Monday 11 February 2013

24 Hours. One whole day of reading, and reading, and some more reading. There will be books involved, as well as epic amounts of energy drinks and snack foods.

You can keep track of my progress at my website.

Why? To raise awareness of mental health issues in Scotland, while also reducing the stigma of various illnesses.

If you broke your leg, you wouldn't expect that your friends would not understand. You wouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed to tell them. You wouldn't worry about what they would think of you, just because you have a broken leg.

So why the fear surrounding mental health?

More people need to understand what mental illness actually means, and how it affects those that suffer and cope.

More people affected by mental illness should have the confidence to admit their condition and its needs.

 

From the Scottish Association of Mental Health:

One in four people in Scotland will have a mental health problem at some point in their life. This means that you may know someone with a mental health problem, or maybe you're worried about your own mental health.

At SAMH we believe there is no health without mental health. We're here to provide help, information and support; to campaign on behalf of people with mental health problems and to raise money to fund our vital work. We're here for everyone, and we're here for you.

 

P.S

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.