In March 2018, a week before my 21st birthday, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. The doctor also told me I was in recovery from bulimia, but still showing signs of the behaviours associated with it.
Today, any of my friends would tell you that I am more than happy to talk about mental health openly and without shame. In fact, it's one of my favourite topics of conversation, and I think sometimes people might wish I would give it a rest. But I refuse to stop talking about it, because I know exactly how much impact a single conversation can have, and what it feels like to struggle alone in silence.
Starting a conversation about mental health can feel scary, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m sure there are many times we have all noticed that somebody doesn’t seem quite themselves but haven’t known how to approach them. There is no ‘one size fits all’ formula for a successful sharing session, but there are some things that you can do to make the process feel a little bit easier for you and the other people involved.
We all want to be good friends who are there for the people we care about. We might be worried about a mate, or want to check in with a colleague, but starting conversations that seem ‘deep’ or potentially emotional can be daunting.
Here are 5 tips for starting conversations about mental health that you might find helpful this Time to Talk Day.
