The last few years have been a bit of a wild ride.

COVID forced everyone inside starving us of basic social interactions and creating bizarre new anxieties around what world we would return to.

Once "normality" resumed we saw our energy bills double, a food shop at Tesco suddenly looked a bit more like Waitrose, and rent / mortgages became much more expensive. A whole new raft of challenges which has weighed on people's mental health.

Throw in some FOMO from watching the insta-rich on social media and a war or two, and we start to realise the importance of preserving our mental health.

But the resulting strain on our healthcare system has never been more pronounced. NHS waiting lists to see a psychologist for critical care are in some cases years long. There aren't enough beds for inpatient care. Access to a private professional is a luxury few can afford. And basic preventative systems are not obvious.

Mental health impacts everyone either directly or indirectly. Like everyone else I go through my own personal struggles as i juggle work, friends, family, and raising an active toddler (see him in the picture grabbing what little hair I have left? another anxiety..).

I also see this more than most every day through my wife, who dedicates her life to improving the mental health of others. Every day she supports children and their families in Scotland who are going through the most unimaginable pain and circumstance as they undergo treatment for cancer and rare diseases.

Unfortunately there aren't nearly enough people like my wife in the world.

But there is something we can all do to help...

Charities like SAMH step in to provide a critical support system of care, community work, campaigning, and lots more, to help people suffering directly or indirectly from poor mental health across the whole of Scotland. I'm hoping to raise £2024 for SAMH by running in the 2024 Loch Ness Marathon.

If any of what I've said resonates with you, please donate as little or as much as you can. Your money will go far - and hopefully so will I!