Talking to the BBC, Kevin Shepherd described how he helped construct Ians heart-breaking storyline. He said: “I could draw on my own experiences and do my bit to make sure that Ian’s illness was portrayed accurately and as far as possible, realistic and believable.
“Mental illness is a massive umbrella covering a vast array of different diagnoses. One of the biggest challenges in creating awareness of mental health issues is breaking down the stereotypical way people think when confronted with the term ‘mental illness’ and Ian’s breakdown is just one of so many different ways that the illness can manifest itself.”
According to an NHS definition, individuals who suffer a mental breakdown lose their coping skill abilities. It explains that too much emotion for too long can start affecting the way you think.
One of the first things to be affected is your ability to concentrate and your memory for recent events.