I gave up believing depression had to be serious – there’s humour even in the darkest moments | Rhiannon Neads

Don't get me wrong: when it's bad, it's bad. But Sad Rhiannon still wanted to joke, and forcing her to frown wasn't helping

I knew two things from a very early age: I liked making people laugh, and I was destined to visit space.

My dreams of a moon walk were cruelly dashed when, at 10, I had a panic attack on a 40-minute flight to Inverness. Also I wasn't 10, I was 26. Making people laugh was much more within reach - but at times, it felt like the depression that would periodically overwhelm me stood at odds with it.

Rhiannon Neads is a writer and actor. Her play Supernova runs from the 25 April to 13 May at the Omnibus theatre in Clapham, south London

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