Can I Just Go Back to Bed Forever? - Living with Depressive Illness, with Mark Lawry

In this episode, we’re joined by Mark Lawry, a former lawyer and long-time stay-at-home dad, who offers a frank and considered account of what it’s like to live with depressive illness across much of adult life. Mark brings a calm, articulate perspective to a subject often misrepresented or oversimplified.

He speaks plainly about how symptoms first appeared, why he delayed seeking help, and what it means to maintain a functioning exterior while privately struggling. We explore the difficulty of recognising depressive illness when it has no obvious trigger, the reality of managing something that may never fully go away. And the limits of language including the inadequacy of the term “depression” and why “depressive brain malfunction” may be a more accurate description.

Mark also reflects on medication, therapy, and how leaving behind a professional identity in favour of something more sustainable helped reduce the frequency of episodes. This is not a dramatic story of crisis and recovery, but a steady, honest account of what it means to live with a chronic mental health condition and how important it is for men to talk about it.

NOTE: If you think you may be suffering from depressive illness and/or relate to Mark's experience, the advice is to speak to your GP or other medical professional.

Have you ever felt like you’ve become lost in your own life? 

Many men struggle to talk about their problems and mental health and grew up believing that to do can be perceived as a sign of weakness or failure. There is also a lack of open discussion in society around men’s mental health, especially aimed at mid-life men.  As a result, at times many men can feel alone and lost in their own lives. 

In this podcast series, I talk to mid-life men about their stories; the challenges, the turning points, and the support received to help them find their way so that others who may be suffering in silence or don’t know what to do next, realise that they are not alone and there is help available. 

Stories will cover a whole range of challenges faced by mid-life men mainly relating to the causes of mental health issues including feelings of isolation, depression, job dissatisfaction, addiction, PTSD, and long-term illness.

The podcast is NOT a replacement for professional support and we signpost to organisations and their contact details by episode. 

If you have a story you would like to share or any feedback on the podcasts, please email me: [email protected].

• No. of episodes: 60
• Latest episode: 2025-06-23
• Society & Culture Health & Fitness Personal Journals Mental Health

Where can you listen?