‘Game Of Thrones’ star Kit Harington opens up about alcoholism, depression and suicidal thoughts

Kit Harington reveals the tough times he faced after the blockbuster HBO series ended in 2019. Photo: Handout

Kit Harington hopes to help someone who may find themselves with similar struggles with depression, alcoholism and suicidal thoughts.

The Game Of Thrones star has revealed the tough times he faced after the blockbuster HBO series ended in 2019.

“Things that have happened to me since Thrones ended, and that were happening during Thrones, were of a pretty traumatic nature and they did include alcohol,” Harington revealed to the UK’s Sunday Times.

“You get to a place where you feel like you are a bad person, you feel like you are a shameful person,” he continued. “And you feel that there’s no way out, that’s just who you are. And getting sober is the process of going, ‘No, I can change'.”

The 34-year-old London native, now sober, added: “One of my favourite things I learnt recently is that the expression ‘a leopard doesn’t change its spots’ is completely false: that a leopard actually does change its spots. I just think that’s the most beautiful thing. It really helped. That was something I kind of clung to; the idea that I could make this huge fundamental change in who I was and how I went about my life.”

Harington, who welcomed his first child with wife and former Game Of Thrones co-star Rose Leslie six months ago, also got candid about suffering from depression and whether he faced suicidal thoughts.

“I will give you an answer to that question: the answer is yes. Yes of course,” he said. “I went through periods of real depression where I wanted to do all sorts of things... maybe [speaking about this will] help someone, somewhere. But I definitely don’t want to be seen as a martyr or special. I’ve been through something, it’s my stuff. If it helps someone, that’s good.” – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service

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Those suffering from mental health issues or contemplating suicide can reach out to the following organisations:

- Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935/ 014-322 3392)

- Talian Kasih (15999/ 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp)

- Jakim’s (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) family, social and community care centre (0111-959 8214 on WhatsApp)

- Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929 or go to befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers nationwide and operating hours, or email [e-mail]).