Ipswich CodFellas owner Ozzie Bozdag on his health struggles as he returns after 11 months away

“If I’d accepted I was suffering, it might have been easier for myself and my family – and things may have turned out differently.”

Ozzie Bozdag is the owner of one of Suffolk’s most decorated fish and chip shops – and he has a message for his community as he gets back into the fold after 11 months away.

Last Friday, it was revealed Ozzie was back frying again at CodFellas in Greenfinch Avenue, Ipswich, after a series of physical and mental health problems forced him to stop working.

Having been in treatment since January, Ozzie said his main concerns during his absence were the wellbeing of his two children and his ‘third baby’ – his business, which has won numerous awards since it opened in 2004.

He praised his team for their hard work keeping things going, and was eager to get back get back to doing the job he loves so much.

But, during an interview with SuffolkNews, the beloved chippy owner, who is a big figure in his community, opened up about the struggles he faced over the past few years.

“In 2021, I started to notice a change,” Ozzie said. “I was having sleepless nights, I couldn’t focus or concentrate, and I was having thoughts of death.

“I’m from a good family who told me to always keep my chin up, and we had no history of mental illness.

“I didn’t quite believe I was suffering at first: I’m a successful businessman, a guy working for the Chantry community all while doing extra things around town, and a strong character locally. I felt ashamed to ask for help, and I didn’t even confide in my mum and dad, who I consider my best friends.

“Now, however, I would urge anyone with mental health concerns to see a doctor as soon as they can, and to not be shy to discuss their issues.”

Ozzie first visited a doctor in November 2021, having been referred by a friend after months of back-and-forth.

That Christmas, his family shut the business down, and Ozzie made the first of a few trips to his native Turkey.

And it was there, finally seeing a psychiatrist, that Ozzie said he first came to grips with his struggles.

He suffered an emotional breakdown and ‘told [the doctor] everything’, Ozzie said.

Ozzie was diagnosed with mild to major depressive episodes and prescribed a six-to-seven month supply of medication before he headed back to England.

He thought they’d fixed his issues – that was, until his symptoms returned in September 2022.

However, it wasn’t just mental health issues Ozzie battled during this time – he also suffered from a then-unknown heart condition.

After a month of blood tests, MRI scans and nuclear medicine, doctors couldn’t find what was wrong, so Ozzie headed back to Turkey in November last year, where they found the issue was a blocked vein, and quickly resolved it.

“Until then I was working from 6am to 10pm every day – so uncertainty and stress could have played a role in me developing the condition,” Ozzie said.

Ozzie was also on lithium for a time, which he said caused damage to his liver.

However, 2023 may have been Ozzie’s toughest challenge yet.

On January 7, Suffolk Police reported that he had gone missing, and he was not found until January 10.

It was after this incident that Ozzie voluntarily checked himself into a mental health hospital to begin his treatment.

While there, he was put on a regimen of six different types of medication, which Ozzie said ‘could be dangerous’, meaning he has had to significantly reduce his work hours and is even unable to drive.

Later, on March 28, after he had been discharged, a home crisis team visited his house – and, concerned that he would pose a risk to himself, they sectioned him under the Mental Health Act – first for 28 days, then for six months.

Ozzie said: “It was unusual the first time, but the second time I went I knew what to expect.

“People should get the help they need. The doctors were great, so don’t be shy, they know you’re human. They’d ask if I wanted to go out, I’d attend therapy, and even went to the gym. I didn’t realise how good exercise was for your mental health.

“I’ve seen people who have referred themselves get the help they need within a few weeks and come out completely different people – with their concerns addressed.

“It makes me think that if I referred myself to a doctor when my issues started in 2021, if I’d accepted I was suffering, it might have been easier for myself and my family – and things may have turned out differently.”

Ozzie had a message of thanks to the Chantry, Maidenhall, Stoke Park and Pinewood communities for their support while he was in hospital.

“I’m not just a businessman, I’m a member of the community, and I consider the people my family,” he said.

Ozzie has one more trip to Turkey planned for Christmas, where he hopes he will be cleared to work.

As a token of thanks, he plans to give back to the community. He will be working with the charity he founded, the Chantry Community Charity, and plans to offer pre-paid meals for those in need, in addition to his continued work supplying goods for food banks.

Ozzie added: “I can’t wait to get back to work in the new year. I’m currently easing myself back into work, coming in for a few hours every few days.

“My message is that mental health concerns can affect anyone and people should not be ashamed to seek the help they need – it could save their life.”