I’m starting this petition to see if it can go far to someone who will listen.

Today is mental health awareness day, the perfect day to listen. I’d like to see the government put valuable money to use by funding the NHS with more mental health care. Putting money to University courses such as counselling, psychology and psychotherapy and turning them into NHS funded courses. (Just like mental health nursing) This could create more jobs within the NHS to specialise in those with mental health problems.

Having the courses funded through the NHS means more qualified staff for the public and less private, expensive therapists. This could also mean less waiting times.

The lack of care and expertise surrounding mental health is honestly shocking. The waiting lists just to see someone about your own personal issues is too much. It’s too little too late, by the time people in the U.K. are being seen for their issues, they have gotten to their worst state.

This is speaking from someone who is on an ongoing recovery battle with mental health due to abuse through childhood. I have received bare minimum help at all. It’s saddening. Last November was my peak in depression, I attempted for not the first time to end my own life. It failed thankfully, but the only help I received back then was 4 leaflets and a chat from the crisis team. No follow ups, just told that my waiting time to see a therapist would be 6-12months. This needs to change, there needs to be pop up centres, walk ins, support groups, more professionals who genuinely understand, and not cold hearted people who look at you alienated.

I want to make a change, I want to go into mental health as a career, help those with similar issues or worse. 

If this was your daughter, son, brother, sister, cousin, friend and they became depressed or suicidal or more, would you ignore it? Nope didn’t think so. 

Just because we are the public and we are out of mind, does not mean we don’t deserve the same care we receive for our physical health. 

Us young people are the future generation, yet does anyone care if we make it that far?

I care because I live in a small county where 1 out of 2 people I know are suffering. The waiting times down here are so awful. There are people being turned away, told to go to their GP. The GP not being compassionate in any way, and not being trained to handle vulnerable people. There has to be a change. Leaflets and tablets will not solve everyone’s issues. 

I think it’s time to start putting our money to good use. Fund those in need, those who struggle to function on a day to day basis. To start funding more mental health practices, courses for the NHS, and more professionals and qualified specialists.