The power of family, the sea and the community helped an oyster farmer when he hit "rock bottom" in his 30s.

Tom Haward, now 40, found himself struggling with his mental health for almost a decade and has spoken of how at one point he had wanted to take his own life.

The Mersea-based businessman has shared his story to raise awareness about the importance of talking after attempting to take his own life aged 33.

Mr Haward said: "After being at the point where I almost died, I realised I had to live.

"I got home one night and I felt like my head was on fire. I just thought, 'right that's it. I'm putting the fire out'."

After overdosing, Mr Haward said his world started to go dark and things began to fade.

"As I lay there, I suddenly started to think, 'this can't be the end'", he said.

In a moment of realisation, he decided to call an ambulance.

"That's when I started on my journey to healing. That's when I realised I had to start truly living."

Oyster farming on Mersea is a familial tradition for the Hawards. A part of the industry for nearly three hundred years, the family have been sailing the Essex waters since the 1700s.

The Essex resident is the eighth generation of Haward oyster farmers.

He was adopted into the family along with his identical twin and describes his childhood as "free and happy."

"We were adopted into one of the most beautiful places you could possibly live. We had that freedom to just be children. We could play in the sea, we had massive areas where we could go and make dens and treehouses. It was fantastic."

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Mr Hayward says he has been a part of Richard Haward's Oysters business "since I could walk."

"Dad would take us out on the oyster beds when we were little and, as teenagers, we worked in the family restaurant washing up.

"I've travelled the world, I've been to university. I've done lots of things. But I've always had that magnetism back to family business. It is a massive contributor to my happiness."

However, in 2008, Tom gradually started to realise he was deeply unwell and was diagnosed with severe depression at the age of 27.

He spent the next decade of his life battling the illness.

"I went through stages of thinking I could see the light at the end of the tunnel to being in the darkest places I've ever been.

"My coping mechanism was self-harm. I had to have a major operation on some wounds. I still have scars today.

"Most of my 30s felt like a battle."

Tom's struggle reached its peak in October 2015.

He said: "I got to the point where I couldn't do it anymore. I had hit rock bottom."

His decision to call an ambulance saved his life and it was from that point on his journey to recovery began.

"2016 was when I really started to find some healing. I went back to uni where I met Gemma, my now-fiancé.

"I eventually began to feel well enough to join the family business full-time."

Tom credits the "life-saving" local community for how supportive they are of him and amazing fiancé.

"Having that kind of community around you opens your mind to realising that the world isn't as bad as it seems in your head at the time. People knew what had happened but there was no sneering. It was just love.

"She [Gemma] is so supportive and has helped me through so much. I've got a daughter and she is the epitome of pure joy. I've got a gorgeous little dog. I feel like we've got a lovely family unit."

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He says his job now helps to keep him grounded.

"There's no problems out on the water. That can reset you a bit. It can make you stop and realise what is really important."

Mr Haward has also fulfilled a lifelong dream to be a published writer, with his debut novel set to be released in 2023.

"Everything has come together. Even when I've got a lot of things going on, it doesn't overwhelm me anymore. Essentially, I like myself now.

"Life is fantastic."

If you need urgent mental health support call NHS 111 and select option 2 or the Samaritans on 116 123. Both services are available 24 hours 7 days a week.

Tom has spoken about his mental health struggles and road to recovery in a short film by CliQQ Studios. You can watch it here.