Comedian Al Porter Opens Up About Depression

Al Porter has revealed his battle with depression.

While appearing on Brendan O'Connor's Cutting Edge show on RTE One last night, the Dublin comedian opened up about his struggle with depression, the stigma around mental health and the ways in which he had to go about getting his medication to avoid people finding out about his struggles.

Al even revealed that he only told his mother about his anti-depressants before he went on the show last night.

"I am going to tell you something now that I didn't even tell my mam until two hours ago and I rang her because I knew I was going to say it to you.

"So I went to a doctor, wouldn't even go to my normal doctor I went to one in Carlow so I wouldn't have to go to one in Dublin.

"He said look you need anti-depressants and I never thought that I would be that person."

He continued: "And that stigma I never really thought was real, I've heard friends of mine like Bressie talk about it kind of thinking I can't really get where you are coming from and then I realised someone as confident as me, I'd tell people anything about myself."

"But I couldn't even admit yeah I need those pills like, they're going to keep me balanced.

"And if I can't cope with that Jesus knows how someone who doesn't have the confidence I have and is in their bed for three weeks thinking who am I going to get to pick them up for me."