Mental Health Week 2018

This week has been recognised in the UK as national health week, May 14th – 20th. Mental health is such an important subject, over the past few years its become something that we have encouraged to talk about more and more.
Depression, Anxiety, Paranoia, Suicidal thoughts. These are just some. Mental health covers so much more.

Img source: Tattoo.com

Back in 2013 the SemiColon project was started, in aid of promoting awareness of mental health issues and Suicide prevention. A powerful project that has inspired so many. So many people decided to get the SemiColon tattoo in aid of showing their support, and telling there story. “your story is not over” and these are such powerful words.
I dont have the tattoo myself but I’ve always thought that one day I might add this as a new addition to me. This is just one of many inspiring projects.

So many of us have untold stories. Mental health is an invisible problem that ignorance can be the biggest killer. Can anyone really say that at one time or another, wether its been your own story or been part of some one else, that you have not been affected by mental health issues?

Personally I have! more then I would of liked to of admitted, But then thats the thing, somethings need to be told and said. One of the most hardest things to do in life some time, is  one of the most common, most normal thing that we do on a day to day basis. Talk.

In 2013 I lost one of my closest friends who’s story was cut to short. She was a beautiful soul, who had so many friends, so many people in this world who loved her. Even to this day, I still think about her, and wonder what could of stopped her. In this day and age its astonishing that we as people are still afraid to speak up. At the age of 26 I can confidently say that I’ve been through a lot. Ive been through pain, heart ache and loss. Just like each and every other person in this world. One thing that has always been help on my side, is talking. Learning to talk about experiences and feelings that I’ve had, because there are so many others out there that may not of been through the same thing, but they can relate some way or another.

I’ve suffered from anxiety and gone through times of depression and taking medication to help for a long time. My anxiety has been so bad that I did not even know at times how bad my anxiety actually was, or how it was controlling me, and my life.  I can be thankful that for everything that I have faced. Every down day that I have had, I have always had close friends and family around me, supporting me, and making me get through the wars.
My advice to anyone. Learn to talk. Find a way. Never be scared to ask if someone is OK, because just by being there for some one else, you could be saving a life, you may never know.