The actor Joe Tracini has given a powerful talk explaining how he has come to live with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Eastern Daily Press: Actor and comedian Joe Tracini spoke candidly about his mental health struggles at Open Up at The Open event in Norwich. Picture: Neil DidsburyActor and comedian Joe Tracini spoke candidly about his mental health struggles at Open Up at The Open event in Norwich. Picture: Neil Didsbury (Image: Archant)

On Friday, more than 350 people attended an all day event in Norwich focussed on the many issues around mental health which directly impact the people of Norfolk.

Among those sharing personal stories and experiences of living with mental ill health was the actor, Mr Tracini, 31, who lives with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

Sharing his journey to a diagnosis of BPD, Mr Tracini then explained what BPD meant to him and the nine symptoms he experiences including self harm, thoughts of suicide, extreme mood swings and chronic emptiness.

Mr Tracini said while he had "never really understood" his symptoms he had needed to find a reason to be able to live them.

MORE: Norman Lamb reveals family's 'nightmare' dealing with son's mental ill healthHe said: "Even though they're the nine symptoms of BPD I also think they're the nine symptoms of life.

"We all feel alone sometimes and we all worry about our relationships and we don't like what we look like some days and we can't see what others can see.

"We go to sleep worrying if someone's left and we wake up worrying if someone hasn't come back.

"And I can only speak for myself, but I do think everybody in their life, does wake up at one point and thinks, 'I can't do this today',

but that's life."

He added: "Obviously life is not that smooth because life has knots and we have to tie it together, just for it to break again.

"Now, when I feel like I do every day I feel separate, less than everybody else. If I look at you I feel completely different even if really we're exactly the same.

"Talking is incredibly important to me because it helps me make sense of a world I don't understand and it helps me find reasons for things that I didn't have any for.

"Life is life, you can't do anything about it but I didn't pick not being okay and I shouldn't be ashamed of when I'm not."