This week (Monday 7th October 2019) I was included in a very special short film as part of the Every Mind Matters Campaign for Public Health England and NHS that aired on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky channels all at the same time.

The short film is narrated by the Dukes and Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex; William, Kate, Harry & Meghan and features celebrities such as Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson, Davina McCall, Professor Green, Nadiya Hussain, Katie Piper, Joe Sugg & Freddie Flintoff.

Going to the studio for the filming was ironically the most social anxiety inducing thing I’ve ever done, except maybe when I did a photography talk a few years back.

I was so nervous that I was shaking but everyone made me feel so welcome and I felt less and less anxious as time went on. Now I have something recent to look back on when I get anxious in other situations, so I can tell myself “you managed to do that, so you definitely have the tools to do this”.

You can see the short film here if you haven’t seen it on TV yet:

Every Mind Matters Campaign – Short Film

The Every Mind Matters campaign aims to help people take simple steps to look after their Mental Health. It recognises that every one has mental health, much like physical health and that there are things we can do to maintain good mental health, as well as notice any symptoms and manage any issues we might have as soon as they arise.

There is still such a long way to go for mental health services in the UK, especially for people with more severe mental illnesses and we need to keep raising awareness and pushing government to adequately fund mental health services, as well as encouraging them to tackle the main causes of why so many people are struggling with their mental health.

Hopefully the Every Mind Matters campaign is one big step in the right direction though, to get people talking about mental health on a much larger scale and helping people keep on top of their mental health to prevent any problems from getting too big to handle.

I actually took the Every Mind Matters mind plan quiz after the launch, which you can find here and I was actually quite surprised at how bad my mental health has become lately.

I always feel like I’m on top of it because my social anxiety use to be so much more severe. So it kinda feels as if this version is perfectly fine in comparison to how I used to be, but since having a long term physical illness I’ve definitely found myself struggling quite a bit.

Doing the quiz, it shocked me to think that actually I have more bad days than good at the moment and it’s giving me a huge wake up call. I know there’s nothing I can really change about my illness apart from keeping on at the doctors and pushing for them to get me the treatment I need but I can do something about my mental health.

World Mental Health Day 2019

Today is World Mental Health Day and this year the theme is suicide and suicide prevention.

If you are a regular reader of my blog or follow any of my socials, you’ll know that this is something I write passionately about quite often.

When I was just 14 I attempted suicide. Partly because of a social anxiety disorder that I didn’t know that I had and partly due to incessant bullying at school. My experience growing up as a suicidal teenager has compelled me to be a resource for people struggling with their own suicidal thoughts and for families and friends who want to support their loves ones.

Here are some posts I’ve written that that may be of help:
Why Telling People To Reach Out When They’re Suicidal Is Not Enough
I’ll Always Have Suicidal Thoughts Even Though I Am Not Suicidal
UK Mental Health Treatments and Support
7 Things Not To Say To Someone Who Is Suicidal
To All Of The Kids Being Bullied At School
5 Places To Get Online Help For Your Mental Health

If you need help now, please call The Samaritans on 116 123.

And please, if you need a safe community to talk to without judgement, then join us at The Anxiety Lounge. We’re a lovely bunch of anxious souls who like to encourage and support each other and you will be most welcome to share, vent and use as a virtual shoulder to cry on.

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