An activist has revealed his struggle with depression and how suicidal thoughts left him ‘deliberately’ getting infected with the HIV virus.
36-year-old Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett struggled with drugs and depression after being bullied at school for being gay.
Speaking to Buzzfeed, he said: "I thought, 'What's another way of doing it?'
"Even though I knew people were surviving from HIV, I thought, 'Perhaps if I can make myself so ill, get the worst strain possible, that would be one way of getting rid of myself'."
He added: "I didn't really want HIV ... I wanted annihilation of me.”
Adrian is now standing in this year’s election, and he wants to see mental health becoming a priority in the next government.
In particular, he is campaigning for LGBT rights and awareness of mental health and drug problems in the gay community.
He hopes that by speaking about his own experiences he can help others overcome bullying, depression and drug addiction.
Yusef Azad, Director of Policy and Campaigns Manager at National AIDS Trust says: “Adrian’s story shows the damage homophobic bullying and mental health issues can have on gay men’s health. We need immediate action on homophobia - in society and especially in schools.
"Shockingly, NAT research found over half of young gay or bi men are bullied at school. This is not acceptable. Gay men also need appropriate mental health support as well as services which understand sexualised drug-taking. Only then we will start to reduce the numbers of gay men getting HIV every day in the UK. We applaud Adrian speaking out so honestly and publicly on these vital issues.”