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Harry Judd says his mental health issues were made worse by smoking marijuana.

The McFly star appeared on This Morning to discuss how exercise has helped him with his anxiety, saying it can be ‘as effective as an antidepressant’.

He said that his issues with anxiety and OCD first began when he was at boarding school at the age of eight. He admitted that he started smoking marijuana as a teenager which continued when he first joined McFly at the age of 17.

Harry said: ‘I had a very happy childhood, I joined McFly when I was 17, everything was great. I was about 19 when things started to turn for me. I tried marijuana in school, I stumbled across the strongest form…just with my mates.




‘I remember the first night in the band house I was tentatively checking if they had ever smoked before.

Harry with McFly back in the day (Picture: PA)

‘I very quickly felt dependent on skunk. I remember being told I can’t get hooked, but for a month or so that was it. That was me every night.’

He went on: ‘It creates irrational thoughts. The alcohol, just like the drugs, was allowing the anxiety to rear its ugly head.

‘Exercise was the catalyst to helping me face these problems. I want to show to others that there are benefits to exercise. It can help transform the way you feel not just the way you look.’

Harry and his wife Izzy welcomed their second child Kit back in August, and the drummer is loving being a dad.

He told hosts Holly and Phil: ‘Fatherhood is amazing. I absolutely love it. It comes with its challenges but I can’t complain.

‘It’s like another added responsibility as a parent to keep control of my anxiety and things I’ve struggled with in the past. Now Izzy’s just like “get to the gym”.’

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