If you are struggling don't feel ashamed to admit it and, please, speak to someone. It is not weakness to admit that you're not okay – it's the opposite, it's the strongest thing you can do.
If you're not struggling then please listen, without judgement, without preconceptions. It can be tough but it's the best thing you could do and might just save a life.
It's good that the conversation about mental health has taken the position it needs and deserves over the past year but it's disappointing that it has taken a global pandemic to truly make that happen.
We are approaching the next phase of restrictions being eased in England and, as we approach normality, I fear that the focus on mental health will be reduced as though being able to go to the pub means that you're okay again. That's not how it works.
This past year has caused more people to experience issues and given a lot more still an insight into the problems faced by those who suffer from mental health problems. I can only hope that this insight changes things on a long term basis.
There should now be no reason for any kind of stigma attached to any mental health issues after what everyone has been living through (not that there should have been anyway) so there is no excuse for the conversation to recede and be a taboo subject again. We cannot afford for short-termism with people thinking that once the pandemic has passed it's no longer something they need to worry about.
It is based on a formula calculating the impact of weather, time since Christmas, time since those failed new year's resolutions, and debt.
But it's nonsense and has been debunked and derided so many times but keeps reappearing.
The term (and formula) was created back in 2005 as part of an advertising campaign for a travel company. Hey! You're blue, book a holiday and cheer yourself up.
Yeah, right.
It may be complete rubbish but it can serve as a reminder to check in with ourselves, and others, to ensure that we are taking steps to improve our mental health or to just let someone know that we're there for them.
