Tragedy as dad, 47, dies after battling horrifying rare condition which makes people see snow

Ian Price, 47, had been suffering from the neurological condition known as Visual Snow Syndrome

A loving dad tragically took his own life after being diagnosed with a rare condition which made him 'snow' and flashing lights all the time, an inquest heard.

Ian Price, 47, had been suffering from the neurological condition known as Visual Snow Syndrome, which severely affected his mental health.

The main symptom is seeing 'snow' or flickering dots and flashing lights all the time. An inquest at Warrington Coroner's Court heard that Ian had been reported missing by Cheshire Police before his body was found in a wooded area in Appleton, a quiet suburb of the town.

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His wife Lisa, who he'd been married to for 14 years, told the court that Ian had started showing symptoms of Covid-19 and tested positive on January 12 last year.

The virus led to him developing shingles and he began having problems with his eyesight, which caused him extreme worry, reports the Mirror.

As his worry got worse, so did his symptoms, the inquest was told. A specialist was consulted but couldn't explain the problem with his sight. However, by April 27, an eye doctor was able to diagnose Visual Snow Syndrome.

Ian had never heard of the condition, but became 'obsessed' with it. He started obsessively reading into it, leaving him "anxious, fearful and caused him to struggle to focus on positives. Reading further into it left him 'anxious, fearful and caused him to struggle to focus on positives'. His research lead him to the conclusion that there was no cure, squashing any hope he had of relief.

By May 8, the dad-of-two had made an attempt on his own life, leading to him being hospitalised. A mental health team spoke to him in hospital and he was discharged, but he made a second attempt on his life on May 18, the court heard.

He was admitted to Aintree Hospital, where another mental health team diagnosed him with depression. But despite the diagnosis, he was discharged to go home, where he told his wife he was scared about what he might do.

Both of them began listening to self-help books and tried using meditation, mindfulness activities and art therapy to cope with the strain. Walks also helped and gave Ian glimpses of hope which helped Ian with a more positive outlook, but he was still struggling with suicidal thoughts.

On 18th August, Ian told his family he was going for a run and left home at 11.20am. His wife, feeling uneasy, tried to reach him on his mobile but got no response. Worried neighbours and friends started searching for him and the Cheshire Police were informed.

The police, along with the Cheshire Search and Rescue Service, joined the search and a public appeal was made. Sadly, Ian's body was found the next day.

An ambulance was called, but Ian was pronounced dead at 2.17pm on 19th August. The police stated that there were no suspicious circumstances or signs of anyone else being involved in his death.

The court heard about Ian's medical history, including a statement from his GP at Lakeside Surgery in Lymm about his diagnosis of visual snow syndrome and his mental health issues. More statements were read from mental health nurses, and evidence was given about his treatment and plans.

After trying to take his own life a second time, Ian was discharged from hospital after four days and put under the care of the community mental health team. On 20th July, the team decided that he could be discharged from their care following an assessment, the inquest heard.

Before Ian passed away, he had private talks with a counsellor who thought he was not likely to hurt himself. Lisa shared with the people looking into what happened: "I sensed I was losing my grasp on him. It was pulling him down stronger than I could keep him above water. "

Sarah Murphy, assistant coroner for Cheshire, concluded that Ian chose to end his life and said it was suicide. She told Lisa she did a great job caring for Ian and said sorry to Ian's family again.

She described Ian as a gentleman who greatly loved his family, adding: "It is nothing short of tragic that such a brilliant man died in such tragic circumstances. I hope his family can pull together and move forward, as I have no doubt whatsoever that is what he would have wanted."

If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123.

Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.