Singer Tom Grennan has opened up about how he now finds it easier to talk about his mental health compared to when he was younger.
In a conversation with Kevin Willows, a winner of the BBC’s Make a Difference (MAD) Awards, Grennan shared how important walking and open conversation have become in his life. Willows, who helped launch a bereavement walking group, spoke with Grennan about the healing power of connection.
Grennan, 29, said walking helps him release emotions and connect with others.
“If I’m ever feeling like I want to get something off my chest, if it’s with friends, or my wife or my parents, I always say, ‘Can we go for a walk?’” he explained. “A walk can save a life. Talking can save a life.”
The singer, who grew up in Bedford, reflected on how hard it was to express emotions in his hometown. He described the environment as one where boys were expected to act tough.
“Little towns are very much alpha with boys — nobody wants to seem like they’re weak,” he said.
Grennan credited his mother for encouraging him to be emotionally open. “If you’ve got emotions, then let them out, because letting them out is always the best thing,” she told him.
He shared a moment from a recent visit to Bedford, where he and his friends had deep conversations about their feelings. “There was a lot of tears, there was a lot of laughter. Those barriers were breaking down,” he said. “I think as friends we became closer and cut the rubbish out.”
Grennan also discussed a traumatic event during his university years when he was attacked and left with a broken jaw. The incident led to his first experience with depression.
“It ruined me,” he said. “Why did it happen to me? Why did these people not like me?”
His recovery began when he joined a music group and found comfort through singing and talking. It was there that he met his best friend, and through their bond, he began to heal.
Now, as an adult, Grennan believes open conversations and physical activity can make a real difference.
“As grown men, we can sit down and talk about what we’re going through and how we can lend a hand,” he said.
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