taking (fifty) five for time to talk day...

If you are very active on social media, especially Twitter (I say Twitter because that is the only social media I use...ok & Instagram but that is more photos than words) you will know that today is Time To Talk Day, created by Time To Change. The idea of this years Time To Talk Day is to take five minutes out of your day to have a conversation about mental health. So here goes,lets...

 TAKE FIVE TO BLOG...
(If you know me, you'll know this will take more than five minutes! I just can't seem to stay quiet for long...or stop typing)

I'm a little bit in love with my hair like this (certainly not my face) so I just had to take a photo...sorry, I'm not sorry :P

My name is...Anna and I have experienced...anxiety & panic attacks.
My mental illness has affected my...'normal' life.
My greatest source of support has been...my mum, my doctor, my therapist (second one!) & my friends I've made online.
My hope for the future is that...we can live in a world where more people talk openly about mental health, oh & filled with fun filled trips to meet my online friends!


Ooooh, an added extra bit from the fifty 'five' minutes...aren't you just so lucky? ;)

In the town I live in, you wouldn't even think today was a day to raise awareness for mental health. Today I saw two posters...two! (that was obviously before I took matters into my own hands & took a little bit of action). I think that is absolutely shocking & just proves that we still live in a society where mental health isn't spoken about. The two posters that I saw where actually in a Mind shops window, well I'm glad they got on board. Even when I was sat in the doctors surgery today you wouldn't even think it was Time To Talk Day, not a poster or leaflet in sight.

When I received my package in the post at the beginning of the week I just knew I had to do something, I was planning on setting up again in my parents shop but they are so quiet at the minute it is silly so I thought I'd do something a little different.

I created a poster in the form of a letter & headed out into my local town to see where I could get these placed. Yesterday I headed to the doctors surgery & left my letter poster & some leaflets too. In all honesty the fact of it had to be approved by someone else did put me off a little & scared me too. Then today rolled around & I had a little bit of courage.

Firstly I did whack two posters in my parents shop window & then added my letter poster too. Then I headed into Mind to see if I could add to their collection in the window, turns out it couldn't go in the window but it could go in the changing room. That is fine by me, atleast it is up.

Afterwards I headed to see my friend who works in an independent store (independent ones are the ones where it is a simple answer, they don't have to ask someone higher up). Luckily she was super lovely (as always), she let me leave one of my letter posters, leaflets, pens & even ended up wearing one of the badges herself. I was proud of her, because I used to be a little scared to wear the badge in public incase people questioned it. (hello stigma?)

Next stop, the library...that was a success, I left my letter poster & a few leaflets behind too.

Next up, the dentists...at first I was scared to ask so I made out I needed to book an appointment (I kind of did too, maybe a little early) so out I tootled but then I kept stopping in the street & questioning myself so I ended up going back & leaving a few leaflets in the waiting area...the word is being spread!

Final stop in town was to a lovely little handbag & accessories shop, independent again...luckily the owner was kind enough to read & say yes to putting up my letter poster, hoooorrrraaaayyyyy!

After all of this I went & had a little catch up with my therapist who actually found out about today through me, how crazy is that?! She was so impressed with my work & she ended up taking two of my letter posters to show higher up in her company & to put up in the reception (yayyyy). I created two, one for windows/noticeboards & one that I could leave leaflets with...yes, I was that organised.

Well, that is how I spent my day...how did you spend yours?
Have you taken five to blog?
Please leave me a comment if you have or send me a tweet, tweet! :)

2 comments

  1. Blimey, you were a busy bee!!
    The stigma that still exists around mental health issues is really worrying, it's only by talking about it and sharing our experiences that we can really start to understand it better.
    Well done on doing so so much more than 'your bit'.
    And your hair does look magnificent up there ^^
    M x

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    1. indeed I was :) without a doubt! I'm really hoping people will read my letter poster & then in the same breathe I'm pooing myself incase people do read it :/
      thank you Michelle :) <3 xxx

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