It’s Mental Health Awareness week here in the UK, while the whole month of May is devoted to Mental Health Awareness Month over in the US. I thought it would be only fair to chip in with my experience surrounding this topic. I, like many others, have experienced the depths of misery mental health issues can bring into one’s life.

The rate of mental health cases are drastically rising. A long year of lockdowns has impacted so many. Statistics show that depression symptoms in adults have doubled by January 2021 compared to pre-pandemic stats. The most vulnerable among them - young adults, especially young women.

I will be posting my stories, both here and on my Instagram account @dinafromtheblock, to bring awareness to this still stigmatized topic, and to hopefully give some hope to people currently struggling. Let’s dive into it!

‘You are the last person out of the whole year I would think is dealing with this’ - said my Senior Tutor in a quirky tone a few years back while I was studying. A sentence that left me with a lot of mixed feelings. I was called in to her office to discuss a notable drop in my attendance. The reason behind my attendance drop was depression. I had no will to eat, no will to be awake, and quite frankly, no will to live. I actually wished I somehow disappeared from the face of the Earth. To be gone and forgotten, to be no more. So naturally, I found it extremely hard to show my face in classes. It almost seemed trivial. 

“The way you presented your project was so confident and strong, I could never tell.’ She continued referring to a presentation a few months before, where I presented in front of the whole year on the theatre stage. The backstory - I presented while having a full-on panic attack. I couldn’t even bear to be present in the theatre while other groups presented. I spent the whole morning pacing up and down the corridor outside of the theatre until it was my turn to climb onto the stage. Once it was my turn to present, all I could think about while sounding out my well-prepared words was 'please don’t throw up now in front of everyone and make a fool of yourself' while all eyes were on me. (My panic attacks manifested strongly with physical symptoms of feeling sick in my stomach.)

I’ve been met with similar sentences of surprise ever since, whenever I brought my struggles to light. That taught me two things: 1) I was really good at putting a ‘strong’ front, and 2) You can never, ever, tell what people are going through in their private life. So be nice to everyone! 

Anixety, depression and panic. Depression, panic and then anxiety - if we’re naming them in the order they came about in my life. The big trio that arrived announced to colour my 20s, to put a little twist to the fun years. I went from being massively uninformed about these to getting to know them really well.

I am feeling much better at the moment. It is not to say there are no bad days. But even the worst of the days now are incredibly better than my best days a few years back. I wanted to share my story as one of the things that I found most helpful at my worst was hearing other people’s experiences. Finding proof that it does get better, no matter how dark your life might feel at the moment. It is, however, important to seek professional help if you are experiencing symptoms. In the UK you can get free therapy through the NHS (though the wait can be painfully long). I highly recommend private therapy if you can afford it, it truly is the best investment you can make for yourself.

List of UK charities you might find helpful:

Samaritans

Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
116 123 (free 24-hour helpline)
www.samaritans.org.uk

Mind
Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.
0300 123 3393 (Mon to Fri, 9am - 6pm)
www.mind.org.uk

PAPYRUS
Young suicide prevention society.
HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (9am to midnight, every day of the year)
www.papyrus-uk.org

Anxiety UK
Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition.
03444 775 774 (Mon to Fri, 9.30am - 5.30pm)
www.anxietyuk.org.uk

CALM
CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably. A charity providing a mental health helpline and webchat.
0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)
www.thecalmzone.net

Mental Health Foundation
Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
www.mentalhealth.org.uk

No Panic
Voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Offers a course to help overcome your phobia or OCD.
0300 772 9844 (daily, 10am - 10pm)
www.nopanic.org.uk

Rethink Mental Illness
Support and advice for people living with mental illness.
0300 5000 927 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am - 4pm)
www.rethink.org

SANE
Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers. 
www.sane.org.uk/support

YoungMinds
Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.
0808 802 5544 (Mon - Fri, 9.30am - 4pm)
www.youngminds.org.uk