World Mental Health Day...

Been thinking about this blog for a few days... Do I post it here or start a new blog, after much deliberation I decided to post here, as running does play a part, no surprise there I can hear you saying!

Mental Health, it's a big one and I have to admit it's not something I knew a lot about until it slowly crept in and got itself settled into our lives. Not my own mental health so much but it can be difficult coping with all the chaos at times but both my teenage sons. Ben has anxiety due to his deteriorating vision and probably because of past bullying he endured in mainstream school and James currently in hospital for the second time this year.

 Today was important to me. I feel a bit useless as James is in a psychiatric unit 250 miles away as that was the only bed available. He is doing ok and on new meds but will be there for a while longer. Whether he finally gets a bipolar or other diagnosis we will wait and see, but he is being looked after and hopefully this time can get continued support to manage his condition so he can function in the world.

So back to World Mental Health Day, I did what I always do and planned to run, some friends joined me and we ran a few miles, they donated some money to Mind and we talked. It's not going to change the world but if I can just get people to talk, to be aware, to not be ashamed or scared to speak out about how they are feeling then maybe that will be something.

Mental Health Day runners!

Running has definitely helped me cope over the past weeks, months, years! It is that one constant, although not every run is the same it is very rare not to come home and feel in some way a little better. Whether I run alone, with Dugs, with friends, long, slow, short or fast, no matter what chaos, fear, upset and worry is racing through my head, I know running will help me cope. It can be time to think, time not to think, time to chat, time to be quiet. It really can be all those things and running friends get that and maybe they feel the same or maybe running helps them in a different way I don't know. What I do know is that running has brought some amazing people into my life, strangers who have become friends, friends that I wouldn't ever want to be without, even when I don't feel like saying much they will still be there to share some miles and understand.

It's not just running friends who have been amazing this past week, so many others have been there, have supported, given a hug, listened, let me get on with things quietly when I have needed. let me go home and be by myself when that was needed. I thank everyone of you from running friends to my work friends and family who have been there, who have helped me keep my mental health strong so I can support my boys in the best way I can.

So as you relax this evening, let your loved ones know you love them. If you feel sad, alone, depressed or unhappy in any way, talk to someone. It's ok to not be strong everyday, it's ok to cry, it's ok to not always be at your best, but it's not ok to feel worried, ashamed or guilty about how you feel. Just talk and keep talking.

Love you all, happy running (and talking) xx