VIDÉO | «Je ne vais jamais bien» - Normand Brathwaite parle de ses enjeux de santé mentale

Norman Brathwaite openly says that he is never in perfect balance in his daily life.

In an interview on Friday's show In the whites of the eyesThe 67-year-old host did not shy away from discussing his mental health issues.

“I’m never okay,” he said in an interview with Sophie Durocher.

Normand Brathwaite in an interview with Sophie Durocher.

Photo by Martin Chevalier

“I didn't sleep that night because I knew we were going to see each other. Then I said to myself, 'I need to sleep because I need to stay awake.' [pour l’entrevue]“And so, from the moment I say to myself: “I need to sleep,” I think about the two psychopaths with whom I worked this summer. So, do you understand? I never feel good,” he said.

He says his therapist helped him put things into perspective by encouraging him to develop a positive attitude.

Normand Brathwaite has undoubtedly helped many Quebecers every time he has spoken about mental health, most notably at the 2006 Gémeaux Awards Gala when the industry presented him with a tribute.

• Also read: “I’m tired of being a punching bag in the profession”: Normand Brathwaite can no longer tolerate the envy of others

• Also read: VIDEO | “I have worked with psychopaths who, a few years ago, I would normally have mentioned by name,” Normand Brathwaite.

Being in a poor mental state, the presenter thanked the people important to him in the middle of the awards ceremony, saying:

“I'll start with three people who have been very important to me this year: my doctor, my therapist – she was the one who told me to cry – and most of all, my pharmacist,” he said, making the audience laugh, although it was not really a joke.

“I'm so cold, not on medication […]- he continued the conversation with Sophie Durocher. I was in the darkest situation depression can be.”

Photo by MARTIN CHEVALIER

“You feel like crap,” he continued. You think everyone hates you. And then suddenly everyone is standing at the gala concert that you yourself hosted for 15 years. Again, you say to yourself: what am I doing here?

Norman Brathwaite returned to his mental health most recently during the funeral of his friend Serge Fiori, where he said:

“Seryozha and I, it’s no secret to anyone, suffer from the same disease. I don’t know what it’s called, anxiety, stress, fear of the night, fear of sleep.”

All of this led the presenter to say that Normand Brathwaite is doing a good job every time he brings up the topic, encouraging other men to open up or seek advice. In his opinion, there are still too many fathers, brothers and husbands suffering in silence.

“It remains taboo for a guy. I don't know why, for example, because it's almost sexy to say, 'I'm not leaving,' but I don't know why guys are afraid.”

The show is produced by QUB. In the whites of the eyes broadcast on LCN every Friday at 20:00 and also on QUB Télé simultaneously on the channel Digital radio QUB every Saturday at 9:00 and every Sunday at 16:00. It is also available upon request at TVA+in a podcast on the platform quub.ca and on a chain YouTube OLD.