Save the date - 6th February

You may have heard that 6th February is Time to Talk Day, which, in short, is a day designated to talk about mental health.  It is the first day that I can recall where a group of charities have got together to raise the profile of de-stigmatising issues surrounding mental health.  This is the day where you can have a conversation about it, whether it be with a friend or family member, or even someone you know who perhaps doesn't know about your experiences with mental health.  That is the biggest challenge, and ultimately what the aim of the day should be.  

Save the date

It's so refreshing and reassuring that the Time to Change campaign is grabbing the stigma that still exists in society by the scruff of the neck.  

I have always found it difficult to talk about my experiences with anxiety.  In getting my new job, at no point have I brought up anxiety or the journey I've been on.  I hate it, but I still think 'what if they judge me by it' or 'what if they think that I can't do the job?'  All this, really, is me stigmatising other people rather than the way round, or at least, being prejudice by assuming the people in the team won't understand it or will form opinions around it.  But the fact that I am feeling this is the problem - experiencing a mental health problem should be something that people can talk about and, even if the recipient of your experiences do not understand what you have been through, they should at least not judge you by it.  But the fact I assume they will is wrong.

But is the potential impact on my job worth telling them?  Just in case my prejudice reaction is the right reaction?  Because again, that's just it - you don't know.  

There are only a select few people who I have talked to about my experiences.  The vast majority of them have also experienced some level of mental health problem too, which is perhaps unsurprising.  But even to this day I have only ever told people I vehemently trust and who I'm closest to.  It usually takes me years of knowing someone before I tell them, unless I'm left with no choice as was the case once at work when I had a panic attack and had no choice but to tell my boss.  Needless to say, it went well.

So the more people who talk about it, the better.  The more people who show the minority that mental health problems are normal and are something that many people experience the better.  We aren't unusual or abnormal.  We are strong, powerful individuals who, despite experiencing times of hell, have come out the other side to fight another day.  

So it truly is #TimetoTalk, to show the world what we're made of.

Bring on February 6th.

Best wishes
Al