These blogs offer advice and tips on how to talk about mental health to friends, colleagues and family. 

They are written by people with personal experiences of mental health problems who, through talking about mental health openly, aim to break down stereotypes and take the taboo out of something that affects people across the country.

Stress and mental illness: Talking about the 'glass ceiling for men'

June 12, 2014

We all know stress.  Most of us have experienced a growing sense of panic for instance when having too much to do all at one time, while deep down we either want to shout in fury or run away.

A real, almost physical change to the body, a chemical rearranging of hormones, transmitters, biochemical connections…

Where does the stigma start? One father's journey with his son

June 11, 2014

I'm Rog, the father of Paul. AC Milan Stefano Brivio Flickr Paul is an ordinary type of guy; he's maybe a little quiet, but he has a job, a car and, during the period I am going to be talking about, everything seemed wonderful. I wasn't giving things a second thought – I had my own job and my own worries.

It's by asking not fixing that people can help the most

April 18, 2014

Everyone knows what a bad day's like. I'd come to the end of my temporary job. I now just had the long commute left; the only part of this job I wouldn't miss. I waited some time in the cold before the bus arrived, and sat on it long enough to just see the pharmacy close its doors at the other end of my journey. I wasn't going to be picking up my prescription today. The shops had shut, so I wasn't going to be able to pick up a drink and a snack to be able to take my next lot of painkillers (it's not advised to take them on an empty stomach).

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