A client has given permission to publish this. Thank you for taking the time to write this, and thank you for allowing me to share this.

Today is National World Mental Health Day and many people have changed their Facebook profile pictures to reflect this. On a day when lots are advertising Mental Health, does it make a difference to those suffering? Having battled Mental Health and for the last 6 months a physical injury it got me thinking about the differences.

An injury is usually sudden and quick with no warning, mental health can build over weeks, months often without realising.

An injury is seeable – a grazed knee, a swollen ankle, arm in plaster, mental health is hidden pain, you can appear and look healthy.

An injury can be proved on a scan, whether a break, tissue damage, mental health can’t be scanned, no test can prove it.

An injury is easy to help, providing lifts, cooking meals, cleaning house, mental health is harder, how do you help someone who doesn’t know the help they need?

An injury is quicker healing usually, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, a couple of months, mental health is longer term it doesn’t heal quickly, it comes back to seek revenge.

An injury draws people to you, mental health pushes them away.

An injury can be numbed with pain killers, mental health is a constant pain in your head.

An injury is localised to the part of your body, mental health gets into everything, your head, your arms, your legs, your chest.

An injury has a name, a broken fibula, a twisted knee, a torn ligament, mental health has many names, black dog, the cave, black hole, downward spiral, never ending brain fog and many others.

An injury is spoken about, hows your knee, how is the physio, how do you ask someone about their mental health, it’s scarier, will the person even want to talk?

An injury is an injury, a broken leg is a broken leg, mental health could be anxiety, panic attacks, loneliness, feeling low, feeling life is not worth it.

Why is it easier to help someone when they have a physical ailment and so much harder when its mental health