The first time I started experiencing severe mental health problems was when I was in Year 10. I turned round to my teacher, A, and said; “what is the point?” - that’s when I first started opening up about my problems. After I asked him that question, he sat with me for two hours trying to figure out why I asked it. He...
Personal stories about mental health
Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people every year and no one should feel ashamed. By sharing our experiences, together we can end the stigma.
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July 19, 2017
Most would agree that dealing with a mental health issue, whether it big or small, can be exhausting at the best of times. From a personal perspective the biggest problem to overcome is the feeling of being understood. How can you expect to receive complete empathy from others when you're in constant battle with yourself,...
July 17, 2017
One of the many, many, untold and unseen effects of mental illness is what it does to you psychologically, as well as physically. It affects us in ways you wouldn’t imagine. Take depression, for example. People think it’s just being ‘sad’, when it’s actually feelings of severe despondency and dejection. People don’t quite...
July 14, 2017
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This is an illness that I have struggled with for around eight years. Throughout my school days, I began to carry out compulsive hand-washing, checking and routine rituals - this was to manage my anxiety about the strict exam culture, bullying and social pressures. After reading a teen...