51. Fergal Keane on addiction, PTSD and why he will never go back to the frontline

Fergal Keane is the multi-award-winning BBC Foreign Correspondent and author - a man who through the very nature of his job has spent much of his 33-year career immersed in crisis. The newsreels of genocide and mass atrocities in places like Rwanda and Sudan, that we all have watched from the comfort of our homes, are first-hand horrors embedded in Fergal’s mind. Memories that have caused him to be diagnosed with complex PTSD and other mental health issues. So, this is a conversation first and foremost about resilience. But it is also a discussion about how to find positive ways to, as Fergal brilliantly puts it, mitigate against your difficulties. A useful episode, I hope, for anyone struggling with traumas of the past. My thanks to Fergal for sharing his story.

TW: this episode includes references to multiple forms of trauma, including intergenerational trauma, sexual assault, and violence.

Fergal's Crisis Cures:
1st Crisis Cure – Writing a gratitude list – reminding myself each day of the things I am thankful for.
2nd Crisis Cure – My dog Deilo. He can sense when I’m in difficulty and will nudge me to take him for a walk.
3rd Crisis Cure – Watching Ireland’s greatest rugby tests. Watching sport takes me so far out of myself.

Links:
Pre-order Fergal Keane’s brilliant new book - https://amzn.to/3Wy23wy
Fergal's Twitter - https://twitter.com/fergalkeane47?s=20&t=-2xWWUDhvzsgJI0XTZdMqg

Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm
Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.uk
Your Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682

Full episode available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/fergal-keane/

Host – Andy Coulson
Producer – Louise Difford