Introduction.
This blog is dedicated to mental health, what the causes are and the people directly affected by it. To help promote better mental health, raise more awareness and help those without a voice struggling on their own to show them there are more options available.
First of all who are we? We are DRM, an organisation that raises awareness and reduces stigma for mental health. We sell clothing that supports mental health, put on events & fundraisers to create safe spaces for people to talk and engage in conversations. We have been directly affected by mental health issues, founder Bill lost his younger brother Ollie to suicide in 2014. "Losing Ollie came out of the blue for me, and is the most difficult thing i've had to come to terms with. That journey and the experiences i've had, if I can share that to help anyone else, so they don't have to go through the same thing I have."
In this first episode we’d like to get into what mental health is and why it’s important. The dictionary says “A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being” okay right, so it covers psychological which is your mind, emotional your feelings and your social which is your connection and inclusion to the world around you, those things added together making up your mental wellbeing or health. It affects how you act, think and feel and this in turn affects how you make your choices, relate to others and handle stress. Maintaining your mental health is important through life from childhood to adolescence to avoid illness or more severe conditions.
We spoke to a few people about why mental health awareness is important, these are their thoughts. Trilock (Left) said "Most People don't know how to recognise the symptoms" While David (Right) said "People don't understand it or know how to deal with it".
What are the causes of mental health issues, they really do range from all aspects of day-to-day life and different people react differently to each situation. Which is why it is important when reacting to how a friend or family member is feeling, or acting about something that might not concern you as much, it is always important to try to be as supportive as possible as even small gestures can make a world of difference. Causes include but are not limited to childhood traumas, social isolation, loneliness, passing of somebody close to you, severe or long-term stress, unemployment or job lose, social disadvantages, long term health condition and drug and alcohol abuse are just some of the causes of mental health issues.
The importance of mental health is very underestimated due to the lack of knowledge and awareness, which really makes the stigma that surrounds it. In 2015, 6,188 suicides were recorded in the UK(1), with it coming to light of the issues it causes resources are now being made available to help reduce not just suicides but all mental health issues in general. With physical health having obvious signs on a person and mental health mostly kept hidden away, you can see why we need to come together to improve this in our society. Issues may be closer than you think, I have come to notice that a lot more people around me have struggled with mental health issues. This shouldn’t be the case, isn’t it heartbreaking when you think, how many people have you witness come out with issues you never expected. For me it’s something that has really showed me that’s there is a gap in support, if you break your leg you don’t hide it and try to carry on, so why should it be the same if there is a problem in your mind? There isn’t because your mind matters. Now you know why this blog exists, in the next few blogs we are going to look at different issues and some super people who are willing to share their stories to help other people.
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