Before the pandemic began, one of my closest friends attempted to take his own life. I remember sitting with him in the hospital after it happened, my head filled with questions all starting with “why… ?”
I didn’t know if he could hear me or if he was actually there or not.
I tried to remain hopeful, but after a while, we all had to accept he was no longer with us.
It didn’t happen straightaway – with fantastic care from our NHS and The Dean Neurological Centre, he fought for 18 months, eight of which were through lockdown. On the 30th November 2020, he eventually lost his life.
With government restrictions firmly in place we held an intimate funeral service for family and close friends. The devastation of laying to rest someone so close to your heart is something so many people have gone through this past year.
It’s why the conversation around Meghan Markle having suicidal thoughts resonated with me so much, and it’s why I knew I had to accept the offer to lead Metro.co.uk’s news coverage for Mental Health Awareness Week.
As guest news editor, I’m hoping to shine a light on the stories that didn’t make the headlines this year.
For example, have you ever wanted to escape the perils of social media and head to the countryside? I think we all must have done at least once over lockdown. That’s why, in line with the Mental Health Foundation’s theme of nature for their MHAW this year, we wanted to tell you about a fantastic youth project that is helping young Black and minority ethnic people do exactly that, while also looking at how climate change is impacting our mental health
Moving away from how nature effects our wellbeing, we have a hard-hitting piece that investigates why half of young people who define as LGBT+ have an anxiety disorder.
We’re also speaking with families touched by suicide over lockdown – an issue close to my heart – and the NHS workers on the frontline helping them.
Starting conversations around mental health is something I’ve been doing for years. Whether that’s with ITV’s Get Britain Talking campaign or telling my thoughts to the nation on Good Morning Britain.
But I’ve become more and more mindful, especially over the past year, that not everyone has someone they can talk to.
While the pandemic is not over, it’s my hope that what we’ve all been through with coronavirus can actually bring us together.
Or, at the very least, make those conversations around mental health a little bit easier.
Because at some point in the last 12 months, probably all of us have had a moment or two, or maybe more, of just feeling down.
If we can recognise we have been through that, then hopefully, we’ll be open to a much bigger conversation about mental health, and support the people who need it the most.
MORE : Lack of support is wrecking the mental health of working mothers
MORE : Nearly half of young women experienced depression during the most recent lockdown
Metro.co.uk MHAW Takeover
This year, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Metro.co.uk has invited eight well-known mental health advocates to take over our site.
With a brilliant team that includes Alex Beresford, Russell Kane, Frankie Bridge, Anton Ferdinand, Sam Thompson, Scarlett Moffatt, Katie Piper and Joe Tracini, each of our guest editors have worked closely with us to share their own stories, and also educate, support and engage with our readers.
If you need help or advice for any mental health matter, here are just some of the organisations that were vital in helping us put together our MHAW Takeover:
To contact any of the charities mentioned in the Metro.co.uk MHAW Takeover click here
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