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Fear can be a crippling thing. It’s even worse when the thing you fear is a part of yourself because there is no running and hiding. How can you run from yourself? We have a tendency to follow ourselves wherever we go. And then it becomes a vicious circle because not only are we afraid of ourselves, of our own minds but we are afraid of the fear. It is a terrible thing to be afraid of your own mind. And we must fight against this deepest of fears. We must try to hold on to the knowledge that we are beautiful people, every one of us. That whilst our minds can create fear they can also create the most amazing things. There are whole worlds, whole universes inside us and we should be able to embrace that without fear. But that is not an easy thing to do. Not at all. So we need to be able to lift one another up. Sometimes we cannot see for the fog inside our own heads and we need a light from the outside to guide us back to hope. So reach out, shine alight into the lives of those around you. You never know when a kind word, a hug, a text or email, a funny tweet or a smile might be just the glimmer to pull someone away from their fear of themselves.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health then please don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to someone. You are not alone and help is available. By opening up and starting the conversation we can move forward together and look to a mentally healthy future. Below are links to a range of fantastic organisations that can provide information, advice and services.