I'm doing the Great North Run and hoping to raise a few quid for ManHealth, a local mental health community interest company.
https://www.manhealth.org.uk

Having suffered from depression for many years, and only recently opening up to those, not on the most inner circle; I understand how difficult things can feel for men with this illness.

Depression is an absolute arsehole, and with it's accompanying stigma many men do not receive the support that they vitally need to regain their health.

Mental illnesses may seem trivial to many people, and depression can easily be overlooked - however, it is as life-threatening as any physical illness: suicide being the biggest cause of death in males under the age of 50.

People deal with mental health issues in their own ways and everybody has their own coping mechanisms, but it is globally recognised that talking to somebody is a major step towards overcoming it.

ManHealth "Time to Listen" is a local community interest company that wishes to help men who may be suffering from mental illness. They aim to offer peer to peer support groups for men to receive support and guidance on their illness. They are going a long way to ending what is an absolutely ridiculous stigma. It's absolutely ok to feel the way that you do, and there is always a network of support out there despite how utterly alone and engulfed by this awful illness you feel.