Irish actor Devon Murray is best know for his role as Gryffindor’s Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter films. If you look at his IMDb, Harry Potter makes up the bulk of his career. But the reasons that Devon hasn’t branched out further may be darker than anyone realized. Monday, in honor of World Mental Health Day, Devon confessed on Twitter that he had been hiding a struggle with depression for a decade and is speaking out now hoping to reach anyone else in the same place:

I've been battling depression in silence for ten years & only recently spoke about it and has made a huge difference #worldmentalhealthday

— Devon Murray (@DevonMMurray) October 10, 2016

I had suicidal thoughts this year and that was the kick up the arse that I needed! Open up, talk to people #worldmentalhealthday

— Devon Murray (@DevonMMurray) October 10, 2016

If you suspect a friend or family member is suffering in silence #ReachOut to them. Let them know you care #worldmentalhealthday

— Devon Murray (@DevonMMurray) October 10, 2016

Devon said he bottomed out last April and that it was so bad that suicidal thoughts almost overcame him. Fortunately, right before he did act on those thoughts, he reached out to his parents without telling them what was happening. His parents knew something was off and immediately responded.

His story is pretty rough but important, if you are able to read it:

Murray is battling his demons and conquering his fears by making several public appearances. On Wednesday, he had a radio interview with RTE2fm about his tweets and revealed that he first realized something wasn’t right on his 16th birthday.

“People have always said, ‘Oh, you’re in Harry Potter. You’ve got the best life in the world.’ Whereas in a sense I had an amazing life, but I also had to give up so much. I had to live in the UK for pretty much 11 years, away from my father and my school friends… that weighed on me,” he said.

“I was just a mess. I felt like I’d let down my parents, I couldn’t do anything right,” he said. “I had a laundering rope, and I threw it over one of the banisters in the barn. And I was pretty much getting ready to hang myself. So I texted my mom and my dad. I can’t really remember what I said, but it was me asking for help without really asking. My mom and dad straight away they were texting me and calling me.”

Thankfully, his parents were able to reach him and talk about the pain he was experiencing. Murray hopes his story can help others struggling with their mental health.

[From ET]

Devon also said in his radio interview that he suffered from Bell’s palsy during the fifth Potter film. So for six months his face was partially paralyzed leading to much of his part being cut from the movie.

After his parents talked him down that day in April, Devon ended up confessing to them about his depression. It was the first time he had ever told anyone. He said he knew his friends would have supported him had they known but, “I blocked them out, I didn’t want them to see how low I was. I didn’t want them to look at me any differently.” That sentence along with his comment about how everyone just assumed he was on top of the world because he was starring in Harry Potter films ring out the loudest. These are such common trappings in depression: shame rendering someone mute and perception being deception. It’s so important to discuss this.

Devon was overwhelmed by the response he received, both support from the Twitterverse and many people sharing their own struggle. As his first public admission was designed to help someone who might need it, that had to be satisfying. His last tweet of the day was:

Wow!! After my tweets regarding my own #mentalhealth the amount of people saying I was the first person they told about their own is amazing

— Devon Murray (@DevonMMurray) October 11, 2016

For all it’s faults, when social media is good, it’s amazing. I am delighted this reached so many people. For anyone suffering or if you know of someone who is, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Photo credit: WENN Photos, Twitter and Getty Images