A candidate standing in the British election has told how he purposely contracted HIV after developing suicidal feelings after years of homophobic bullying.
Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Vauxhall in south London, said he decided to speak out about his experience of bullying, mental ill health and low self-esteem in the hope of helping others.
The 36-year-old experienced bullying at school for being gay, he told BuzzFeed.
He spiralled into a cycle of drugs, depression and suicide attempts, before deciding that being infected with HIV might be "one way" to die.
Hyyrylainen-Trett is thought to be the first parliamentary candidate to openly speak about being HIV positive.
"I thought, 'Perhaps if I can make myself so ill, get the worst strain possible, that would be one way of getting rid of myself'."
"I didn't really want HIV ... I wanted annihilation of me," he said.
The LGBT activist said he feels he owes it to people in similar situations to speak out.
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