It’s often hard to spot when someone is suffering from mental health problems - bipolar disorder, depression or suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean your leg is broken. Despite not immediately obvious, these conditions can close you off in a little dark space without escape, but with dire consequences. 

People try to “get on with it”, as they are often told, to “just stay strong and ignore these imaginary problems”. Unfortunately, I’ve heard these responses far too often and seen way too many people close to me suffering from pain and yearning for help - yet never actually asking for it due to the stigma. Some become depressed, completely discouraged from pursuing their dreams, falling back in work or studies, losing friends and isolating themselves, prone to self-destruction. 

Having myself witnessed this and the 2-3 months’ long waiting list to get into Imperial College’s mental health clinic, I decided to run Brighton Marathon this year to raise funds for mental health charity Mind, who give fantastic support. Mind provides mental health services for vulnerable people and campaigns for better treatment. For instance, an £8 donation would help them run the Mind info-call service that provides lifeline for desperate people, £21 could keep Elefriends, Mind’s online support community, run for an hour - but really every little helps.  

I’d be grateful for your support, which will not only help me complete the my first ever 26.2 miles (target time is 3:45) on April 19th in (hopefully not too) sunny Brighton but also to remind everyone suffering under the weight of their mental problem: 

There is always hope.