Talking About World Mental Health Day Isn’t the Hard Part
Opening up about your mental health is – here’s how it gets easier
I’m here to talk about World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2024. But talking about the day itself *isn’t* the challenging part…
Mental health banger-onner
Anyone who’s been following me for a while (or has read my LinkedIn bio) knows I’m a confessed mental health banger-onner (read: unqualified but obsessive).
But what makes me so interested in mental health (MH) that I’d graffiti the words all over my professional biography?
After a little hesitation, I'm here to tell you my story [said in voice of earnest podcast host].
My story (so far and in a nutshell)
Back in 2014, I found myself feeling like I’d run out of… ah fuck, *everything*. Steam, energy, giving a shit about anything… It was like I was running a race but the finish line was always a mile ahead in front of me. And I felt like a very square peg in a very round hole.
Although I didn’t know it at the time, I was having a mental breakdown. What did this look like?
🖤 Crying all the time
🖤 Sleeping too much
🖤 Feeling like I don’t belong
🖤 Thinking about the past *a lot*
🖤 Feeling guilt and shame
🖤 Unable to deal with my relationship
🖤 And more
Where did I go from there?
Long story short, I was referred by my GP to a CBT therapist - scratched some surfaces, learnt some brain tricks.
After that, I went to group CBT - terrifying but ultimately gratifying, good to get perspective on my own problems.
Then I saw a counsellor on the NHS for about 10 weeks - now we’re talking! Getting to learn about myself, my life and why I feel like I do.
And now?
Kate Nilski's helpful reminder about World Mental Health Day 2024
Now, I see a private counsellor, and have done for about 4 years - amazing, chat about anything and everything, don’t know what she does but it’s magic.
And because I love research (hey, I’m a copywriter) I love to do my own research into all the issues that affect me or have touched my life.
So, while I’m not qualified on paper, I have a MH journey of my own and have picked up tons of knowledge on the way.
MH is something that I feel so strongly about, I could (and do) talk about it all day long.
So, I hope that by sharing some of my experiences, you might feel inspired to talk as well.
Go on, what feels brave to talk about now will feel sooo normal later.
In mental healthiness on 10th October and always — because mental health matters,
Kate
Self-appointed mental health writer