Life Changing

We said we’d never talk about it again


Listen Later

On the evening of Friday 29 November 2013, Michael Byrne was having a drink with a friend in a bar in Glasgow. They'd gone to see a band and had only been there for about an hour when suddenly it felt like everything had been shaken up – as if they were in snowglobe. Amid the chaos of falling debris Michael’s actions helping others were heroic, and afterwards to his wife and colleagues he seemed to be just fine. In the aftermath of this disaster he and his friend had agreed not to speak about what they’d been through in a misguided effort to ‘protect’ themselves. But Michael was struggling to cope and the more time that passed without talking about it, the worse things got for him.

Confronting the experience would bring back traumatic memories from his early life and push him to a place where he contemplated suicide. He was stopped by a chance event – and then began seriously to address his mental health.

Now Michael has founded an organisation called Lived Experience Trauma Support to provide mental health training and support services to businesses.

The tragedy in 2013 was caused by a police helicopter that crashed into the roof of the Clutha Vaults in Glasgow. It claimed the lives of the pilot, his two crew members and seven customers in the pub that night.

If you are looking for details of organisations offering information and support with mental health you can find them at bbc.co.uk/actionline. To get in touch with the programme, or to share your personal story, you can email us at: [email protected]

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Life ChangingBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

47 ratings


More shows like Life Changing

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,747 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,096 Listeners

The Archers Omnibus by BBC Radio 4

The Archers Omnibus

406 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,066 Listeners

Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

391 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,475 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,816 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,783 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,041 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,080 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,028 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

596 Listeners

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

1,164 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,220 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

744 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,041 Listeners

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan by Gabby Logan

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan

179 Listeners

Comfort Eating with Grace Dent by The Guardian

Comfort Eating with Grace Dent

137 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

49 Listeners

Off Air with Jane & Fi by The Times

Off Air with Jane & Fi

159 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

496 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive: 2016-2018 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive: 2016-2018

24 Listeners

Strangers on a Bench by Tom Rosenthal

Strangers on a Bench

726 Listeners

What's Up Docs? by BBC Radio 4

What's Up Docs?

112 Listeners

Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett by BBC Sounds

Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett

26 Listeners