This year I am growing a tache for Movember to promote awareness and understanding around men’s mental health.

I am a man and I’ll be first to say I’ve never quite understood my mind, how it works, and why it does or doesn’t do certain things. I often get sad, anxious, scared, or stuck in my own head with obsessive thoughts that don’t seem to make much sense. My mind is great at jumping from one thought to the next, drawing conclusions without factual evidence, obsessing over the smallest details and catastrophising. I rarely get why.

However, through working with professionals, talking to friends and working on myself, I’ve learnt that’s ok.

It was my first year at uni when I first reached out to a therapist. I was quickly diagnosed with a “depressive episode” within one consultation and offered medication to overcome it, which I rejected. 8 years, 4 different therapists, and a few other diagnosis of anxiety/depressive episodes later, I’m still working on my mind. I haven’t yet got a diagnosis to make me make sense of it all, but I’ve realised I don’t need to (for now at least). I’ve learnt new routines that work for my head. I’ve discovered sobriety, acts of service, mindfulness, yoga, journaling, and many more. I’ve learnt to be more open and vulnerable. I’ve learnt to talk to those close to me, as they’re always there to listen. I’m so grateful for my friends and family for always being there. ❤️ I’ve learnt mental health is (at least for me) a continuous process with no set end date in sight. And I’m ok with it. I’ve learnt it’s ok not to be ok.

So this year I’m doing Movember to do my part towards breaking some of the stigma around men’s mental health. Next year, I’ll be running Bath Half on behalf of Mind to help them empower anyone experiencing mental health struggles. In doing so, I hope to raise £500 for their great cause. If you wish to support me, you can click the link in my bio.

Thank you for reading and being there for me or anyone else struggling. If you are reading this and need help, don’t hesitate to reach out for it. Talking is a great tool. Therapy is another.

And remember: there’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.