Sadiq Khan: London mayor says he has PTSD after death threats

Sadiq Khan said he did not want people to feel sorry for him

London's mayor Sadiq Khan has spoken out about how receiving regular death threats has affected his mental health.

Mr Khan told the Guardian that dealing with these threats and the aftermath of traumatic events such as terror attacks had had a "cumulative" effect.

Asked if he had PTSD, the mayor said: "Without a doubt. My best friend is a doctor and we talk about it."

A spokesperson for Mr Khan told the BBC: "The mayor seeks to challenge mental health stigma."

The spokesperson added: "By speaking openly about his own experiences and encouraging others to do the same, he is reminding Londoners that they are never alone."

'Mental health is fragile'

Talking to the Guardian about his deteriorating mental health following death threats, disasters and terror attacks, Mr Khan admitted: "I lost my mojo. I didn't have clarity of thinking. I wasn't so sparky. I wasn't inspiring my team.

"I spent a lot of time with bereaved families and that has an impact on your mental health. I got help in understanding PTSD.

"Mental health is fragile if it's not looked after. And I shouldn't be afraid to talk about it."

He added: "I'm not comparing what I am going through to some of the stuff people go through."

Mr Khan, 52, said: "As a lawyer, my clients with PTSD were asylum seekers and refugees. I would never give equivalence to what I am going through, nor would I ever want people to feel sorry for me."

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Mr Khan also spoke of the interactions he has had with former US President Donald Trump on Twitter, which led to an increase in threats made to him via social media.

And talking about the 2017 fatal attack at the Finsbury Park mosque, Mr Khan said: "The terrorist was looking for me.

"He couldn't find me so he decided to target Jeremy Corbyn and Muslims. Every time Trump says something horrible about me there's a massive increase in hatred towards me on social media.

"Then there are people who follow Daesh (Islamic State) and al-Qaeda who think you can't be a Muslim and a westerner, I get it from both sides in relation to the death threats."

Mr Khan has been the Labour mayor for London since 2016 and will be seeking to secure a third term next year.

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