KINDNESS CAN Mental Health Awareness Week:
Childhood pal lifts lid on Brown’s journey to captaining Celtic
MORE than three quarters of Glaswegians say it is important that we learn from the coronavirus pandemic to be more kind as a society, a new survey has revealed.
The survey was published by the Mental Health Foundation Scotland to mark the start of Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) which this year has the theme of kindness.
Across the city, hundreds of people have made their own contribution to the theme.
Morgan Halfpenny, a fashion from Old Drumchapel, has raised more than £500 this week by celebrating moments of kindness and happiness on social media for MHAW.
Morgan, 22, was suffering with her mental health and hit rock bottom at the end of 2019, quitting her job. She decided then to quit social media.
Morgan told the Glasgow Times: “I think it is important to share your experience with mental health and be open about when you’re struggling, and when you are using social media in a damaging way.
“Before I came off social media, I wasn’t being honest with myself.
“There would be days where
I felt terrible and would post from bed a picture of me that I had taken the week before.
“I was in a really dark place and I would be kidding myself on that I wasn’t.
“I fell in with the wrong crowd, and I stopped enjoying going out. I decided to distance myself from my friend group and instead found myself feeling even worse, and became anxious and paranoid.
“I would go on to mental health pages for help but found myself joining what felt like pity parties, talking about how miserable we felt.
A CHILDHOOD pal of Celtic captain Scott Brown recalled how the top footballer was not tipped for success as a 16-year-old – and used to eat entire packets of biscuits at a time.
Brown, 34, started his career playing for the Hibs youth teams at Easter Road, but nearly missed out
“That was when I decided to come off social media and give myself a complete detox.”
Morgan spent four months rebuilding her mental health, by hillwalking, changing her diet and undergoing CBT therapy.
Although she says there is no one-size-fits-all method of recovery, this week Morgan has returned her social media presence by celebrating small ‘moments of happiness’ and encouraging others to do the same.
She said: “I realised that social media doesn’t have to be bad and if you don’t feel great, you don’t have to post anything.
“I wanted to do something to mark this week, so I’ve asked people to share a moment when they felt happy, and to donate £1 a day to SAMH.
Within three days, Morgan had reached on a full-time contract as bosses were unsure about signing the wayward teenager.
Jonathan Baillie, now 34, played with Brown from the age of 14 and went through the ranks with him.
He said the star footballer was in great shape despite always eating – and could devour a packet of biscuits in five minutes. He described Brown’s playing style as “just running about” and said aged 17 he began to become more disciplined.
Mr Baillie said: “Scott and I were the same age so we played together through 14s, 15s and 16s.
“You listen to a lot of players now her target five times over. The survey revealed more than two thirds of people in Glasgow say that being kind has a positive impact on mental health. More than six in 10 adults also say that being kind to others has a positive impact on their mental health.
Gabby Quinn, a 32-year-old volunteer with See Me Scotland, Scotland’s National programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, has also spent the pandemic practising and benefiting from kindness. Gabby, from Dennistoun, is bipolar and suffers psychosis. She said: “Mental Health Awareness Week means everything to me. “I live with stigmatised conditions and this week only makes my life easier as it brings awareness on what living with these conditions are like.” Gabby continued: “I lucky because I have am an understanding boss at work and lots of support from my partner and friends. It is nice to see kind things online, and would make anyone feel good.
“During lockdown many groups have come out online. If I’m not feeling good I will avoid too much social media but it’s about being aware and watching your exposure to it. If anyone else is struggling my advice would be to reach out. Help is there.”
The Mental Health Foundation Scotland is calling on all Scottish Government departments and local authorities to apply a measurable and values-based kindness test to current and new policies.
Lee Knifton, director of the Mental Health Foundation Scotland, said: “To have a major impact on improving our mental health we need to take kindness seriously as a society.
“In particular, we need to make kindness an important part of public policy.
“The pandemic is an opportunity to do that. Kindness can play an essential role in reducing the social, economic and mental health consequences of the crisis that could last for years to come.”
Wendy Halliday, See Me Director, said the most important thing was to reach out to those around you: “Right now we’re living through a time where more people than ever before will be struggling with their mental health.
“No matter the reason, everyone’s mental health needs to be taken seriously. If someone you know is struggling, showing you care can make all the difference.
“For someone struggling with their mental health, experiencing stigma and discrimination can make it so much worse, but a simple act of kindness could help someone in their recovery.
“If you’re going through a tough time, don’t struggle alone with your mental health, be kind to yourself, find someone you trust and speak about how you’re feeling.
“You deserve help and support.”