Mental Health Awareness - Listen, Love, Learn....

This post is something I have been wanting to write about for some time now, I have had it written down in my notebook but there has never been a time where I’ve thought this would be perfect right now, then I heard its Mental Health Awareness week from 16^th-22^nd of May so right now is the time. Just a pre warning that this is going to be rather long post but I promise it will do you some good reading it, even if its just to educate yourself on mental health and to see what people are going through around you, it’s raising awareness and it might not be something you’ve thought about in depth before. Statistics say that 1in4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year so if you think about that at least one person you know is suffering and you either know about it, or they’re suffering in silence, this is why this subject needs to be talked about more then maybe less people will suffer in silence as more people will be educated and know how to help. Through this post I am going to be talking about how mental health has effected me, I haven’t suffered myself but I lost my dad to suicide so mental health has changed my life forever, I'm including stories and quotes of people I have talked too about their struggle with mental health and ways they cope, including a list of helpings and charities that work with mental health and I have also done a lot of research and watched a crazy amount of videos to create a catalogue of Youtube clips for people to watch if they ever feel alone when they’re suffering, for tips of coping and also for people to learn about mental illness and be one step closer in helping banish the stigma attached to these illnesses. Don’t be ashamed or afraid of your story, it will inspire and help others.

(If you don't want to read this full post but need help and just want to listen then please bookmark this page and go through the catalogue of videos at the bottom. There are ones for all aspects of mental health to teach and guide and help. I truly believe these could be so helpful)

So lets take it back to where it all started for me, the day a mental illness changed my life, forever.

September 22^nd 2011.

I lived with my mum at the time and received a message from a neighbour of my dads to say there were police cars and an ambulance outside his house, I was calling and calling his phone thinking had someone hurt him or is he in trouble? But there was no answer. I ran up to my mums work and I think we both knew at that point what had happened. We jumped in a taxi and drove straight to his house. The taxi pulled up on the corner of his street and there we could see the police cars and my dads front door that had been bashed in out on the street. I ran into his house while my mum sorted out the money for the taxi and I was greeted by about 4 police officers in my dads living room asking who I was. By the time I had told them and my mum had arrived they sat us down and told us the news, my dads body was upstairs and he had taken his own life. I can’t remember if I cried or not, I really can’t remember how I felt in that moment at all I only remember the hours after. This was such a shock to us all, we didn’t know my dad was suffering, we didn’t know he was fighting a battle in silence until it was too late and we couldn’t save him. Not a day goes by where I don’t miss my dad, my heart is truly broken forever but I had two choices, I either let it beat me and go down a slippery slope or I take power from it and live my life as he would have wanted me too, and that’s what I have done. I appreciate everyone I have in my life now and I make sure they know they are loved by me because life is too god damn short and you don’t know what is round the corner. I can’t say it isn’t a struggle, anyone who has lost someone this way will know that too. Most days I am ok, I stay strong, but I do have those days where it hits me again, like a ton of bricks and I crumble and I feel like I can relate just a fraction to my dad in those moments as the hurt and pain I'm feeling at that point isn't something I'd ever wish on anybody, but I have to be strong and through my strength I can try and make a difference like I am trying to now. I never really knew about mental illnesses or about suicide until this happened and ever since I have educated myself and wanted to help in anyway possible. I couldn’t save my dad, I couldn’t help him. But going through what I have has given me the knowledge and the passion to try and help people and get rid of the stigma attached to this whole topic.

My dad, like many other people struggling with a mental illness, kept it to himself. We did not know. He took many steps into making sure we did not discover him and wanted us to only find out when his body had been removed but thanks to his neighbour we were there and I will forever be grateful of that message I received. He dressed himself in a suit and had a picture of me him and my brother from when we were little in his top pocket, he was always such a proud man and I think this was the image he wanted us to be left behind with, remembering him as our strong dad. In a letter he left for the police that found him it stated ‘In the end I lost everything, including my self-respect, so there is nothing left to live for’. My dad’s death was in the papers which I think made it a little easier for me (I know some of you will be thinking HUH how?!) but it made it easier in the sense that I didn’t really have to tell people what had happened, I didn’t have to put myself through the pain that was still so fresh explaining it to everyone, they already knew. It took me quite some time if someone asked about my parents to accept it and tell them how my dad had died, I would just say my dad passed away as I would be nervous of their reaction about him taking his own life as I knew so many people saw it in a bad light. 

Here is the article just incase you wanted to know the events that led up to this happening and what pushed my dad to the edge. Read here.

My dad was such a proud man, he had been a soldier for most of his youth and then spent a decade working in the prison service, however working these jobs and everything they portray is it a surprise my dad didn’t speak out and kept it to himself? No. I recently read an article about how men need to open up about depression and not keep it quiet, but when they are constantly being told to ‘man up’ it really isn’t a shock to realise they don’t feel like they can, like someone will turn around and tell them to man up and to just get on with it. My dad was 50 when we lost him and the leading cause of death in men in the UK under 50 is suicide. Yeah, that’s right, the LEADING cause of death is suicide, not cancer, not illness you see on tv daily getting talked about, it’s from something that is hardly ever talked about and is swept under the carpet but this needs to STOP! The world is losing so many people to mental illnesses because people wont reach out for the help, a lot don’t feel like they can talk about it because we aren’t uniting and making sure this is an illness people are as educated about as cancer.

My dad left a long letter each for many people in his life. In my letter a section said ‘ Ever since you were a little girl I’ve wanted you to be able to be proud of me and failed as now I’m doing something that even I’m not proud of  but I have no where else to go. I’ve let you and Sam down your whole lives, not to mention everyone else I’ve ever loved and I cant keep doing it so this is one last big let down and then its over. No more disappointment for anyone. I know I’m being selfish and a coward but there is nothing left inside of me darling, I don’t have any fight left.’ I wish he would have told me this to my face because oh how wrong he was and anybody that knew him could tell him how wrong he was and anybody in the same situation as me and my family will agree. What is running through the persons head when they don't feel like they have any fight left in them is the total opposite to what everyone else feels about them and because the person doesn't feel like they can open up the people around them who love them cant reassure them and tell them its ok, we are here, and we love you. I will be proud of my dad until the day I take my last breath on this earth. I don’t see him as selfish and I don’t see him as a coward, he was in a dark place and suffering with an illness and you cant blame someone for that. People don’t chose to have mental illnesses. Everytime I read that letter it reminds me of what everyone fighting these illnesses will be going through, how much they beat themselves down in their mind, how they feel everyone around them is against them, how they feel like they’re letting people down by suffering, how unloved they think they are when in reality every single one of those statements the people around them will be thinking the exact opposite. This is why you should reach out and we can all help one another. I write this whole post in memory of my dad hoping I can help change something meaning others won't have to go through what he and my family have.

My story over now. That’s how mental health changed my life but there are so many other mental illnesses that people don’t even realise.

The most common disorders are:

Alcohol/substance abuse

Anxiety disorders

ADHD- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Bipolar

Depression

Eating disorders

OCD- Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Postpartum/postnatal depression

PTSD- Posttraumatic stress disorder

Schizophrenia

SAD- Seasonal affective disorder

However that is only a small list and there are so many more, but those above at least 1 out of 4 people you know will have suffered or are suffering from right now. Do you know what they all are? How they effect someone? How to help someone with one of them? I can even say as someone who is so passionate about making a change in mental health awareness I don’t even know all the answers to those questions but I want to learn, and I am learning and this is how everyone should view it. Not only will you be helping others, you might be helping yourself because these illnesses can just come one day and if you’re educated about them you might have some idea what is happening to you and you wont be afraid to go and seek help and talk to people about it.

Things to know about mental illness in the world

• Over 800,000 people die a year due to suicide.
• Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease.
• Around 20% of adults are effected yearly.
• Between 70 and 90% of people with mental illnesses experience a huge reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with the proper care and treatment.
• ANYONE can develop a mental illness and no one is immune to mental health problems.
• An estimated 2 in 3 people suffer in silence fearing judgement and rejection.
• 1 in 10 children and young people aged 5-16 suffer from a mental health disorder, thats about 3 pupils per classroom!
• Nearly 80,000 children and young people suffer from severe depression.
• Almost 10 million British adults are diagnosed with a mental illness every year.
• Around 450 million people are affected worldwide by mental illnesses.

Before writing this post I reached out on my social media platforms to ask people if they wanted to share any of their experiences or motivational messages with me and I got a great response. I felt like if I could share their stories people reading will know they're not alone and someone could be struggling the same as you are. You're never alone. Here are some of them, I found them very eye opening to read and with each one I'm learning more and more about mental illnesses and what it's like to live with them and the stigma attached to it. Thank you to everyone that contributed and were strong enough to open up to me, you will be helping so many people by doing this! The first one is from someone who worked with my dad...

I used to organize world mental health day with your dad at the prison. Here's my contribution for your blog. "Some days I feel like I'm drowning, suffocating and dying inside. I've spent most of the night lying awake in the darkness over thinking the days events wondering if I've said something wrong or wondering why someone looked at me a certain way? Do they hate me? Am I too weird? I hate my job, I hate my life, why do I get treated like crap? Am I everyone's doormat? Yet I get out of bed everyday and make breakfast, do the school run avoiding eye contact with the other parents and wonder, why me?" 

'If you ever feel like giving up, just remember there is a little girl watching who wants to be just like you,'

'I was diagnosed with depression a few months ago and it literally came on out of nowhere for no reason and I think more people need to understand that it can happen to anyone at any time no matter how mentally strong you are or how well your life is going.'

'If you have no knowledge on the subject, do not judge or brush things aside; educate yourself. Maybe you haven't been close to someone suffering, then you're lucky. Or maybe you just haven't noticed you are close to someone who is suffering? Then open your eyes a little wider and listen a little closer. There are more people suffering than you know. It is not always so obvious.'

'People suffering from mental health issues should be taken just as seriously as those with physical illnesses. We can all help by raising awareness that it is, sadly, too common that a person suffers a mental illness. In this raising awareness, we can help in creating a society where people are not afraid to speak up and ask for help, because they see their fellow humans as a sanctuary, not a threat and not a measure of their 'normality' or their 'sanity'.'

'One thing people don't understand is I don't choose to be depressed. I don't choose to have anxiety. It's not fun for me.'

'I have battled PTSD. My biggest word of advice is TALK. This is not a battle you have to fight alone and it is always easier to get up from a fall with a helping hand. Talk, talk and talk some more. Do not let shame silence you. That is exactly what the depression wants and you are stronger than it!'

'To anyone supporting someone with a mental heath issue - please treat it as you would any other illness. You cannot shake off depression anymore than you can shake off a broken arm. Be open to the fact that although you cannot see the illness, it is there and it is real. No amounts of 'showers or walks or focusing on the good stuff' will get rid of it. Only time, talking and appropriate treatment.'

'I've been told so many times to stop being so selfish and to just sort myself out. This was from someone who I thought was a really good friend. I want people to know that this isn't a choice I have decided to make! This is a struggle and

an illness that is actually really tough.'

'A great self help book that put depression into perspective to see that I wasn't totally alone was a book called reasons to stay alive by Matt Haig. Honestly ! It's amazing and if you get the chance it's worth reading or letting people know about it who might need that reassurance that they're normal and it will get better.'    

'This year my relationship broke down, we lived together and he met someone else so I decided I didn't want to be here anymore and attempted suicide. I was sat on top of a  bridge and I had given up. He made me feel like I wasn't worth living for anymore, so I jumped and luckily some stranger grabbed me by my collar and pulled me back and a police officer took me home. I saw a counselor and it was the best thing I did! I have never been so happy and in love with life, I think that shock is what pushed me to appreciate people and things more. I think people should know that it is possible to find happiness after depression and that things do get better. I'm in the best place in my life right now but I wish I'd have had something like you're doing to read when I was going through it.'

'It's so great to see girls talking about it openly, those who have suffered and who are still suffering to show others it's okay to talk about it. We all suffer at one point in our life, so making sure everyone knows that there is help, and there is hope to get through the dark times, will be amazing for some people needing that support. I wish I had someone to relate to when I suffered, to know that your never alone.'

'I've suffered from severe anxiety and depression for over 2 years, due to this I have been unable to work and am constantly paranoid about people thinking that I'm a slob. It's the constant fear of what other people think for me. One little thing that has helped me a bit in slight moments of panic; a woman I was seeing for my mental health said 'think of anxiety like busses in your head, imagine it fully, and when a bus going to a negative destination pulls up, don't get on the bus, because like busses do, the feelings of fear and anxiety will pass''

'You can't see it, like you can see broken limbs, but stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses can be just as crippling. One of the most important things you can do for someone who is suffering, is reassure them that they will not always feel the way they are feeling at that time - which may be rock bottom.'

'My auntie committed suicide two years ago now. And I think it's the hardest thing I have ever been through. Seeing my family in such turmoil made me feel so helpless. My auntie had been depressed for quite a while and tried to get help from mental health services but unfortunately her cries for help continued to get ignored. When she did commit suicide this made me feel so guilty, thinking maybe I could have done something to help, something to change her mind. I went through stages of being so angry with her, thinking she was selfish leaving behind her family and friends in a state of grief. She didn't leave a note or anything and I think this added to everyone's upset because there's just no closure. The only thing that has helped me get through it is telling my self there's nothing I could have done. Even if I had chained her up to me 24 hours a day eventually she would have made that decision. I'm not angry anymore. Someone must have to be in a crazily dark place to take their own life and leave there family and it saddens me to thing of the struggle she was going through. The NHS let my auntie down big time, she tried to get herself sectioned on numerous occasions but because she wasn't hearing voices and rolling around on the floor they didn't listen. She wasn't seen as a 'priority'.'

'I've recently had a baby, which everybody knows because I never stop showing him off.. He really is the apple of my life! My absolute world.. but whilst I'm showing him off im also dealing with postnatal depression. . I'm my own worst enemy,  I hid it away for so long and thought my new found anxiety attacks were normal and my lack of confidence was normal aswell.. I kept thinking it's because I've had a baby its all new and ill feel myself again soon.. I love my baby so it can't be postnatal depression - but it is this hidden illness was spoiling my first few months with my baby- everybody sees you smiling and in control nobody sees the sleepless nights and the utter panic you feel on a daily basis.. nobody offers you help because they clearly think you have your shit together when in reality you need somebody.. Thank god I have a good circle and im very vocal about how I feel and yes I was big eaten alive by depression without knowing.. right now I'm in a better place and I know that I'd I hadn't have spoken up it would have got worse.. not in a way where I want to hurt my baby or not love him- more like shut the world away and not do anything  im a nurse and I think these things shouldn't happen to me.. and ill know how to deal with it if it did.. not at all it creeps up on you when you least expect it- never feel ashamed.. hold your head high, talk to someone and beat depression!'

'Mental health is not discussed enough in this country and its essential people start talking just like you do. Last year i suffered with depression and was in a really bad place only now do i look back and feel thankful that i managed to get through it and got to know what it is like to have a mental health illness because until then i had no clue of how bad it is. I think my sentence i would say is "its okay to not feel okay" and that's because i felt ashamed of my illness when i was going through it and didn't want anyone to know as i look back now and feel proud of how far I've come. Keep it up you're inspiring and reading you're posts definitely helped me.'

'To anyone who has ever struggled and suffered in silence; It's taken me 5 long years to reach out to someone for help. 5 years that have felt like my entire life. I've said goodbye to a lot of important people because I haven't known how to explain myself, or because I haven't thought I was worth anything to them. My brain took over and destroyed everything at some point or another. I've given up doing what I love numerous times because I've had no confidence. I haven't left my room without a full face of makeup on in at least 3 years now, possibly even longer. My current relationship struggles daily because my partner doesn't know how to deal with endless crying for what seems to be no reason, or me not wanting to get out of bed all day because I feel awful, just because. No matter what you think, whether you can explain it or not, someone out there somewhere will at least have a rough idea of how you feel and that's so much better than feeling completely alone. The help I've asked for might not work. I might not even have the confidence to actually go in the end, but it's such a relief knowing I've tried, at long last. Please, don't suffer in silence. You are not alone.'

'When the nurses assigned to help you tell you to "just think logically"

Or to look at a pie chart full of statistics, but most nurses are great but we aren't encouraged to talk about how we feel on a day to day basis to anyone.'

'I dunno about anyone else but I use to write down how I felt a lot using fiction or poetry etc, was a good release for a lot of bad energy, even though it's a private thing, when you look back as you move forward it helps you to see how much you've progressed or back tracked and compare how you feel or felt. - "Like surfacing from under the water and understanding that it's not your fault you were drowning"'

'Ive tried to talk to people and they just don't understand, its like looking at Britney wandering why she broke down, it doesnt matter who you are, where you are, what you do, live, how much money you have. We are all human and have feelings, we cant be robots. Ive come across alot of different scenarios and experiences and have always wanted to help because a lot of people suffer in silence because they feel ashamed and as much as im trying to come to terms with it myslef it is nothing to be ashamed off, its a learning curve its something that can make you stronger but because its not approached often enough or in the right way and its in the dark, thats why people feel ashamed and why no one understands any of it, but at the end of the day someone understanding or being aware of the little things can save people or lives.'

'If you're reading this you've survived everything you've ever encountered in your life. You have a 100% survival rate. Have a good day'

These are real people just like you and I sharing their stories and struggles, not some article you have read about online, they're real, raw and straight from the heart and I'm pretty sure reading them you will see you're not alone, you're never alone even if you feel like the whole worlds against you. Someone understands, someone knows exactly how you're feeling and feels alone to. Communicate in anyway you can, it doesn't have to be a huge leap of screaming it from the rooftops by tip toeing into communicating and try to open up to at least one person around you. This world is tough enough to live in with daily struggles and war, but can you imagine going through this with your brain fighting it's own war as well?! I honour every single person who is fighting a battle, fighting a battle with themselves. You are strong and brave, I know you won't be feeling it but you truly are.

You are not your illness. It does not define you. I have so many friends around me that battle with their mental illness every single day in life. Some have got the help needed and through the years and are stronger than they have ever been, some are still struggling so deep but you know what...they're fighting. They're surviving every single day treating each one as a new one, some days they fall back and feel like they have hit the bottom again but they always bounce back up and thats totally ok. It's ok not the be ok, you're allowed to fall back because in the end you will come back so much stronger and realise you're worth the fight. I don't see my friends and think of their mental health problems, I know they're suffering but this isn't what I think about when I see them. I think about how proud of them I am, how lucky I am to have that person in my life, how seeing them smile and knowing how strong they are uplifts me, how when they are having a low day they will come to me and communicate and me knowing how brave they are speaking about it and asking for help, how much I know I'd be lost without such beautiful souls in my life. Their mental illnesses do not define them and they do not define you. 

I believe people need to be educated. I have met so many people and the subject has been brought up and they're clueless and when I inform them 1in4 people suffer, they're shocked. I only knew about mental health when it effected me, before this point I didn't realise what a problem in our world it really is,  not a problem in that suffering from an illness is bad, a problem in the way of we don not know about it. In school growing up, when people are absorbing so much knowledge as they grow up we are taught about cancer, we are taught about all different diseases but I can't remember any lessons growing up where we we taught about mental health. This is wrong, this needs to be different. I can't change the way schools work, I cant change the subjects they teach children but I can ask if you're reading this and you have children, educate yourself. Educate yourself and then educate your children. As I have said earlier on 1 in 4 people are effected so this should be something every person has knowledge from the youngest age where they will take it in. Imagine if your child had no knowledge of this then one day they woke up in their teenage years and realised something wasn't right, they didn't feel ok, they were struggling. They don't feel like they can turn to their parents and tell them what they're feeling because they don't even understand whats happening themselves and they haven't known anyone around them to ever talk about it. If I was a parent I know it would break my heart knowing my child could be suffering and I wouldn't know. Half of mental health problems begin before a human is 14 and as parents and just general people we don't know about these situations when children, you r child, could be affected. It should be as normal to bring up as and other illness but with the stigma attached and not enough people knowing about it, this won't happen without us trying to make a change.

Medication, lets talk about medication. Like all illnesses you're given medication. An infection, you're put on antibiotics. Cancer, you're given treatments such as chemotherapy. Diabetes, you have medication to take to keep your levels steady. Asthma, you're given an inhaler to help your breathing. Even eyesight problems, you get prescribed lenses and have to wear glasses. All of these are normal, nobody backs an eyelid, you take them or use the facilities without a worry not being judged. But when it comes to mental health why do people see this in a different light?! It's an illness. It's not a choice, you don't choose to be going through this and like any other illness medication can be prescribed. Medications are normal, they're there for you to take when you're unwell to make you feel better. I discovered the hashtag on social media that is #MedicatedAndMighty please take a look if you're worried about seeking help or not wanting to take your medication as you feel its frowned upon and you feel weak for taking them. Medication does not make you weak, not even in the slightest. You're helping yourself, you're taking another step in fighting the battle in your mind and this is something you should be proud of. Medications are made for a reason, to help people don't try and brush it to the side take the help you need and be proud. 

SUPPORT. Anybody going through a hard time in life knows support from others around you is crucial. If you offer your support and make it aware you are there it means people struggling aren't alone, they don't have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders alone making them sink further and further you can help with the weight of their problems. Being that person that someone trusts means more than anything money can buy, its so precious and so valuable, it can save a life. The subject of support applies to both giving it and asking for it. Both are as important as each other and they cant happen without one another. If you're struggling through something think of a list of people you know you trust and if you don't feel like this is right for you call a helpline. (I will leave all details for these at the bottom of the post). Talking helps, sometimes saying things out loud instead of keeping it inside gives you a better understanding of the situation, it can help sort through your thoughts clearer instead of them tangling in your mind, talking to someone might open up ways to cope and solutions of getting better you have never thought of. 

On the other side, being the supportive person... you may find it hard to talk about due to the fear of not knowing what to say or how to go about it, but find a way. Being on the receiving end of the support will be so much harder and if you show strength through being there for someone it will give them strength too. Support from friends, family and medical professionals play such a big role in the process of recovery and the smallest steps can have the biggest benefits. Just being there to listen to someone can be one of the biggest gestures, showing you care. Not everyone will want to open up to you and this isn't something you should pressure them into but letting them know you're there for whenever they need you or need help is what we should be doing. Be encouraging, be sensitive, show the positives, don't put pressure on, be relaxed with talking about it. Anyway you can offer support from big to small things will mean so much to someone and can change their life. Nobody should go through life alone. 

Writing this has been something that is so close to my heart and something I am incredibly passionate about. I'm just one girl, I cant change the world, but if to the person reading this I have given them the means to educate themselves as they want to help spread awareness too or if I have helped a person struggling then that means the world to me. 

I'm no expert, I'm no medical professional, I'm just a regular human being who has been affected by mental health and I want to make as much of a change and provide the help I can. I would do anything to bring my dad back but sadly that is impossible, but what I can do is talk about my experience and my knowledge in the hope of helping someone go through what he did and preventing it happening so much. Without each other cooperating we cant fight the stigma attached to mental health, we can offer support. Please if you're reading this share it if thats possible, the more people seeing signs of awareness the better. You could also just share one fact with another person to get them thinking also. If we pass things around like this we will be one step closer into making mental health awareness stronger than its ever been therefore making the rates of people getting better, stronger.

Thankyou so much for reading, I know it has been a long post but things like this cant just be talked about in a simple sentence and I hope I have sparked something in your brain knowing that this problem is real, and we need to take every chance we can to change it.

LISTEN. LOVE. LEARN

IF WE LISTEN TO THOSE AROUND US, SHOW PEOPLE AROUND US LOVE AT ALL TIMES  AND LEARN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH THEN WE CAN HELP BANISH THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO IT. 

Below are a collection of videos I have researched watching them all one by one and that I feel could help people learn about mental illnesses and also help people with certain mental illnesses know they aren't alone and can be a 'pick me up' on their worst days with tips of how people going through the same as them cope. Just simply click on the title of the video and it will open it up on a new page for you. I have put them into sections of genres so they're easy for you to access when needed. Please remember these are always here, you could even bookmark this page so if you ever need to hear words from someone who is going through the same as you you can listen to them whenever you need to. 

Mental Health awareness, general videos and ones that could help people learn

Buzzfeed

Living with a mental disorder

If i could speak to my mental disorder

I jumped off the golden gate bridge

I survived a suicide attempt

Couples discuss mental illness

What people who take mental health medication want you to know

What people who go to therapy want you to know

Is it ok to talk about depression?

JacksGap

Lets talk about mental health

Vice-Mental health in children

Struggling with a severe mental illness:the story of Maisie

Whatmiadidnext

‘I don’t believe in depression’ 3 things not to say to someone with depression

Katimorton

1 in 4 suffer from a mental illness- mental health minute

Negative Stereotypes & stigma in mental health

Edensparadise

#MHW2K6- spreading mental health awareness

#MHW2K16- how has mental health affected my life?

Mentalhealthawareness2015

‘You are not alone’ A mental health awareness film

Projectpositive

Mental health awareness

Mindthementalhealthcharity

Mental health: In our own words

Fixersuk

It’s ok not to be okay- Mental health stigma

OECD

Time to act on mental health

Kelsnotchels

Tips on talking to coworkers & boss about mental illness

Opening up to friends about your mental illness

Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Whatmiadidnext

3 stress & axiety busters

Meghanrienks

What having anxiety feels like

Zoella

Anxiety Q&A

Dealing with panic attacks and anxiety 

Positivemagazinemeditationrelaxationinspiration

10 minute guided meditation to ease anxiety worry and urgency

Tessaviolet

Dealing with panic attacks and anxiety RE: Zoella

Videoadvice

How to overcome depression/Anxiety/Hard times-Very motivational

ADHD-Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Buzzfeed

What ADHD feels like

Katimorton

4 new facts about ADHD

Bipolar 

Bigthink

Bipolar disorder is like having two serious illnesses at once

Katimorton

5 misunderstandings about bipolar disorder

Kelsnotchels

5 tips for dealing with bipolar disorder-Type two

Bipolar 2 talk: Tips for the newly diagnosed (or just things to remember)

Bipolar 2 talk: Relationships

Rawsammi

Bipolar 1 vs Bipolar 2 (Q&A)

Namigreenville

Demi Lovato explains she is living well with bipolar disorder

Body Dysmorphia

Shane

My body dysmorphia 

Howcast

What is body dysmorphic disorder?

Savannahbrown

Body dysmorphia and how it can be helped

BPD- Borderline Personality Disorder

Katimorton

Borderline personality disorder

Digialoe

Dealing with my disorder called BPD

Meandmyblacktable

The 5 faces of borderline personality disorder

Emilylynne

BPD: Abandonment survival guide

Cmctps

Dealing with borderline personality disorder

Depression

Meganreienks

My depression story: Where I’ve been & what I’m feeling

Leilabuffery 

My experience with anti depressants

Anti Depressants update 

Videoadvice

How to overcome depression/Anxiety/Hard times-Very motivational

Daniellemansutti

Coping with depression

Redfrostmotivation

Motivation-Fight Depression

Kalynnicholson

Tips for dealing with Anxiety and depression- DIY’s and more!

Eating Disorders

Tomsmith

Empty-(eating disorder/mental illness) award winning short film

Barcrofttv

Extreme anorexic speaks out about the eating disorder

Elletayla

My eating disorder story

Theellenshow

Demi Lovato faces her critics

Buzzfeed

Recovering from an eating disorder

Whatmiadidnext

Eating Disorders: Signs & symptoms we don’t talk about

When eating disorder recovery seems impossible

Dealing with bad days through ED recovery

Katimorton

7 must know facts about anorexia

7 bulimia facts you have to know

OCD- Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder 

Overcomeanxiety

Obsessive compulsive personailty disorder and dealing with compulsive behaviour 

Likekristen

OCD: What it is, misconceptions, coping skills +more!

Notthatkindofgirl

ASK LENA: Dealing with OCD

Postpartum/Postnatal Depression

Buzzfeed

Moms talk about their postpartum depression

Rachelhollis

‘How I dealt with postpartum depression’

Mariaaycho

Postpartum Depression and how to overcome it

Pandastv

Rachel’s Story- Postnatal depression

Sarahs

Dealing with postnatal anxiety and explain depression

PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Buzzfeed

What PTSD is really like

What it feels like to have PTSD

Katimorton

Complex PTSD

4 tips on how to help someone with PTSD

Abowlofsecondchances

Coping mechanisms and grounding techniques for PTSD

Thepatriotnurse

How to deal with PTSD-Everyday and SHTF

Emmawicks

PTSD TAG- My story, symptoms, coping advice

SAD-Seasonal Affective Disorder

Katimorton

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Theroyalinstitution

Why winter makes you SAD: Seasonal affective disorder explained

Likekristen

How I cope with seasonal affective disorder

Reactions

Shedding light on seasonal affective disorder

Autumnasphodel

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)- Symptoms & how to deal with them

Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder

Theagendawithstevepaikin

My struggle with Schizoaffective Disorder

Howcast

What is Schizoaffective Disorder?

Baaadpuddytat

Coping techniques for schizophrenia/schizoaffective

Lauranuttall

I'm not dangerous

Suicide prevention/awareness and dealing with a loss

Mayoclinic

Teen suicide prevention

Buzzfeed

What its like to lose someone to suicide

Watchwellcast

How to help someone who is suicidal

Tedtalks

Why we choose Suicide/ Mark Henick

You’re still here-Living after suicide-Amy Biancolli

Thatsojack

It gets better (suicide prevention)

Maxwellschlueter

Suicide awareness public health video

Travisxaaron

WATER- A poem about suicide awareness

Jingleheartart

The battle within me/ Suicide awareness

2015

Also, if you're ever feeling alone and need to talk or want to find support for someone you know here are a number of charities and help lines who's job it is to help anyone in your situation. Please don't be afraid to reach out, it isn't a sign of weakness. If you had a problem with your car you would call a mechanic for advice and help so the same principal should apply to mental health. Any help is good.

Anxiety UK

Charity providing support if you've been diagnosed with an anxiety condition.

Phone: 08444 775 774 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm)

Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk

Bipolar UK

A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder.

Website: www.bipolaruk.org.uk

CALM

CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15-35.

Website: www.thecalmzone.net

Depression Alliance

Charity for sufferers of depression. Has a network of self-help groups.

Website: www.depressionalliance.org

Mental Health Foundation

Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.

Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Mind

Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.

Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)

Website: www.mind.org.uk

OCD Action

Support for people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Includes information on treatment and online resources.

Phone: 0845 390 6232 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5pm)

Website: www.ocdaction.org.uk

OCD UK

A charity run by people with OCD, for people with OCD. Includes facts, news and treatments.

Phone: 0845 120 3778 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

Website: www.ocduk.org 

No Panic

Voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and OCD. Offers a course to help overcome your phobia/OCD. Includes a helpline.

Phone: 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am-10pm)

Website: www.nopanic.org.uk

PAPYRUS

Young suicide prevention society.

Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (Mon-Fri,10am-5pm & 7-10pm. Weekends 2-5pm)

Website: www.papyrus-uk.org

Rethink Mental Illness

Support and advice for people living with mental illness.

Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm)

Website: www.rethink.org

Samaritans

Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.

Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline)

Website: www.samaritans.org.uk

Sane

Charity offering support and carrying out research into mental illness. 

Phone: 0845 767 8000 (daily, 6-11pm)

SANEmail email: sanemail@org.uk

Website: www.sane.org.uk

YoungMinds

Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.

Phone: Parents' helpline 0808 802 5544 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm)

Website: www.youngminds.org.uk

 XXX