It was just six years ago that I first went to my GP about my mental health. The first time I went, I walked out because I couldn’t speak the words I so desperately wanted to say.  The second time, I went with just a few sentences on a small bit of paper that I passed to the doctor... “I’m struggling, I can’t find a way out no matter what I do or try.  I’ve felt like this for years, but I can’t cope no more”. 

The GP was so understanding to the point where I broke down because of the relief that I’d finally been able to say how I felt, without feeling judged or looked down on. 

Before that encounter with the doctor, I’d never spoken to anyone about how I was feeling. I always saw my own mental health as less important than other peoples. It’s amazing how one conversation changed my life... I suppose we’d be here all day if I went in to detail. 

At the age of 27, I finally had the courage and the qualifications to go to university to pursue whatever I wanted. After a fantastic first year, I went back home and my mental health deteriorated quickly. After coming back to start my second year, I struggled to get back in to the swing of things and I wasn’t enjoying the things I know I love doing. 

I received an e-mail from UCLan Students' Union talking about Time to Change and that they were setting up a Champions Group. I’m not going to lie, I don’t think I’d come across Time to Change before then. After reading up on the project, I signed up to be a Champion and started getting involved in the planning for Time to Talk Day.

Getting involved with the planning of events had been something I’d not previously done. I’d been involved in helping on events, but never from setting up the event to eventually delivering it. From the outset, I started to volunteer for various tasks within the planning of Time to Talk Day, from taking minutes for meetings, writing articles, delivering a workshop for students and promoting the event as an elephant and on social media.

Yes, I did say elephant... As a way of promoting the events that were taking place at our Time to Talk event, I volunteered to walk around campus in an elephant onesie.  It was an extremely interesting experience and highlighted to me just why I was involved with Time to Change. Although I’m visually impaired, it was even obvious to me that people were staring at the “elephant in the room”, but very few stopped and questioned why. 

After getting a few laughs from a group of students and a heart warming conversation with an elderly student, I realised that having a conversation is the most important step to combating mental health stigma and discrimination. 

I know these are the key points of Time to Change but it was due to walking around campus that made me have that self-realisation that “you may look a fool dressed like this but at least it’s getting people talking”.

Reflecting upon Time to Talk Day itself, I feel it went really well. Although most were enticed by the free tea and cake, the conversations that arose from it were well worth it.  Throughout the day, there was plenty of people walking past, showing interest in what we were offering, with plenty of pledges attached to the board.  My pledge was to “keep talking”. 

Time to Change has made me think about how I view mental health and the full impact just having a chat can do – it may just be a general conversation, talking specifically about mental health or helping somebody who just needs a friendly voice to help them to combat their own demons. 

Now that I’ve graduated from university, I’m looking forward to supporting another group or hub where ever I am.  My journey to being open started with a conversation, it may not work for everyone but I’m hoping to at least give it a try.

It was just a conversation that allowed my life to begin, again.