Adam Collard felt like he had to live up to a "bad boy" persona after ‘Love Island’.
The reality star revealed that he’s found it difficult to "ask for help" since appearing on the ITV dating show and believes that both he and Mike Thalassitis – who tragically took his own life earlier this year – were depicted as "macho" which made it difficult to voice any mental health issues they could be suffering.
In an interview with the July issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, he said: "Mike was portrayed as a similar ‘character’ to me on the show – macho, a bit of a bad boy. Feeling like you have to live up to that can make it difficult to ask for help."
Adam’s former partner Zara McDermott also appeared on the show and insisted that it’s "easy" to become "self-obsessed" thanks to social media and feels it’s important for people to have a "passion or purpose" other than their looks.
She explained: "It’s easy to get caught up in the self-obsessed world we live in – we’ve lost touch with basic joys because we outsource our happiness online. It’s important to have a passion or purpose other than yourself."
Fellow ex contestant Doctor Alex George explained that he has "regular therapy" to help cope with his stress following the show and explained mental health issues in individuals aren’t because of the show but triggered by a "life-changing event".
He said: "Mental health issues aren’t isolated to reality shows – any life-changing event or disruption can be a trigger.
"If you have a cold, you see a doctor, yet people wait until they’re crippled with depression before asking for help. That’s why I have therapy regularly."
The July issue of Cosmopolitan is on sale now.
Cosmopolitan is supporting Time To Change’s Ask Twice initiative encouraging people to talk openly about mental health: Time-to-change.org.uk/asktwice
Adam Collard had to live up to ‘bad boy’ persona after Love Island
