I am ONE

Mental Health illness has always been the forgotten killer and silent destroyer of life. Where 1 in 4 adults will face a Mental Health Crisis this can be psychosis or depression to full blown schizophrenia. More alarming 1 in 5 children could suffer from a mental health crisis.

The hardest battle anyone will face when someone is battling depression or any illness is when they are ready to ask for help and if they want help. The stigma is still attached to any kind of illness not just mental health. The association to mental health is the stigma where you can be seen as a weaker person, or seen that the illness is in fact in “their own mind” when reality is it can come from many factors. Environmental & cultural.

Well whilst I type this and try to make sense of my own mind and my own issue I have to admit I am 1 in 4. I am the one who has and is battling a mental health illness who has had to accept the help and support from others but also admit I am not beating this disease alone and need additional support of medication and psychological support.  I have battled Depression since I was 20 years old. And had my battles and have fought and thought I had won at the time. But it was a subdued cloud. I won’t go into my past where today the images across the media of a child found drowned takes the nation.

I decided while I battle this disease I will blog and keep a memory of what is going on with the honest truth. Sharing the Good days the Bad days and the ugly part of depression including the side effects of being medicated. But I do need to stress this isn’t about drawing attention to me. This is about awareness and trying to help remove the stigma that people have said to me but also my own stigma that I have put on myself with the feeling of failure. With this blog I will admit here and now that this blog could go dark and it could become foggy before there is light and happy memories.

It has taken me 5 days to accept and admit this is a long battle and it won’t be easy it is going to be hard and difficult and I might not be me for a long long time. But reality is I haven’t been me for an extremely long time. Very few people know the true me and I won’t describe myself here as everyone has their own perspective of who or what I am. As right now I am on day 1.

To anyone who is going or joining this journey, a quote I have read and seen in many different way and formats.

Never Never Never GIVE UP
Winston Churchill

Thank you for following this blog and the support. If you are struggling and are unsure talk to someone talk to the closest person and talk. You arent weak for saying you need help, you are strong and will be even stronger.

#IamONE

Alex