World Mental Health Day Again.......
Today is World Mental Health Day a day to highlight that a simple 'are you okay?' at any time and on any day can make such a big difference to someone who needs it.
We all concentrate on the quiet friends but in most cases it’s the larger than life ones who need you to ask them if they're doing okay?
Those few words and few minutes you take out to ask someone how they're doing could be the moment they need to open up about emotions that they feel they're drowning in. If you're on the other end of that, never be afraid to ask for help, to ask a loved one for help. They love you for a reason and are there to help and support you when needed. Never be afraid to ask for that help.
It's time we carried on talking. Talking among ourselves, so those who feel overwhelmed by their feelings understand they don't have to be afraid to speak to someone.
I just spent a weekend in Barcelona, it's full of cafes on every street corner not just in the centre of the city but in largely residential areas. On Friday I had a great couple of hours’ people watching outside a café packed with families who lived in the apartments surrounding it. The kids were running around playing, coming back red faced for a drinks break then hurtling off again, and the parents, neighbours, grandparents, everyone else just sat and talked and talked and talked. It was fantastic.
You could be cynical and say ‘yes but they have the weather to sit outside’, yes that’s right, but they do talk inside as well. The people of the Mediterranean countries suffer less mental illness than we do approx. 25% of the UK population will have a mental illness at some time in their lives, in Spain its around 7% and Italy 8%.
I'm very lucky to have an incredible support system around me who I can go to for a rant, to vent or just to cry on their shoulder. It took me a while to get over the feeling of shame and embarrassment, but now, although sometimes I can be very overwhelmed by my mental health, I know I can turn to someone and they'll help me.
Back in 2018, things took a turn for the worse when I went through a time in my life where I felt worthless, worried I was always doing something wrong, and not good enough. I rarely felt happy, the complete opposite of what people knew me as, Bruce the big loud Brummie. I would spend my time working out the best way to take my own life, visualising my funeral and who would come and planning what to say in a suicide note.
I couldn't hide behind the facade and mask anymore. I had thoughts of what if I didn't exist anymore, I wasn't worth much so what was the point in being around and my family would be better off without me.
Somebody said this week “SUICIDE IS A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO A TEMPORARY PROBLEM” – Tom you have hit the nail on the head!
But this World Mental Health Day I'm more open than ever about my depression, because it was when I saw someone open up about similar experiences, I knew I didn't have to be afraid anymore.
But more importantly, I'm not sure what state I would be in now if I didn't ask for that help or have people around me who cared and loved me. Especially those people who:
• Found me in a car park with a pile of pills
• Kept me talking until help arrived.
• Came to see me with offers of help for me and my family
We all concentrate on the quiet friends but in most cases it’s the larger than life ones who need you to ask them if they're doing okay?
Those few words and few minutes you take out to ask someone how they're doing could be the moment they need to open up about emotions that they feel they're drowning in. If you're on the other end of that, never be afraid to ask for help, to ask a loved one for help. They love you for a reason and are there to help and support you when needed. Never be afraid to ask for that help.
It's time we carried on talking. Talking among ourselves, so those who feel overwhelmed by their feelings understand they don't have to be afraid to speak to someone.
I just spent a weekend in Barcelona, it's full of cafes on every street corner not just in the centre of the city but in largely residential areas. On Friday I had a great couple of hours’ people watching outside a café packed with families who lived in the apartments surrounding it. The kids were running around playing, coming back red faced for a drinks break then hurtling off again, and the parents, neighbours, grandparents, everyone else just sat and talked and talked and talked. It was fantastic.
You could be cynical and say ‘yes but they have the weather to sit outside’, yes that’s right, but they do talk inside as well. The people of the Mediterranean countries suffer less mental illness than we do approx. 25% of the UK population will have a mental illness at some time in their lives, in Spain its around 7% and Italy 8%.
I'm very lucky to have an incredible support system around me who I can go to for a rant, to vent or just to cry on their shoulder. It took me a while to get over the feeling of shame and embarrassment, but now, although sometimes I can be very overwhelmed by my mental health, I know I can turn to someone and they'll help me.
Back in 2018, things took a turn for the worse when I went through a time in my life where I felt worthless, worried I was always doing something wrong, and not good enough. I rarely felt happy, the complete opposite of what people knew me as, Bruce the big loud Brummie. I would spend my time working out the best way to take my own life, visualising my funeral and who would come and planning what to say in a suicide note.
I couldn't hide behind the facade and mask anymore. I had thoughts of what if I didn't exist anymore, I wasn't worth much so what was the point in being around and my family would be better off without me.
Somebody said this week “SUICIDE IS A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO A TEMPORARY PROBLEM” – Tom you have hit the nail on the head!
But this World Mental Health Day I'm more open than ever about my depression, because it was when I saw someone open up about similar experiences, I knew I didn't have to be afraid anymore.
But more importantly, I'm not sure what state I would be in now if I didn't ask for that help or have people around me who cared and loved me. Especially those people who:
• Found me in a car park with a pile of pills
• Kept me talking until help arrived.
• Came to see me with offers of help for me and my family
Now is the time to look after each other.
I'm in a lot better position than I was then. I still have DOWN days, but I have learnt to cope with them. We should be talking about mental well being every day of the year. It's time to change. Time to help each other.
It can be a simple hello, a text, a Facebook message or 'are you okay?', that can help someone open up if they need help.
Hold your hand out, open your ears and most importantly, be nice to one another. It doesn't hurt.
Two ears to listen and one mouth to ask
Mental Well being matters. It is a part of so many people's lives every day, not just for one day.
Lastly, contrary to the picture I DO GIVE A 'F*CK'
Love
Bruce
x
I'm in a lot better position than I was then. I still have DOWN days, but I have learnt to cope with them. We should be talking about mental well being every day of the year. It's time to change. Time to help each other.
It can be a simple hello, a text, a Facebook message or 'are you okay?', that can help someone open up if they need help.
Hold your hand out, open your ears and most importantly, be nice to one another. It doesn't hurt.
Two ears to listen and one mouth to ask
Mental Well being matters. It is a part of so many people's lives every day, not just for one day.
Lastly, contrary to the picture I DO GIVE A 'F*CK'
Love
Bruce
x
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