How I opened up to the world about my mental health

Submitted by Emms / Instagram: @_bipolar_bear_x

I started being more open about my mental health in 2018 when I moved teams at work.

I remember receiving a referral for CBT and filling out some of the paperwork before my session. The guy I sit next to asked what I was doing and I thought to myself ‘I’m just going to be honest and see what happens’.

I explained that I was going to be having therapy and he kindly asked me what he could do to help. I was so surprised at that reaction and felt so happy. I just said that when I come into work following therapy, I may be quiet for a few hours afterwards but that’s pretty normal and hoped he didn’t think I was being rude, and to also feed me (which we both laughed about).

As I arrived into work following the CBT session; I felt drained. A lot of people asked why I was going into work and not home and I explained that I wanted to keep myself busy, otherwise I would risk going into a depressive episode.

I sat at my desk and was quiet, as I thought I would be. The guy I sit next to didn’t say a word but just slid a tin of biscuits over from his desk to mine and carried on working.

I remember sitting there with the biggest smile on my face. I was so happy that I’d gone into work as I felt so much better, but I was also so happy that I’d been open about what was going on.

From then on, I decided that I was going to just be fully open and honest about my mental health, and it’s without a doubt the best thing I ever did. The support I get from work, my friends and even online is incredible and I am just so grateful everyday.

So, if I can offer anyone a single piece of advice, it’s to be as open and honest as you can be about your mental health – you may just be surprised with the response you get.