Prince Harry opens up, and is diagnosed, in live ‘therapy session’
London: Prince Harry, who served for 10 years in the British Army and did two tours in Afghanistan, said that one of the reasons why so many people in the UK did not support the troops was because they “assumed” that all serving military personnel were in favour of the invasion.
“But once you sign up, you do what you’re told to do,” he told trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté in a live Zoom conversation some saw as a public therapy session. People were able to watch the mental health awareness broadcast by paying $33, Nine reported.
Dr Maté is a Hungarian-Canadian physician and author. The interview was reportedly part of Harry’s promotional book tour.
The Duke of Sussex said “a lot of us in the army didn’t necessarily agree or disagree” with the war in Afghanistan “but you were doing what you were trained to do. You’re doing what you were sent to do”.
Harry also admitted that he had “lost a lot” by turning his back on royal duties and relocating to California with his wife Meghan.
But he said that in changing the root cause of his issues, he had gained the ability to bring up his children in a more beneficial environment.
He said his own childhood experiences had left him in a position in which he smothered his children, three-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet, with love and affection.
“I, as a father, feel a huge responsibility to ensure that I don’t pass on any trauma or any negative experiences that I’ve had as a kid or as a man growing up.
“I’m grateful to have been able to change my environment,” he said.
“When there are tough decisions to be put in front of you, there’s a lot of fear involved where you perhaps as an individual, as a husband, as a father, you know what the right decision is but you’re afraid of making it because of what you’re going to lose.
“I’ve lost a lot. But at the same time, I’ve gained a lot. To see my kids growing up here the way they are, I just can’t imagine how that would have been possibly back in that environment.”
Harry said he “certainly did not” see himself as a victim but said that he considered his memoir, Spare, “an act of service”.
“Once the book came out I felt incredibly free, I felt a huge weight off my shoulders,” he added.
“The system of which I was, I guess to some extent still am, a part of doesn’t encourage free living.”
The unusual appearance included a live diagnosis: Dr Maté said Harry suffered from ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
At the end, Harry thanked him “for the free session”.
The Telegraph, London
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