Published on: 1st April 2026
A local man who lived with severe post‑traumatic stress symptoms for almost 30 years has praised our NHS Bury Talking Therapies service for helping him to regain control of his life.
David is now in his late sixties. His symptoms stemmed from finding a young family friend unresponsive at home. He performed CPR for more than 40 minutes until an ambulance arrived. Despite his efforts, the young man couldn’t be saved.
In the years that followed, David carried the weight of intense guilt - feeling he should have saved him, or somehow prevented the tragedy. He developed long‑lasting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder including flashbacks, nightmares and intrusive thoughts.
He explained: “I’d wake up in sweats and have visions of him in the corner of the room. It all felt so real and haunted me. My behaviour started to change, and I’d drink more than I used to. I could get very angry and aggressive if I heard anyone talking about death around me.”
As well as the impact on his own mental health, David was concerned about the impact the loss had on his family – particularly his teenage son. He explained: “I worried about him all the time. I couldn’t help thinking that maybe he would be vulnerable to his own mental health issues.”
“My son would be up in his bedroom like all teenagers do, and I would call for him. If he didn’t hear me shouting because he had his headphones on, I’d panic and fly upstairs, grabbing him and shaking him. If he was home alone, I’d be thinking about him and just wanting to get back so I could check he was safe.”
Believing he had to cope alone, his mental health deteriorated further. In his darkest moments, he had lost all hope. “I was in pain every day. I couldn’t stand the noise; I couldn’t stand anything. I just lived in a dark place inside my mind.”
“My family would go out somewhere and I would stay at home in my room. It was like being stuck in a black hole with no way out.”
A turning point came during a night out with a friend in the city centre, when David first had thoughts of harming himself. Sensing something was wrong, his friend took him home, and that night David self‑referred to NHS Bury Talking Therapies, and met cognitive behavioural therapist Noreen Malik.
David said: “Noreen has been wonderful. She’s made me relive the trauma, but in a controlled and healthy way. It hasn’t been easy, but slowly things are coming out, and it’s getting better. I’ve had a bond with Noreen and been able to trust her.”
“She’s helped me look at things in a different light and realise I’m not to blame. Rather than remembering that night, I try and remember the happy times spent with him, and his lovely smile.”
Noreen added: “This was David’s first experience of therapy, so it took time for him to feel comfortable opening up and building trust with me. There were points where I thought he might stop treatment, but he kept returning and worked hard even when things felt very difficult.
“Cognitive behavioural therapy for traumatic grief like this can help people notice negative thoughts around their loss, and how these thoughts make their symptoms worse.”
“At first, David couldn’t talk or even think about it because the pain was overwhelming. He avoided looking at photos, certain TV programmes, and any conversations about it.”
“Through therapy, he was able to revisit the memory safely and update what he believed then with what he knows now. He can now look at photos again, and the image he holds is of him alive - laughing and enjoying life.”
“After nearly 30 years, he has been able to talk to his family about what happened. I’m so pleased our service has been able to make a positive difference in his life.”
David’s message to anyone struggling is clear: “Go and speak to people. You think you’ll be able to deal with it, but in the end, it gets you. I’m so thankful to Noreen and the service for what they’ve done for me.”
David knows he won’t ever forget what happened but he has a good support system and the tools to cope and enjoy the rest of his life with the family he loves dearly.
NHS Bury Talking Therapies is for people aged 16 years and above, registered with a GP in Bury.
They offer support and treatment for a range of issues including low mood, stress, worry or anxiety, difficulty sleeping, feelings of low self-worth, panic attacks, phobias and more.
People can quickly and easily self-refer by completing an online form. Or they can be referred by their GP or another professional.