On the occasion of his 76th birthday, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking spoke at the Reith Lecture at the Royal Institute in London about depression.
The scientist drew a poetic parallel between black holes and depression, with a message of hope to those suffering from mental health difficulties.
Hawking said, “The message of this lecture is that black holes ain’t as black as they are painted. They are not the eternal prisons they were once thought. Things can get out of a black hole both on the outside and possibly to another universe. So if you feel you are in a black hole, don’t give up; there’s a way out.”
He also spoke about appreciating his achievements and what he had attained in his lifetime, particularly living which motor neuron disease since his diagnosis in 1963.
The physicist said, “Although it was unfortunate to get motor neurone disease, I have been very fortunate in almost everything else. I have been lucky to work in theoretical physics at a fascinating time and it’ s one of the few areas in which my disability was not a serious handicap.”
“It’s also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life may seem because you can lose all hope if you can’t laugh at yourself and life in general.”