Could you tell me a time you reached out?

Recently one of my closest friends from school reached out to me and opened up about his mental health. He didn’t go into great detail or make it out as a big thing, he simply mentioned he had been in a dark place recently but he was getting the help and support he needed. I didn’t know how to feel at first. Then I reflected just on the fact he had reached out and opened up to me, it was inspiring. His honesty and bravery to reach out really took me back, as although there is a huge push now for men to talk more about their mental health, I’d never experienced it firsthand.

This made me think deeply about opening up to others and the role friends play in supporting us when we’re struggling. Even though my friend and I were not anyway near as close as we were when at school 5 years ago, he was still able to reach out. I think that’s what friendship is all about - It’s not about being there everyday but being there the day they need you - whether that be just a quick phone call, text, coffee or a more in-depth open conversation altogether. My friends openness and the casualness in which he told me, encouraged me to have conversations with other friends who I knew might be struggling. We didn’t make it a big thing, just a simple open conversation. Again, it amazed me how straightforward and normal the conversation went. I think that’s the thing with mental health, internally we build It up to be something too big to mention, when in reality, between friends, it’s the opposite.

My friend then opened up and shared that he had started a blog, called “Tell me a time…”. I opened the link he sent and was blown away. I think this blog is a brilliant platform for individuals to open up and share their experiences, in an unpressurised and warm environment. Every post tells a different a story from a different perspective, and I really enjoyed reading the other entries. The process of writing my own post was hugely rewarding and evoked some much needed self-reflection. I would strongly encourage you to write your own entry and help this amazing blog to continue growing.