Why mental health awareness week is so important

This week is Mental Health Awareness week. This is an important time for most places that are involved with mental health and wellbeing to campaign and spread the word about what they do and how they support people going through struggles.

MHAW is so important to me as it is time for every person to share their stories of their mental health and wellbeing if they’re willing to, to raise awareness. For someone who has struggled themselves in the past it is a good time to remember that you aren’t alone and there’s help available if you need it. Awareness weeks like these are also so important as someone who may be struggling might not know where to go or who to turn to, campaigning throughout these weeks has an increase in numbers of people seeking help and speaking out which ultimately can save lives.

This week for me was a major milestone as I will be turning 20, which I never thought I would reach when I was in crisis 8 years ago and at my lowest. To symbolise this I went and got a semi colon tattoo to commemorate my struggles and the projects I am involved in as an ambassador for MindMate to help improve young people’s mental wellbeing, it is an important time for change due to the rise in young people’s mental health problems so having young people have a site they can access to find out where they can get support is of the upmost importance to me and everyone involved.

“Listening continues life”

Even though mental health awareness week is a brilliant thing to start conversations amongst people, it is also okay to speak out at any point of the year and not just this week if you are needing help with your mental health. It is okay to get help and finally it is okay to not be okay, as long as you get the support you need; people will have been through a similar situation and you are not alone.