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World Mental Health Day

Here at b**p we are always talking about mental health because we acknowledge that it is one of the most important topics to talk about in 2017.

For years it has been taboo. For years people have shut the mentally ill out of society and pretended that they don’t exist. But now, in the past few years, we are talking about it and it is fair to say that we have witnessed a change.

The change is in the number of people talking about mental illness. Generally, there are a lot more positive voices that we hear out there now, championing the cause. There are people in the public eye who speak about mental illness, like pop star Demi Lovato. There are now members of the Royal Family who speak about mental health.

And the bravest of them all are the ‘ordinary’ people who choose to go public with their stories. The friends who talk about their experience on Facebook, the friends who have dedicated a blog to mental health awareness. The family member who mentions their counselling session last week, the family member who explains their illness to make you understand. The teacher who tells his Year 7 class about his struggles with depression, the teacher who helps children who struggle with their emotions to process them properly.

Anyone who speaks about their mental illness publicly is brave, but there is a certain level of bravery it takes to tell the people you love the most about the issues that are still not fully understood.

So, on this World Mental Health Day, take a moment to appreciate the strong individuals you know who share their stories and struggles. They are heroes.