Sufferers of depression, anxiety and suchlike in severe cases believe that their illness is incurable. They believe that they can never be happy again.Today like any other day marks awareness, so keep in touch with your close friends and family. If you take anything from this, please remember that mental health comes in all shapes and forms, and you truly never know what anyone is going through. 

To those of you who do or don’t know me, here’s my story.. 

For as long as I can remember I have always been the quiet girl and the one who always found it difficult to make and even keep friends due to constant worrying and overthinking. Things seemed  to go south when I was finishing school at the age of 15/16. First off we are mostly all a victim to bullying and this is something that is never okay, but becoming mentally ill from it never gets easier and it really does take its toll out on you. For the past 8 years I have suffered from anxiety and depression and every day comes with a new challenge - whether that be getting up, having a shower, going to work or just general everyday activities that may seem ‘normal and easy’ to you - these are just some of the problems I’ve had to deal with. Things got so awful that I had no choice but to leave school and give up the University of my choice but I was so unwell and couldn’t even go onto school grounds. I never really knew how to talk about my feelings and after years of bottling it up and giving up my dreams I was able to go to the doctors and get the help I needed. Granted I am still not physically and mentally well now, but I made the first step and it has made me realise that things are easier and always will be when you have someone around to talk to. Sometimes you don’t know who to turn to or think that they wouldn’t ever care - but I promise you there is always someone who cares. Making the first step is the most important, and this comes with all types of recovery.

Without my friends, family, colleagues and charities like MIND I’m not sure where I’d be today - cliche but true. Fact is most people suffer or could suffer during their lives (a massive stat of 1 in 4 are affected and 1 in 6 are physically diagnosed by doctors), and if you’re one of the lucky people who have their minds together then you’re doing pretty great. There is a huge stigma around mental health but why should it be treated any different to having a broken bone or a cold? 

Let’s all raise awareness by talking out and helping others realise that talking is okay - it may be the first step but it’ll make your journey that one step easier. But most importantly let’s let them know that they aren’t a burden and people do care. 

So in aid of this in July I will be taking part in a Skydive with a friend for Mental Health Awareness with MIND in the hope that I can raise enough awareness and help those who need it most. I would be eternally grateful if you could all share this and the link, and if you can donate anything (little or large) there are many people out there that would extremely benefit from it. 

A bit about MIND - ‘We’re Mind, the mental health charity for England and Wales. We believe no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. We’re here for you. Today. Now. We’re on your doorstep, on the end of a phone or online. Whether you’re stressed, depressed or in crisis. We’ll listen, give you advice, support and fight your corner. And we’ll push for a better deal and respect for everyone experiencing a mental health problem.

With your support we can ensure that everyone with a mental health problem has somewhere to turn for advice and support.’

Thanks for being fab,

Ash x