A man who once tried to take his own life has said exercise and training for Strongman competitions have given him the strength to keep going.<br /><br />Jamie Fry, 22, attempted suicide in 2020, but was inspired to improve himself after discovering strength athletics.<br /><br />He now goes to the gym five times-a-week and is able lift weights up to 180 kilograms.<br /><br />Jamie is now training for his first competition, which will take in place in November this year.<br /><br />He admits he was "in a very dark place", and suffered from anxiety and depression, when he tried to end his life. <br /><br />The pharmaceutical intern had been aware of Strongman events since he was a child, but never really paid much attention. <br /><br />But weeks before his suicide attempt, Jamie started taking an interest in the sport. <br /><br />He started watching Strongman competitions on TV and began following famous strongmen, the Stoltman Brothers, on YouTube. <br /><br />Jamie, from Crawley, West Sussex, said: "Leading up to the incident I was in a very dark place and I was extremely hopeless.<br /><br />"I was also in a place where I ended up making lots of bad decisions and pushing people away and hurting them.<br /><br />"An example of this is the woman who originally got me into the gym. She meant so much to me and she used to help me a lot with all areas of my life as my friend.<br /><br />"However, due to the place I was in mentally, I ended up emotionally hurting her due to hurting myself and we no longer speak and she wants nothing to do with me.<br /><br />"This is a situation I regret every day."<br /><br />Hitting rock bottom was a turning point for Jamie and he decided he wanted to make changes to himself.<br /><br />He started exercising and within months his mental health and well-being had significantly improved. <br /><br />Jamie said: "I’m in a much better place where I have reduced my medication and am looking to come off it.<br /><br />"Strongman obviously gives me the release of dopamine, but also it helps as it gives me goals to aim for.<br /><br />"I have found it has given me a feeling of worth.<br /><br />"I am able to achieve things regularly by achieving personal bests and these can easily improve my mood on a bad day."<br /><br />Jamie is now hitting the gym five times-a-week, follows a strict training schedule, and is planning to take part in the "Strongest in the South 2023" event in November.<br /><br />He said: "I try to go to the gym five days-a-week and I am currently training for my first competition, so I am mainly doing lifts, which will be beneficial for that.<br /><br />"Afterwards I will be looking to do further comps and so will change my training to suit the comp.<br /><br />"My deadlift is currently 180kg and I am aiming for 200kg by the end of the year.<br /><br />"This may not seem a lot for some other people, but when I see how far I have come it gives me a sense of joy."<br /><br />Jamie added: "I have learnt that you have to accept the mistakes you have made as you cannot change the past.<br /><br />"You have to move on and use the lessons you have learnt to grow as a person and try and improve yourself every day.<br /><br />"As one very kind paramedic once told me there is always sunshine above the clouds."
