Psychiatrist has helped McCartney

Paul McCartney said Friday that he’s consulted a psychiatrist for help in coping with the breakup of his marriage.

McCartney, 64, and Heather Mills McCartney, 38, announced their separation in May after four years of marriage and began divorce proceedings in July. They have a 3-year-old daughter, Beatrice.

Mills McCartney has threatened to sue at least three British newspapers that published disparaging claims about her husband, alleged to have been contained in her divorce papers.

In an interview with Britain’s Radio Times magazine, the former Beatle said he had sought solace in writing music, but also had been helped by professional psychiatric counseling.

“You can be in an argument or feeling down, and if you’re lucky enough to be able to write, you go into a corner and work your way through the emotions,” McCartney told the magazine in comments published Friday.

“Instead of sitting down with a psychiatrist, you sing, ‘I’ve been feeling bad,’ ” he said.

But the singer acknowledged that on other occasions he has turned to psychiatric help.

“It’s not a bad idea to have someone to talk to,” he said.