Keeping a positive mindset

Below are some facts and figures about one of the most prominent mental illnesses worldwide; depression.

• Depression is the most predominant mental health problem in the world.
• In 2013, depression was the second leading cause of years lived with a disability worldwide.
• In 2014, 19.7% of people in the UK aged 16 and over showed symptoms of depression or anxiety.

My experience with this?  A couple of months ago I realised that I had lost interest in some of the things that I used to love. Normally, these were activities I would never miss out on, but suddenly I started not to care.  For me, that was the biggest insight to noticing something was wrong emotionally. At school I would feel distant from my friends. It felt like they didn’t want me there and, as I walked home from school, I felt  a weight on my shoulders from the day, not because my bag was heavy but because I knew that what I was thinking was wrong and that something needed to be done about it. With these incidents in mind I started to research some sort of explanation to my feeling, and after more research, more feelings of self doubt, emptiness and no hope If you’re in a similar situation? As hard as it’ll seem and as cliche as this sounds you are NOT alone. There are so many people around you to offer support and guidance. One in four people suffer with a mental health illness. There are so many more people than you can imagine who are struggling with a similar battle. It is okay to ask for help.

If you’re not ready to talk to someone you know face to face, there are many helplines available which can be great way to express how you feel to someone who won’t judge you, but will help to ease that feeling away. Here are some if you need it;

• Samaritans - Call: 116 123
  
• Depression Alliance - www.depressionalliance.org
• Mental Health Foundation - www.mentalhealth.org.uk
• Sane - Call: 0300 304 7000 - www.sane.org.uk/support

Remember that you are stronger than you believe. You are amazing. You are beautiful. And remember, nothing is impossible and even the word itself says ‘I’m possible’.

Yaz