I am the poster girl!

Ruby Wax has almost made a career out of mental health. She has done tours and even television shows all about her own experiences of depression, the treatment she has had and her subsequent studies into mindfulness. She also calls herself the original 'poster girl' for mental health. She likes to regale the time she stepped onto the underground and was surrounded by posters telling the world that she has a mental health problem.

    Now I am no-where near as funny as Ruby but today I do find myself in a similar situation albeit in the digital world. Today is the second annual brilliant Time to Talk day where the campaign I work for, Time to Change, is urging everyone around the country to have a conversation about mental health. The idea is the more we talk about something the less it is stigmatised and the happier those of us with mental health problems can be about sharing our experiences.
    I had taken part in a photo a couple of weeks ago telling the world three things about me. Namely that I am a mum, I like to meditate and that I live with bi-polar. I knew the picture would be used for this big day but had no idea it would be used predominantly on Facebook. It was quite a shock to see my face staring back at me this morning!
    I needn't have worried though I have had such lovely reactions from friends and acquaintances. Lots of emails, texts and Facebook messages of support. I hope that my openness will also encourage others to 'out' themselves. I'm sure there are still people who may not want to employ me or who quietly defriend me as a result of my revelation, after all that is why there is still such a need for Time to Change but on the whole times are a changing!