A MAN who swallowed a cocktail of prescription medication was found dead by his partner.

An inquest into the death of Edward Richard Fordham, held at the Isle of Wight Coroner's Court on Tuesday, heard his body was discovered at his home, at The Strand, Ryde, by his partner of 16 years.

The inquest heard Mr Fordham, 42, had long struggled with mental health issues and physical conditions, including osteoporosis and fibromyalgia, that left him in constant pain.

On the day Mr Fordham died, April 2 last year, his partner Ian Orchard found his body when he returned home from work.

He told the court: "I found him on the bed. I tried to perform CPR, but paramedics told me later he was gone.

"At the time he took his own life, his mood had been getting lower and lower."

Mr Fordham's mother, Priscilla Fordham, told the court her son was worried about money after accruing debts of £5,000.

She said: "He was angry a lot towards the end. It was the pain in his leg, he could never get it sorted and I think it was just making him angrier."

A post mortem revealed Mr Fordham had taken a cocktail of prescribed painkillers and anti-depressants.

Isle of Wight Coroner Caroline Sumeray concluded he died as a result of a central nervous system depression, due to an overdose of medication.

She said: "He was a 42-year-old man who had been suffering, physically and mentally, with various conditions.

"There was no clear indication he intended the actions that took his own life, and for that reason I am recording a conclusion of a drugs-related death."

The following organisations offer free and confidential support over the phone:

Samaritans -116 123 24 hour support, every day of the year www.samaritans.org

Papyrus  0800 068 41 41 Monday to Friday 10am to 10pm, weekends 2pm to 10pm, bank holidays 2pm to 10pm or Text 0778 620 9697 – prevention of young suicide www.papyrus-uk.org

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – 0800 58 58 58, 5pm – midnight. Dedicated to preventing male suicide www.thecalmzone.net

Mind - 0300 123 3393, 9am - 6pm, Mon - Fri (except Bank Holidays). Advises on a range of mental health issues www.mind.org.uk  

Young Minds - 0808 802 5544, 9.30am - 4pm, Mon - Fri. Supports any adult worried about a child’s welfare www.youngminds.org.uk

The Mix - 0808 808 4994, 2pm - 11pm, Mon - Sun. Helpline for people under the age of 25 www.themix.org.uk

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