Andrews Story

After suffering from a mental break down I found myself slip between the cracks in the system and discharged with no treatment.

To say I felt alone would be an understatement, I thought no one knew or understood what I was going through I felt although I had become lost l lost me lost purpose lost the will to live.

After attempting to take my life and waking up in hospital to be discharged again 3 days with no further treatment or counselling nothing, just set on my way, I found myself on a bridge over the M8 motorway. I was poison worthless and all I done was wrong and hurt those around me so I didn’t deserve to be here anymore is what I felt and it was time just to STOP it all.

I am and always have been a proud father but in those moments to me my kids growing up without the burden i had become was the best thing for them in my mind. It was a female negotiator that spoke with me on the bridge that night and what she said was like a slap “you won’t solve your problems doing this you will pass it on to your babies and the ones you love, you will leave behind so much pain and miss understanding you will be the fuel for the next generation of mental health”

I won’t lie it’s not been easy far from it and it’s still to this day something I have to live with ‘Mental Health’

I always loved to walk as a boy and moving from the East End of Glasgow to the North West I found the hills and mountains so I started to walk again and day by day I would walk further and spend more time thinking and it helped massively for me.

It then came to me one night I should go for a walk, just a wee stroll from Glasgow to Lands End with my dog Kai. Since then I’ve walked and talked mental health and how it’s affected me and in turn others have come to share their stories and also looking to Andrews Journey for help and sometimes that just a chat.

Since the walk south on 11th November 2019 I have built a community here on Facebook of people who have suffered or have loved ones who suffer with mental illness and it’s become a family.

We’ve hosted a Walk For Awareness that seen 67 Men,Women & Children walk 33 miles all to raise awareness for mental health and baby loss. We’ve also climbed the Scottish mountains to dance the Macarena on the summits taking people along with us each time again to raise awareness and have a bit of fun with it.

We’ve supported One Man And His Horse Hundreds of miles North on their quest to raise funds for RNLI that seen Andrew Cycle over 130 miles as an escort and guide also sharing Barry & Barneys Journey to then summit Ben Nevis .

What you good folk don’t see is the msg from people in crisis who contact the page looking for vital support and comfort. We don’t and never will share personal information of these brave souls but rest assured we will be here for each and everyone who contacts the page for support.

We have built a great support network that continues to grow nationwide and we want that to keep growing until it’s the world over because Mental Health has no borders

Coming out of lockdown we intend to start walking groups and coffee mornings with more ideas to follow, for this to happen Andrew has already been doing what he does and building resources so when our first coffee morning or walking group kicks off that it will all be free for those who come to take part. We are currently looking for equipment sponsors and hopefully have a great company on board so no one will go without.

As much as we can achieve on our own all and any help is vital and needed moving forward as we aim to become more proactive and hands on coming out of lockdown .

https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/28/after-a-breakdown-this-man-started-a-huge-mental-health-support-group-to-help-others-13668768/

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18818023.no-horsing-around-barry-barney-mission-coin-cash-rnli/

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgow-man-talking-wee-walk-17222129

#itsoknottobeok #andrewsjourney #itsabaddaynotabadlife