I was really happy to read this recent post from Mind saying that there has been a surge in the number of people who feel less alone in dealing with their struggles with mental health with over 30% feeling less alone which is an apparent rise of 22% since a similar poll in 2016.
One of my main aims for this site is to try and help to encourage people to feel more comfortable in talking about their challenges and I have personally noticed a significant increase in discussion around the topic over the last few years and that has certainly helped me to be more open. I still feel like there is a long way to go and that there are still some generational barriers and stereotypes but it is definitely a step in the right direction!
Having gone through a bit of a shaky period myself over the past few months, I sent an email to a group of colleagues to explain some of the problems I was having and to thank them for their patience.
I was both incredibly touched by the responses I received and also surprised by the number of people who replied sharing details of their own stories. I feel like this kind of exchange not only helps everyone feel more comfortable in talking but also brings us closer as a company and makes us stronger as a team.
This is particularly important to me as mental illness is often seen as a weakness but when people share and come together it can in some ways become a strength.