Abbie Jessop for the Wellbeing Series

Abbie is Chair of the Wellbeing Network at Bristol University's Student Union

‘With a broken foot, people empathise with how frustrating it is to not be able to walk, how the pain varies at different times and understand how the broken foot prevents one from doing some activities. With mental health, it’s not visible, yet a struggle with mental health can be just as debilitating, often more so. There is still so much that is not understood about the scale of mental health. Being able to find time in this busy world to take a step back and find time for ourselves is hugely important and yet something put at the bottom of the list of priorities. To be able to speak about the impact mental health has on our lives is one step towards educating communities on ways to build resilience, find balance and reconnect with each other, something we can lose in a world so goal driven and achievement focussed.

I think charities like Mind and Time to Change are making huge advances in encouraging a speak out movement. However, there are still huge misconceptions around what mental health can mean to different people, and a relatively low awareness of the scale of mental health. I think now we need to work towards a culture of acceptance. Appreciating that behaviour that seems to go ‘against the expected’ has reasons you may not be able to see would create a culture working to de-stigmatise mental health. At the moment, behaviour that seems to go ‘against the expected’ still challenges people, and creates stigmatisation.

Being healthy for me means being able to do all the things I want to do without putting myself in the way of my own dreams. It means having a healthy mindset where I believe in myself and my abilities, understand my weaknesses and can appreciate the journey I’m on. It means having a healthy body filled with energy, feeling empowered by a body that is my own and shaped for me. Recently my life has been filled with so much uncertainty. Staying ‘healthy’ is something I’ve been able to do for myself, and I have invested more time in consciously doing activities that help me regain balance and control I can feel like I lack. I’ve developed a newfound understanding of the importance of knowing where you can find your own reserve of happiness when the going gets really tough. For me, I know I am very much an ‘outdoorsy’ person, and even a walk round the block and smile with a stranger who’s letting me cross the road can help me feel connected to the world and know I bring something unique to it, as every one of us does. I believe that knowing yourself, and what works for your wellbeing, mind body and soul, is the key to ‘health’.’