Sometimes there is nothing better than being alone

Cooking pancakes on Side Pike after a wild camp. Picture: Daniel J Toal

I’ve lost count of the occasions I’ve enjoyed sitting on a Lake District felltop, feasting my eyes on a sunrise that seems to have been laid on by nature just for me.

At the best of times, solitude gives you the chance to calmly digest your own thoughts without interference from anyone else.

But, like almost everything in life, there are two sides to solitude and it is always possible to have too much of a good thing. This is the point where soothing seclusion can become outright loneliness. But the fact is, except in perhaps the most extreme cases, we usually have a choice about whether to face the world on our own or seek help from others.

Monday marks the first day of Mental Health Awareness Week, for which the theme this year is loneliness. Of course, it can sometimes seem like every week has some special significance pinned to it these days and the cynical amongst us may ask ‘What difference does it make?’

I must admit, the thought has occasionally crossed my own mind.

However, for me loneliness is a particularly powerful theme when it comes to mental health and facing your demons. The fact is it is all too easy to believe you are the only person going through this and, if Mental Health Awareness Week is about anything, it is about showing you are not alone.

Human beings understand our world through stories. It’s become important to me to share my own story of how I suffered in silence but then was able to take positive steps by reaching out to friends and family to change my lifestyle for the better.

Everybody’s story is different, but each story will have touchstones within it to resonate with other people. Our stories prove to those who are suffering there are other people out there going through the same thing.

This in itself can be a powerful balm to mental anguish, but the next step is then to reach out to people and ask for help. This could be a professional or it could be a family member or good friend. It may be someone else entirely. However, the power of unburdening yourself is incredible. And, of course, even if you’re not having any mental health issues at all, it is important to look out for others, consider their feelings and never be afraid to ask ‘are you okay?’

As much as sharing our problems is vital, acknowledging them in the first place often comes down to us alone. We need to be prepared to ask ourselves the same question, ‘are you okay?’, and be honest about the answer. Being kind to ourselves physically is also vital. Putting healthy food into our body, cutting down on drinking and taking regular exercise will all help make you feel better outside and in.

Finally, remember that although Mental Health Awareness Week only runs from May 9 to May 15, we need to do all of the above all of the time. Dealing with mental health issues is often an ongoing, lifelong experience, let’s ensure we look out for each other every day not just during an awareness week. This might make us all a bit happier, whatever our state of mind.