Last year, on #timetotalk day, I took what felt like a very frightening step and posted about my #obsessivecompulsivedisorder on LinkedIn. I posted about my journey of over a decade, of crisis and intensive treatment, of recovery and of finally thriving in work and in life. In doing so, I was thrilled to be able to raise funds for an amazing #OCD charity.
In the beautiful spirit of #timetotalk, that post set off a chain reaction. I had friends, family, colleagues and even strangers reach out to tell me about their own experiences with mental illness. These were people I had known for years; bright and brilliant and accomplished people who, on the surface, might appear to lead a 'perfect' life.
These conversations surprised me, but they shouldn't have: 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem in the UK each year. 1 in 4 people on the train to work, in the office kitchen, on that Teams call, at that networking event. 1 in 4 of our closest friends, our own family.
That's why I will be fundraising for Mind this year. Mind supports the 1 in 4. Funds go towards helplines that are accessed hundreds of thousands of times each year. They go towards legal support to help people with mental illness understand their rights. They go towards crucial campaigns and peer support groups. They bring us all closer to a world where no one faces a mental health problem alone.
I will start with the The Great Run Company Great Manchester Run 10k in May, but I won't stop there. If you can, please support by donating what you can, or by liking and sharing this post.
https://lnkd.in/eQBMAKYG
#mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthatwork #fundraising #manchester
