1 in 6 children have a diagnosed mental health problem. The actual figure is likely to be much higher.

50% of all lifelong mental health problems have started by the age of 14

Children as young as 5 are being diagnosed with anxiety

Young women aged 17 to 26 are most likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, and are twice as likely to be diagnosed than men.

Men aged 40 - 50 are the highest demographic for suicide, 3 times more likely than women of the same age, and 75% of all suicides are male.

Over the last 10 years there has been an unprecedented rise in mental health problems in young women

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health problem than men but men are more likely to commit suicide 75% of all suicide is male.

Almost 1 million people will take their own life in 2021 across the world.

INTRODUCTION

Hello, My name is Darren, I am a 45 year old man, father of 3, son, brother and friend, I am just like you. I live in Hull in East Yorkshire. Over the last 30 years I have suffered with anxiety, depression, addiction to prescription drugs, I also attempted suicide when I was 19. More recently, 4 years ago I gave up a career in sales to study counselling and I have been practising mindfulness for 5 years, I also recently completed an online diploma, and now teach young people how to combat anxiety using mindfulness and through mindful centred counselling.

I hope to encourage others to make positive life changes through sharing my story and in particular men within my own age group for which the statistic for suicide is haunting and by far the highest demographic.

I also hope to persuade and encourage people to open up and seek help before they fall. It is not by chance that males aged between 40 – 50 is the highest demographic when you consider what society has taught males about how to be a man, something that has been passed down through the generations.

I was also brought up in culture where we teach young men that crying is weakness, and that expressing your feelings makes you less of a man. This toxic cultural belief is destroying lives., When a man feels they have no options other than to take their own life, nobody to turn to and a feeling of embarrassment and shame about the way they are feeling then something is seriously wrong. We have to question what the hell have we done as a society?

At present I run a small community interest company that teaches anxiety management to young people through mindfulness based counselling, but a recent suicide of young person aged 17 close to my daughter reinforced how big the problem is and that a bigger solution is needed. It has made me determined more than ever to raise awareness with the dream and ambition to reach a much larger audience.

Change requires many voices, and that means asking more people to share their vulnerability, and by sharing my own I hope I can inspire others to follow suit, old and young. I hope and believe that collectively a shared experience will force the establishment to look at the bigger picture rather trying to find short term and very temporary solutions.

What we don't change we repeat through our children.

HOW DO WE CHANGE THIS GENERATIONAL CYCLE?

I believe the way we do this is by educational reform in the classroom:

Educating young people on mental health issues

How to understand and discuss emotions, feelings and trauma and feeling safe to do so.

Providing young people with the tools and coping strategies to manage their own emotions such as mindfulness and meditation

Understanding how to manage emotions such as anger, guilt and shame and the benefits of doing so

Promote and celebrating independent thinking and individuality.

Changing the mind set of many young people in recognising that this is a positive thing.

Encourage self awareness, self exploration, and the benefits of self care

Teach people the importance of loving yourself, about self worth, self esteem and having compassion for yourself for your own mistakes.

How to be more emotionally regulated, less reactive and as a result have less anxiety and stress

To feel more connected to themselves and the planet, encourage the exploration of nature and be more present and in the moment, rather than being trapped due to overthinking and anxiety

Educate people on what healthy relationships looks like and how to be aware of dysfunction.

To promote a more minimalistic approach to life in a world and society that teaches the opposite

To raise young people to be emotionally independent not co-dependent on others for all of the above. Learn how to soothe themselves and be comfortable with their own company.

I'm not stating that we can eradicate childhood trauma, that is impossible, but we can teach people about it, we can educate them what it is, how it feels, why it's happening and we can teach people skills to help themselves.

We can encourage young people to explore these philosophies whilst feeling safe and supported doing so.

We can teach people about becoming independent emotionally balanced adults, rather than traumatised, addicted adults living in dysfunctional relationships and passing the problem down to their own children, trauma is generational.

ADDICTION AND PESCRIPTIONS

Addiction to prescription drugs is now a global pandemic, Whilst some people are getting rich others are dying...

At the root of all addictions whether it be drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping, eating or sex, the root cause is a need to supress / internalise trauma and pain, often going all the way back to childhood, and very often unconscious to the individual.

This results in constantly being emotionally triggered by your surroundings, PTSD lasts a lifetime if not healed, and many people are carrying decades of emotional baggage some of which has been packed away since the initial incident.

There is an epidemic of prescription drug addiction which brings further problems on the NHS, we need to slowly stop writing prescriptions for anxiety and give people the tools to help themselves, because it can be done.

We can teach people how to live anxiety free instead of giving them drugs to numb the pain. Approx 12 million prescriptions are issued every year JUST IN THE UK for depression and anxiety, most of these drugs are addictive.

During the last year, there has been a huge spike in anxiety related illnesses due to COVID as people have struggled to be alone and separated from loved ones, we need radical reform and change more than ever.

Overdose to prescription drugs has increased by 87% in the last 10 years.

THE MOBILE MIND HUB

So this leads me to my project, and the reason for my appeal.

I am going to take my 'business' (mission) on the road over the next year, video journaling my own journey with mental health, promoting an alternative minimalistic lifestyle, encouraging people to connect with nature and visiting Universities and Colleges across the North of England and Scotland campaigning for educational reform and encouraging people to speak out about their own story.

Mental Health Awareness week 2021 is all about embracing nature, it's the best prescription you can have for anxiety, so I decided to practice what I preach.

My aim is to engage with young people, talking about anxiety and mindfulness, raising awareness, campaigning for educational reform, highlighting the benefits of being in nature, being more connected to yourself, helping young people who may be falling into addiction and suffering with anxiety with nobody to talk to.

To encourage young people to collaborate with each other through social media and within their campuses to tackle the problem and be a voice for change by sharing their own story.

MY GOAL

I hope to reach a minimum of 100 establishments over the year and generate 100,000 signatures to an online petition to the government calling for further and increased discussion about:

The teaching of emotional wellbeing and mindfulness in schools. Within both primary schools and secondary schools as part of the school curriculum , ensuring funding is available to allow for the successful delivery of the program.

Explore new ideas and different ways of thinking so to enable the gap between the number of people that need help, and the number of people able to provide it to be eradicated.

How we can save lives and reduce the pressure on the NHS and reduce crime, which is intrinsically linked to addiction and mental health

Create a space and community within which young people feel safe and empowered to engage with the philosophy, share vulnerability and work together to create a common purpose

Encourage people trapped in addiction to ask for help and give them the strategies, strength and support to help them overcome their issues and manage their journey to recovery

How will your financial support allow my goals to become reality?

Your donation will enable the purchase of a reliable second hand vehicle with basic living facilities, that I can use to tour the country over the next 18 months.

I hope to raise £5000 which will contribute to the cost of a vehicle, van printing, leaflet production, vehicle running costs including insurance, tax, fuel and breakdown cover.

My business Breakthrough Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing is a registered community interest company in the UK. I teach anxiety management to young people through mindfulness centred coaching, and offer a large discount to students and NHS staff.

I make a very small income which will allow me to sustain myself on this endeavour. The funding is purely for the vehicle.

I recognise that these are very challenging times for us all and understand economically things are very difficult. Therefore any size donation would be greatly appreciated but incredibly worthwhile.

I am happy to have video calls with anyone who would like to know more before making a donation.

MY COMITTMENT TO YOU

When the journey is complete in 2 years, the vehicle will be auctioned online on Instagram, and the money will be used to reinvest in further mental health Just Giving project, meaning your donation will continue to have a positive impact long after the initial project has ended.

Also I am delighted to announce the whole journey can be followed on Instagram, and I hope as I travel round the country I can meet as many of you as possible in person.

SUMMARY

If you have read this far, thank you.

This is a subject that has affected mine and my children's lives and so many other lives and families and I hope you will support me my attempt to turn my own pain into passion, and inspire others to do the same.

Let's put pressure on the decision makers to makes better choices and decisions.

Together, with a consolidated voice, they have to listen.

I am open to collaborating with other mental health campaign's on social media so please connect on Instagram if that's something you would like to discuss.

If you do decide to support this project, please leave a message and if you have Instagram (breakthroughmindfulness) get in touch!

Many thanks, and much love to you, I wish you all an anxiety free life and hope you can support me on my journey.

Darren