Alex’s Story
Around five years ago, I started to suffer with worrying symptoms concerning my eye. I embarked on a journey which unbeknown to me would be the catalyst for founding Claritee. In the hope of receiving a definitive medical diagnosis and potential cure, I underwent multiple investigations, even travelling the length and breadth of the country to see a variety of surgeons and doctors after initial consultations could provide no answer.
After various invasive attempts at treatment involving injections, lasers and topical medications, the condition has remained undiagnosed and I have been called an anomaly as nothing has been successful.
Alex Clapp, Founder and MD of Claritee
During the pandemic, the vision in my left eye rapidly deteriorated and I have now lost 90% of my sight which will never return. My right eye was stable until 8 months ago, but I then began to notice regression as I was unable to read or see with any clarity. I sought urgent medical assistance and thankfully, I am pleased to say my right eye is now stabilised. However, I am still left without a definitive diagnosis or cure.
“Having gained so much awareness through my own struggles and learning how vast the scope of mental health is, I want to contribute to important conversations that spotlight the importance of prioritising one’s mental welfare.”
I have always been an ambitious, independent individual; heading a successful consultancy business for over two decades and part owner of numerous other companies. I have enjoyed honing my entrepreneurial skills, executing business plans and bringing successful companies into fruition. As you can imagine, losing my vision had a significant effect on not only my physical well being but the quality of my mental health which directly impacted all areas of my life such as career, family and general day to day life.
Having grown up in an era where masculinity dictated that emotions and feelings were not to be discussed out of fear of appearing weak, I decided to suppress the trauma of my ongoing sight issues. I put on a facade to the outside world in a bid to cover up my internal struggles but without the adequate skills or information, it was a short lived solution. I looked for another aid to my situation and found alcohol.
For the last two and a half years, I have suffered from alcoholism. My relationship with my family, and most importantly my son who I had been a single parent to, disintegrated. My self worth was at an almighty low that I had never experienced before and I had become unrecognisable to myself. Internally I was losing motivation to carry on yet externally, I appeared my usual self. At that time, I was hugely unaware that help and support were available to me and the possibility of change seemed intangible.
I am pleased to say that eventually, I did find the courage to speak about my internal conflict and in turn take action to face my addiction to alcohol. Within the last eighteen months, I have spent a total of five months in rehabilitation facilities, battling my inner demons, confronting my mental health issues and understanding how my life experiences have informed my behaviours. This has been a huge challenge to say the least, allowing me to grow mentally and physically.
Despite the experiences I have encountered these recent years and my ongoing journey of sobriety, I am pleased to say that I am over four months sober and thriving in life again. My relationship with my friends and family has been restored and most importantly to me, I have my son fully back in my life.
During my sobriety I have found society’s general attitude towards alcohol troubling. Alcohol has become synonymous with relaxing and decompressing. It is often perceived as the ultimate aid in order to have fun. I firmly believe that with the continuation of this attitude, the amount of people who become dependent on alcohol to relieve mental stress will only increase and in certain instances, have detrimental effects similar to what I, myself, have experienced. With that in mind, I have chosen to set up a sober events company in order to encourage an alternative to the consumption of alcohol for a good, enjoyable time. Not only do I want to help in changing people’s mindset regarding alcohol, I want to create events that can be all inclusive for those that consciously choose to be alcohol free, whatever the reasoning behind it.
Additionally, I have established a corporate mental health and stress training programme, aimed to equip individuals with the education and tools to help them cope with mental health pressures. With an array of different strategies tailored to each organisation we work with, we are aiming to provide customised packages that target issues within any work based team. I want to normalise asking for help and support businesses in strengthening their knowledge and practices in order to improve and maintain their employee’s overall wellbeing.
Having gained so much awareness through my own struggles and learning how vast the scope of mental health is, I want to contribute to important conversations that spotlight the importance of prioritising one’s mental welfare. Too many of us simply suffer in silence and are frightened to reveal vulnerabilities out of fear that we will be judged. I believe that educating people with the correct tools and coping mechanisms is a solution that can benefit us all.
I have no shame in being open and honest about my struggles as I hope that my transparency will encourage others to speak on their hardships. Collectively, I believe we can dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health and in turn, normalise seeking help as this is the first step to lasting change.
