Mental Health Awareness Week is a perfect time to open up if you're ready to

Telling those closest to you that you're suffering can feel like one of the most overwhelming and intense experiences, but the relief that comes after is indescribable.

Confiding in my friends about the multiple issues I've had in the past has helped me through everything. Knowing I'm not alone in my mental health journey is one of the main reasons I'm still here today.

As Mental Health Awareness Week continues, I wanted to talk about one thing that really helped me a lot when I was suffering from suicidal ideation last year.

There are so many things that got me through that dark time in my life, but nothing helped me quite as much as my closest friends. Knowing people still cared about me and loved me, despite all I was going through helped me keep my head above water. Feeling supported and even just acknowledged kept me as grounded as possible during that major struggle.

My friends were one of the main reasons I found the strength to stay and the reason I'm still alive today.

"It takes a lot of trust and strength to tell your friends that you’re struggling"

No matter how bad things felt or how mentally unwell I was, I just held on to that feeling, that sense of belonging and it's the reason I'm still here.

I'm very privileged to have the support network that I do but opening up to those you love about your issues isn't easy. It takes a lot of trust and strength to tell your friends that you're struggling or to even tell them you need them.

You don't want to feel like a nuisance, a bother, or a problem, but sometimes you do. And that's not because of the people you're reaching out to, it's because sometimes anxiety can fool you into thinking you don't deserve help, but everyone does.

One thing that helped me open up to my loved ones was talking to them on the phone. I know it isn't as common as it once was and the thought of even calling the local takeaway makes some people want to cry, but talking on the phone made my bad days better.

Call your friends this Mental Health Awareness Week

It wasn't going to make all of my problems and worries disappear but for half an hour (or two hours sometimes) I felt safe and secure. The phone calls helped me feel connected to the real world and not the anxious one I was living in.

I was overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts and feeling beyond hopeless, but having a catch-up on the phone with one of my oldest friends helped me see beyond the anxious and dark thoughts.

Something as simple as a phone call helped me realise that I wasn't alone in my struggle. It showed me that people did need me.

It also helped me realise that I was more than my mental health issues. The calls gave me the chance to reconnect with my real world.

Calling a friend is something that costs so little money, but it can make such a big difference for a person in a mental health crisis.

As Mental Health Awareness Week continues, reach out to the people you love. Trust me, it's the least we can do for them and the difference it can make is life-changing.

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