By Rosie Hedges

A Herne Bay man who battled depression and anxiety after losing his dad to cancer has released an album dedicated to mental health awareness.

Kris Searle decided to turn his personal experience into something positive through his music

Kris Searle began experiencing mental health problems while dealing with his sexuality as a young man, but things worsened when his best friend died, followed shortly by his father.

The 41-year-old musician, who performs under the name Elraes, said: “I suffered in silence growing up because I was gay.

“I dealt with the societal expectations to have a girlfriend, play sports, and to just ‘man up’. I was very badly bullied throughout school.

“When I was about 18 my best friend fell from a balcony in Margate and died a traumatic death, and then a few years later my dad died of cancer whilst I was recording my album in America.

“I slipped into quite dark times with depression, anxiety and agoraphobia. I definitely felt suicidal.”

Kris Searle in the music video for All Men Cry. Picture: YouTube/ELRAESOfficialVEVO

But Mr Searle decided to turn his personal experience into something positive through his music.

He has now released album - Re5et Pt. 1 - which is dedicated to the people he has lost to suicide.

“The music got me out of the dark place I was in,” said Mr Searle. “I focused the first part of the album around my mental health problems.”

The album features song All Men Cry, which aims to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness in males and encourage men to express their emotions.

He wrote the song with friend Steve Banks.

Its powerful music video features a number of men of all ages - including a veteran, fisherman and a father - who break down on-screen.

“Everyone in the video has struggled with their mental health in some way which we thought tied in well,” explained Mr Searle. “We’ve helped a lot of people.”

Mr Searle is also starting his own charity Happy Here, through which he hopes to help others who are struggling.

“We wanted to build a place that’s like a home for people in the area suffering with mental health,” he said. “Where they can come in and say ‘I need help’ and we will be there, where we can help people work through their creative endeavours."

“We plan on opening up in Margate first, as it seems needed the most there. Our ambassador is Kellie Maloney.”

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