James Arthur has opened up about his own battle with depression and anxiety to raise awareness of mental health issues ahead of tioday's Red Nose Day.
The 'X Factor' champ visited a project in his hometown of Middlesbrough to see how Comic Relief makes a difference to people suffering with mental health issues.
James Arthur
The singer - who spoke to people living with with depression and anxiety at STAMP Revisited ahead of today's Red Nose Day - revealed he still suffers from the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
“Sometimes I can’t sleep," he said. "I’ve got that many creative ideas going round my head. I get the guitar out and start singing at the top of my voice until I feel any anxiety draining away.
“Music is my coping mechanism. Singing something passionately releases that energy.”
James is eager to raise awareness and break the the taboo that surrounds mental health problems.
He said: “In my life I’ve had some low points, so now it’s really important to give something back because I’m really passionate about changing people’s perceptions about mental health.
“This project is doing amazing work and the men and women it supports are inspirational.”
Want to make a difference? Click here to donate to Comic Relief
James also visited his old school while he was in Middlesbrough - something he admitted he was a little nervous about.
He told his Twitter followers: “Really looking forward to going back to my old school to see what they are doing for @rednoseday.Lets hope they don’t kick me out this time”
But it sounds like he had nothing to worry about, later tweeting: “Had a great time visiting my old school today and seeing some old faces. Thanks for everyone who was there!”
James is currently working on his debut solo album. He revealed he's been hard at work in the studio with Graham Stack who previously worked with Kylie, Girls Aloud and JLS.
We. Can't . Wait.