Sharing his truth. Harry Potter actor Devon Murray took to Twitter on Monday, October 10 — World Mental Health Day — to open up about his battle with depression and his former thoughts of suicide.
“I’ve been battling depression in silence for ten years & only recently spoke about it and has made a huge difference #worldmentalhealthday,” the 27-year-old actor — who is best known for his portrayal of Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter films — tweeted.
The Ireland native continued: “I had suicidal thoughts this year and that was the kick up the arse that I needed! Open up, talk to people. If you suspect a friend or family member is suffering in silence #ReachOut to them. Let them know you care #worldmentalhealthday.”
Not long after making his brave revelation, Murray’s Twitter feed lit up with supportive messages from his more than 224,000 followers.
“Thank you so much for speaking out about it. you’re truly helping others. hope you feel better soon. I love you!” one fan wrote, while another shared: “Opening up can be the hardest part. Having an aware support system can make all the difference You got this, buddy.”
Stranger Things star and fellow actor Shannon Purser (who plays Barb on the popular Netflix show) also reached out to Murray via social media and applauded him for telling his story: “You go @DevonMMurray So glad I took the steps for getting help. Mental illness doesn’t have to rule your life. Please ask for help.”
After receiving so much love, the Gryffindor alum thanked his friends, family and fans.
“I’m so happy that from me opening up it helped so many of you find the strength to. We are all loved and cared about by those around us #talk,” he wrote. “I’m also so thankful for all the kind messages of support yesterday. So much love for you all.”
Relive the magic and watch Murray play Seamus in a classic scene from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the video above!
