So I am supposed to be writing this week’s blog…..

I am not doing it, in a doing it kinda way!

I’m listening to the Friday Night Dance Show, making a cup of tea, replying to emails, and trying to buy 50 pairs of knickers with the Medway Pride Radio Logo printed on them (Hey don’t judge it’s for a publicity stunt). What I am not doing is writing a blog.

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week next week, I should probably write about that. But I think I am in tip top mental health, so what can I add to the discourse? Maybe I should start with that. My friend Andrew (yes him off the Sunday Jazz show) tells this story of a guy who after being shot in the head ended up with a metal plate in his head. While recovering in hospital, and on a ward full of people with head injuries he had a stunning idea. He told everyone on the ward, and everyone agreed it was the most amazing idea. Then someone for the back of the ward added a simple caveat ‘of course you might want to ask someone who doesn’t have brain damage if it is a good idea’.

Yeah.

It is sort of funny. However, I retell it to make a point, while I think I am in tip top mental health, could I really be sure if I was not?

But read the statistics, people are suffering often in silence. Admitting we have a problem is hard, asking for help takes a lot of bravery. I have another friend who saw combat in Afghanistan in December 2001, he charged in without a thought. It took him four years to ask for help with his mental health.

Maybe because we trivialise it, we don’t even know we do it most of the time, I use words like nuts, fruitcake, headcase all the time. A friend sent me a video yesterday with a message saying ‘heard this thought of you’ it was Sofi Tucker’s track Batshit. I laughed, I think it was because of the shoes in the video, or maybe she thinks I’m nuts (there I go again).

Do we need to moderate our langue? I personally don’t think so. We all have health, the state our body is in, so it seems obvious we all have mental health, the state of our mind.

Statistically, in your circle of friends there is someone right now struggling. Maybe just take that extra minute to ask how folks are, maybe make yourself a little more accessible or even mention your own mental health. Talking about it might allow someone to speak up, and reach out to a friend if you are struggling.

My Messages are always open. I try to reply to all emails and am in the stations chat room when my shows are on……You know where to find me when you are ready to talk.

Right, apparently someone can indeed print me 50 pairs of knickers for a publicity stunt, but they think I might have issues……