Neil Lennon says he is winning his fight with depression

The Nottingham Forest midfielder said he had not experienced depression, with the help of medication, for a year.

He was speaking at the launch of a booklet called Routes to Recovery.

He said: "There is hope for anyone with depression. Don't feel alone, it's okay, it's an illness - you can recover from it."

Lennon said he had bouts of depression while playing for Celtic and praised the club doctor who told him to "treat it like an injury".

He said: "I said to myself, why am I feeling this way?

"I've achieved everything in my life I wanted to do - very well off as well.

"But all those things mean nothing unless you've got your own health, your happiness.

"It tires you out, it wears you down, because it is with you everywhere, it is a constant battle to try and make yourself right."

Lennon told an audience it was nothing to be ashamed of.

He said: "I'm pretty proud of the way I've dealt with it and come through it, it's tough.

"I'm still in recovery. Now and again, I think is it going to come back. Is the fear back, the paranoia back?"

"I don't know how long it's going to take, I've learned to accept it. It's part of me and part of my make up."

Lennon was speaking at the launch of research from the Scottish Recovery Network which draws on the experience of 70 people.

The research highlights factors that helped and hindered their recovery.