In a new series, Prince Harry talks about his traumatic experiences and the reason why he decided to get therapy.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have steadily grown into some of the world’s most prominent mental health advocates. In the new Apple TV+ series “The Me You Can’t See”, Harry spoke about his mental health, which was heavily impacted by his mother’s death and his upbringing. He spoke about how Meghan convinced him to go to therapy and get treatment for the unresolved issues of his childhood.
Oprah Winfrey teamed up with Harry to produce the docuseries, which touches upon different mental health issues that affect people from all over the world. The two icons guide the conversations by providing insight on the issues that have affected them and the struggles they face in their every day lives.
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Harry revealed that he started attending therapy four years ago with the goal of healing from his past, prompted by a discussion he had with Markle.
“When she said, ‘I think you need to see someone,’ it was in reaction to an argument that we had,” said Harry. “When my mum was taken away from me at the age of 12, I didn’t want the royal life,” he said. “I was so angry with what happened to her and the fact that there was no justice at all, nothing came from that.”
Harry talked about the way in which his trauma manifested throughout his life, how he relied on drug and alcohol use in order to cope with his feelings and to process his mother’s death. “From 28 to 32 was a nightmare time in my life,” he said. “I would find myself drinking not because I was enjoying it, but because I was trying to mask something.”
In the episode, Harry undergoes treatment for his PTSD. On camera, he goes through a process called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) where patients cope with trauma by recalling a traumatic experience and engaging in a sensory task.
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Prince Harry opened up a bit about his past, how London was one of his triggers since he associates it with his mother and his upbringing, and making his mother proud. “Not only do I know that she’s incredibly proud of me, but that she’s helped me get here. And I’ve never felt her presence more as I have done over the last year.”