A Londoner who became the unwitting star of a viral video after belting out Rihanna on the Tube has revealed that he was actually suffering from undiagnosed bipolar disorder at the time - and called for young men to be more aware of mental health problems.
Alika Agidi-Jeffs, 23 from Kennington, became a YouTube hit when filmed singing oblivious to giggling commuters around him, with the video racking up almost 2.5 million views.
But Agidi-Jeffs was experiencing severe depression, manic episodes and suicidal thoughts, and shortly after the video was filmed, he was hospitalised and spent four months in a psychiatric hospital.
He said: “Before I was in hospital, I didn’t know anything about mental health. I was constantly busy and didn’t give myself a moment to stop and think about what was wrong.
“Being in hospital sort of forced me to calm down and I started to learn about the problems a lot of young men have, especially young black men in busy cities like London.”
He admitted that the video initially made him feel “terrible” but that now he’s glad it happened: “We’re all human and it’s given me a platform to be able to talk about this. When I was in hospital I thought it was the end of my career but I have so many plans. Looking back at how far I’ve come, it’s hard to believe.”
He has since learnt to manage his condition but wants to make young men aware of the risks they face by working with the charity Rethink which supports almost 60,000 people across England who are affected by mental illness.
He said: “They don’t want to talk about it, often until it’s too late. It’s instilled in boys that men should be strong - we’re told ‘just be a man, buck up’ - and it becomes about putting pride over your health. But actually a lot of men go through a dark time in their late teens and early twenties.”
Agidi-Jeffs has turned his life around with a burgeoning music career under the name “Infecta” and is working on his own clothing line using a grant from Southwark Council.
He is also working to change the stigma around mental health and added: “I’ve had a mixed reaction from friends. Lots of people were surprised that someone who is good at helping others really needed help themselves. But I have experienced people who don’t want to acknowledge it and they prove that there is still a taboo.”
For more information and support please visit http://www.rethink.org/
