perhaps even save some lives.”

In the interview Majella stated, “It is the most dreadful disease you could possibly have. You are in this hole and it’s way, way down and everyone else is at the top. Nobody can do anything for you, absolutely nobody.

“I had it since my teens and early twenties but I didn’t get medication. I went to the doctor and told him I couldn’t be depressed because I was a positive thinker and I read books.

“He said ‘Majella, it’s like saying I can’t have blood pressure because I’ve read books’.

“He said it was a chemical imbalance and I needed something to balance it. I haven’t been (depressed) since I started taking the anti-depressants. Thanks be to God. I was very lucky and they worked great for me.”

After marrying Daniel she tried to cut back on her drugs but slumped into a deeper depression.

She recalled “I found myself with a pair of rosary beads sitting on a toilet at half past four in the morning in a hotel in London rocking back and forth and crying and praying.

“I said ‘Please God don’t let me go down there again.’

Daniel told her to go back on her medications. "‘Please go back on them and don’t ever come off them again’.

“I don’t think I will. I think that’s it for life.”

She said she is now happy.

She said: “I am the person I am because of everything I went through. I don’t want to go through it again but I believe it’s made me a better person now and for that I’m very, very grateful.”




7 comments

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it is a heatening story,when someone is ab le to rise above that kind of illness
Thank you, Majella, for speaking about your illness. We MUST remove the stigma of and the ignorance about mental illness! No one is ashamed of diabetes or cancer and we have to make depression the same. Keep educating the public about this terrible disease that has touched the lives of so many families but stays hidden for fear of embarrassment.
More people should talk about this illness, it has caused so many people to commit suicide. Not that long ago people were ashamed to talk, ashamed to ask for help, or ashamed to admit they were on medication, you were almost treated like a leper. Stay on medication if you have to, it will change your life.
My Prayers are with you Majella and Danny. Danny is right, stay on your medications, they are your best friend. I'll be praying to Padre Pio for your intentions.
Hi Majella, My sister suffers with the same and I will keep you in my prayers ..but most of all please... never give up on praying ..God is with you..come close to God..morning and before bed some silent meditation time is always great to connect to God...God Bless ..Sandy
sorry to learn of such befalling anyone.
Big Pharma- celebrate
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