We need your help to improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health

By Tom Wavre

Why does 1in4 exist? We are motivated by a very simple purpose: To improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health. No more, no less.

To improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health

With such a broad and optimistic vision it would be easy to get lost and struggle to know the best route to that destination. The key comes in remembering it isn’t a destination but a constant journey. Mental ill health will always exist. Stigma will always exist. As such, it is a purpose that can be achieved every single day. But also a purpose where there will always be so much more to be done. A purpose where we can never get complacent and feel that we have achieved all that can be achieved. But also one where the incremental gains made either by one person at a time or on a larger scale, all matter. People matter. Emotions matter. These gains, regardless of how small, MATTER.

Whether we have improved one person’s day, or a thousand, the importance is in keeping going, keeping the faith. We must keep finding new, effective ways to improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health.

HOW do we improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health?

I have lived through my own experience of depression and anxiety. I have also spent time talking with and meeting with many people going through their own unique struggles. With the complexity of the topic, it can be overwhelming to think, how we improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health.

It starts by thinking in smaller terms, and understanding the essence of what it is to be human. What are our needs and basic drivers:

We believe and respect people

Stigma forces people to close down and shut themselves off from others. To counterbalance that it is vital that we demonstrate respect for the individual at all times. It is vital that we never judge someone, that if we catch ourselves doing so, we take a step back and re-evaluate.

We listen

The Samaritans are a perfect example of the importance of truly listening. They offer no advice, they do not try to intervene, they simply listen, with respect. This alone saves countless lives. People need to be listened to, they need to feel they have been heard, understood and respected. We must live the idea of listening to understand and not listening to respond. This is where true meaning and personal growth can be found and where we can truly help and inspire others.

We are inclusive

At heart, people need to belong, it is a primal need built throughout our evolution. Humans are social, pack animals, and so we are inclusive of others, make people feel accepted and trusted. We open our arms and our hearts to them. So often those who struggle with their mental health will say something such as ‘no-one understands’ ‘I don’t have anyone’ ‘I can’t tell anyone these things’. It is that sense of isolation that is so damaging to us as individuals and as a culture. We are here to break that.

We change hearts and change minds

Challenging peoples beliefs around mental health is vital to making the improvements in peoples lives that I talk about. Sometimes this means challenging the beliefs of those who would otherwise use stigma against someone. Sometimes it means challenging the thinking of someone struggling with their mental health. Helping them see their worthiness and strength and what they bring to the world.

Call me a crazy optimist, but I want a world where people do not fear stigma. One where people can open up and talk freely about their mental health, connect with others. One where we are well informed of the facts around mental health. I picture a world where people feel they have a purpose and a sense of belonging which makes people excited about what their life has in store for them. Not one where people are dreading what is in front of them. I picture a world where we live our lives with compassion, care and a desire to understand the other person. Not a black and white world full of judgement.

WHAT do we do to improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health?

I can’t make this vision a reality, only WE can do that. WHY we do what we do and HOW we do it are clear, and fairly easy to come up with. They are natural to who I am as a person, and if you’re still reading perhaps they are to you too. Over time these may be adapted slightly, for example I’m sure there are other very helpful mindsets we can add to HOW we do things, or aspects I believe strongly in but have forgotten to add to the list for now.

WHAT we do to improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health is often the one that causes me the most sleepless nights, the most concern and anxiety. On the flipside though, this is where it can be most exciting, as this is where the change happens. I have a hundred ideas, some good, some I’m sure are awful but I do not have all the answers to WHAT we can do. Some of these ideas I’ve never done, due to lack of expertise or a lack of funds, but these are merely obstacles that collectively we can push past. Additional WHATS can come from those around us, from you reading this, from conversations, from so many different sources.

Currently the focus for WHAT we do at 1in4 to improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health include:

Encourage talking

The website www.iam1in4.com encourages as many people as possible to open up and talk about their mental health, to share their story, their experience, their knowledge, their vulnerabilities. In sharing these, two main things happen: it is cathartic and empowering for the person sharing their story, and it helps those reading feel less alone when they can truly relate to what someone else has written about. It is a comfort to both the person sharing details of their life and to the person reading it.

Peer support

Social media is often cited (often correctly) for doing harm to people’s mental health. However, it also offers many great benefits, such as helping us connect with 10s of thousands. Vitally it allows us to offer peer support via our facebook page. Our page is manned, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,  by a team of volunteers ready to talk and listen to those who need a little extra help or support.

Message of hope

Two or three times a day we offer a message of hope and understanding via the memes or videos etc. that we post. The messages will not suit everybody. But at times the effectiveness in terms of making people feel less alone and feel understood and more positive has surprised me. They work, and hopefully over the coming months they will be even more focused on helping people improve their mental health in constructive ways.

Educate

I will confess this has lost its way at times. As my focus incorrectly gets drawn to reaching more people, I can be guilty of forgetting some key aspects that drive WHAT we do. A key primary driver of mine though is to increase the level of knowledge and awareness around mental health. This is true for both those living with mental ill health and those who are not. This education is vital for beginning to chip away at stigma. So I make a pledge to increase my activities in educating myself and others on this over the coming months.

Books

We have released two books so far and will release more. The first is a collection of the best, most popular and most inspiring stories of yours, from our first year. The second is a mental health daily planner and journal. This is designed to keep track of mood, sleeping patterns, gratitude, your targets and so much more. It can help to strip away a little of the noise and help you take some level of control back.

Challenging workplace cultures

Recently I have set up a mental health in the workplace consultancy and training company. The goal is to help businesses change their approach and ways that they handle employees with a mental health condition. I am excited to be helping the few that have taken the incredibly brave step to raise their hand and tell their workplace that they are struggling. However, I am equally excited to be changing mindsets and ways of leading that will benefit all employees. Employers have a fantastic opportunity to help reduce the risk of individuals developing depression, anxiety etc. And as we know, prevention is always better than a cure.

What the future holds is exciting. There is so much traction around mental health, with so many people fighting a similar fight to ours. You can be sure that progress will continue to be made. But complacency can never set in, we will always have further to go. The journey to improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health is both exciting and challenging. Come join us on it!

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