A HOLIDAY courier hanged herself in the Greek sunshine resort of Santorini after suffering five years of depression.
Patricia Whiteside, formerly of Fallibroome Road, Macclesfield, was found hanging in her apartment on March 18 this year, aged 46.
A note from her was found by the Greek authorities. It was written several days before she died.
At an inquest at Macclesfield Town Hall, the note was shown to her husband, Dr Michael Whiteside, a local GP, for verification.
The couple had been separated in recent years. Mrs Whiteside had been working in Greece as a holiday guide since February 2000.
A report from her psychiatrist revealed that had received therapy for her depression and anti-depression drug treatment, though she had stopped taking the drugs in the summer of 2000.
Mrs Whiteside had told her therapist the 'sunshine and slower pace of life in Greece helped her moods', the inquest heard.
But she had earlier attempted two overdoses and had also attempted to hang herself previously.
Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded a verdict that Mrs Whiteside (nee McMillen) took her own life by hanging while the balance of her mind was disturbed. The cause of death was hanging.
Her husband, Dr Michael Whiteside, 55, told the coroner his wife had suffered a breakdown from very stressful pressures in her job in November 1997 and never fully recovered from the effects. At the time of the breakdown she had been running her own business.
