This site is mainly devoted to a series of “challenges” I have been undertaking since the start of 2014 to try and raise mental health awareness; to encourage people to talk, and show that it is fine to ask for help…
I have suffered from a chronic, but thankfully mild form of depression called dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) for over 40 years. It took me many years to realise I needed help … and several more to find the strength to ask for it. I was diagnosed with “depression” in 2004, but my actual condition wasn’t identified for another decade.
Although I still suffer symptoms on a daily basis, so many aspects of my life have improved since I started sharing my experiences and speaking openly about my condition. That is partly down to the initial support from my GP; having a loving family and supportive friends makes a huge difference too; but my recovery has also been helped by taking on various “challenges” since the start of 2014.
I’ve now completed over 100 tasks. In many cases I’ve needed to ask for help, more often than not from someone I didn’t know well – if at all … just as it was when I first sat down in front of my GP.
As a result, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to meet some truly inspiring people, share some memorable experiences, and push myself both physically and emotionally to continually reinforce the mental health message that you should never be afraid to ask for help - you never know how much you might be able to achieve if you do…
I have suffered from a chronic, but thankfully mild form of depression called dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) for over 40 years. It took me many years to realise I needed help … and several more to find the strength to ask for it. I was diagnosed with “depression” in 2004, but my actual condition wasn’t identified for another decade.
Although I still suffer symptoms on a daily basis, so many aspects of my life have improved since I started sharing my experiences and speaking openly about my condition. That is partly down to the initial support from my GP; having a loving family and supportive friends makes a huge difference too; but my recovery has also been helped by taking on various “challenges” since the start of 2014.
I’ve now completed over 100 tasks. In many cases I’ve needed to ask for help, more often than not from someone I didn’t know well – if at all … just as it was when I first sat down in front of my GP.
As a result, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to meet some truly inspiring people, share some memorable experiences, and push myself both physically and emotionally to continually reinforce the mental health message that you should never be afraid to ask for help - you never know how much you might be able to achieve if you do…
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I’ve lived in the north-east of England all my life. I work within the NHS, but spend quite a lot of my spare time researching my family history. I enjoy watching classic Doctor Who, and listening to punk/new wave music; and for some reason I’m unable to explain, I collect cigarette cards featuring the 1930’s Hollywood actress Jean Harlow. I have had a lifelong love of sport, particularly cricket (which I attempted to play for many years), rugby league (which I didn't), netball and the Olympic Games.
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