Preston sports coaching graduate on how life has changed since bipolar disorder diagnosis aged 15

Daniel Henderson on graduation day. Pic: Edge Hill University

After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 15, Daniel Henderson struggled with his condition and spent several months in hospital just before he was set to start university.

Heavily encouraged by his parents, Daniel saw Edge Hill University as a chance for a fresh start.

He explained: “I wasn’t keen on starting uni. I had a lot of anxiety. I wouldn’t have been able to hold down a job in the state I arrived in. I needed something that would give me forward momentum and bring me some success.

“I started taking control of all areas of my life during my first year, for example, bringing my weight down from obese to a healthy BMI. As I went through the course, I started small, doing the right things. My progress wasn’t linear but quick, almost exponential.”

The Preston-based 21-year-old credits his support network at the university, his friends and his family for helping him to grow and thrive.

He said: “I want to give special thanks to my personal tutor, Dr David Haycock. Typical catch-ups are 10 to 15 minutes long, but I would sometimes be with him for an hour and a half. He really did go above and beyond guiding me through, particularly early on. Without him, my university experience may have had a very different outcome.”

Daniel also appreciates how much his part in the table tennis team aided his recovery.

“I arrived at Edge Hillvery low in confidence. The sport was a big part of finding my feet. My involvement grew over time to the point last year when I was running our first table tennis team since 2019.”

He continued: “Table tennis seems to capture people that don’t always fit into other sports. I’ve loved seeing people enjoy the fixtures and the tournaments and grow into themselves, just like I have. That’s been big for me.”

The sports coaching graduate is set to continue his studies at Edge Hill with a PGCE in Primary Education, specialising in PE. Daniel sees it as the start of an exciting future:

“I’m passionate about becoming a teacher and teaching people the fundamentals. I’ve enjoyed various coaching jobs during my degree, so I plan to keep coaching on the side and developing my skills too. I’m also open to other opportunities. With teaching experience, I’ll have a lot of transferable skills. Whatever I do, I’d like to make a positive impact on the world and live a remarkable life.”

Daniel’s optimism is a far cry from his initial days at university, but his three years at Edge Hill have helped him transform his life and mindset and he offers experienced advice for new students who may be struggling.

He said: “You have the agency to change it, but be patient because it takes time. Keep pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. That’s where the magic happens.”

“Learn from others too. If I could recommend one book it would be ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear. I’ve embedded the learnings into my everyday life.”

“It is about aiming up and taking positive steps forward. Edge Hill has helped me begin seeing my potential and I recognise the huge responsibility that comes with that.”

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