Let's talk mental health.. or more specifically, the stigma behind it. 

A little bit about me;

Hi, my name is Danielle, i'm 25 and a massive outdoor enthusiast. I'm an aspiring wildlife biologist/mountaineer, an amateur photographer, occasional runner, full time movie & music nerd, lover of travel, food, reading & piano… and I experience anxiety on a daily basis. This is something I have tried to deal with since school, but was always afraid to speak up about for fear of being seen as weak, weird or faking. This was because of the stigma surrounding ‘bad’ mental health. I’ve struggled through by myself and overcome some big obstacles, which i'm proud of. But it's still an issue and affects me all the time. Being a social person with an uncontrollable anxious disposition is one of the most frustrating things. I recently overcame the biggest obstacle of them all, asking for help. Seeking help from others has given me the strength and motivation to not only continue pushing through my anxious moments, but also reach out to others and encourage them to do the same.

I was originally supposed to be hiking the West Highland Way however it was sadly cancelled due to group numbers. 

Why the West Highland Way challenge you ask;

My best friend, Catherine, (name dropping, love you) informed me that the theme for 2021's Mental Heath Awareness week will be nature. MHAW is so important and an integral part in helping people to understand mental health better, especially right now. With people flocking to the outdoors and finding local green spaces for some time away from their house, its the perfect theme and I happen to absolutely love everything nature. Whenever i've found myself struggling, getting outside has always helped! Not to mention I have always wanted to tackle this challenge, they go hand in hand, it's the perfect excuse! One day I will hike the West Highland Way, but until then I have transferred across to climb Mt Toubkal in Morocco. And I get to raise money for an incredible charity along the way.. which brings me to my next section.

Why I chose Chasing the Stigma;

I have done a few challenges over the years for charities and I like to make a point of choosing charities that not only stand out to me personally, but that are very relevant to the people in my life. Mental health is something that’s easy to neglect and overlook because it’s not a visible illness. When the UK got put into the first lockdown, I was on an Island for a few months in Scotland, pretty much unaffected. When I came back to my hometown of Lincolnshire, I noticed a difference in people, my family, my friends, strangers on the street. The general tone and mood was glum and down. They had all suddenly become more honest about their true mental state and had begun to answer questions like “How are you today” with details of their daily mental struggles instead of a simple, and convenient "I’m fine”. It absolutely shocked me to realise how much the ones I love were struggling, mentally, and reminded me of my own struggles. My reply would be “Why haven’t you talked about it?” (hypocritically, and low key knowing the reason already) they’d all reply with the same reason .. their fear of being judged for it, or being a burden to others. I realised I wanted to help in some way, not only to raise more awareness and increase understanding of mental health but also help people realise they’re not alone and can ask for help without feeling judged. Take one look at Chasing the Stigma's website and you can see how much they value every single aspect of their work and share in these values. My intentions behind this challenge lined up perfectly with their aims and goals as a charity. A perfect choice. They have created something called 'The Hub of Hope’, a mental health app available to everyone. Head over to their website to find out more about Chasing the Stigma and how they can help you, and how you can help them!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my Just Giving page and reading about my story behind taking part in this challenge. I hope you will help by spreading the word or donating towards this challenge and helping me reach my goal!

THIS IS THE WAY. 

“There is always help and there is ALWAYS hope.” - CHASING THE STIGMA 

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.