After being selected to compete at this month’s Invictus Games in Australia, Burford’s Daniel Shanahan is hoping to use his inclusion to lift the lid on mental health in the UK.

A total of 72 wounded, injured and sick veterans and service personnel will head to Australia in just a few weeks October to compete across a variety of disciplines.

The rigorous selection process for Team UK was based on the benefit the Invictus Games, presented by Jaguar Land Rover, will give an individual as part of their recovery, combined with performance and commitment to training.

Shanahan, 42, who will compete in archery and in the sitting volleyball events, was discharged from the armed forces more than two years ago after suffering a blast injury, although it was his mental health that was cited for his release, while he was diagnosed with PTSD earlier this year.

Shanahan has learnt to be open about his disorder and revealed the selection process for the Invictus Games had been an emotional roller-coaster – but that he was now keen for others to understand mental health struggles.

“I think when I was medically discharged and leaving the forces I was really in denial,” said Shanahan, who was competing in the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge, where Invictus Games competitors had the opportunity to be selected to represent their nation in the event in Sydney.
“I had a blast injury but its mental health that I was medically discharged for. I only got a diagnosis this year for PTSD and I’ve been out two and a half years, so it was really denial to myself, to my family and friends and I didn’t tell anybody about it.

“I didn’t really know what to do, I didn’t know how to face it, but being alongside other guys who have got similar injuries for weekends on the training camps and actually get talking to each other, finding out how each other’s coping and just seeing people progressing has been just amazing.

“It has been a massive part of my journey to just turn up on a weekend with new faces that I don’t know and within minutes because of the sort of squaddie mentality we’re bonding and sharing experiences.

“What has worked for me might not work for somebody else but it’s sharing those sorts of experiences of how to cope with life really and how to move forward.

“I’d been really recluse and cut myself off from everything, I did find it quite hard to turn up for the first training camp and found the selection weekend quite an emotional challenge but once I was there and getting involved with these guys; it makes it so worthwhile.”

Shanahan admits if his struggles and his willingness to return to health can inspire or help someone else then the process will have been worthwhile.

The injured serviceman also applauded the Invictus Games for recognising and assisting the armed forces and helping to put lives back together on and off the sports courses.

“I’m just hoping that other people see me being part of this team and think, if he’s done it and he was in denial for so long but done something about it, then maybe I can inspire someone else to come forward,” he added.

“I want people to speak up and say yeah I’ve got a mental health problem, what can I do? And this has been such a life changer for me’

“It’s something that never happens to you, it always happens to someone else, so I was really ignorant to it and avoiding the issue and everything but now it’s come out in the open the way people have reacted to it, family and friends, they don’t treat you any different.

“It’s had such a massive effect on me, it’s been such an emotional rollercoaster, but I just hope that somebody will get inspired by me being part of that team. If one person comes forward that will be my gold medal so that’s what I’m aiming for.”

Jaguar Land Rover is the Presenting Partner of the Invictus Games, which takes place in Sydney, Australia from the 20th to 27th of October 2018. Jaguar Land Rover is using this year’s Invictus Games to lead and inform the debate on future mobility, and how its future technology could help people’s lives.