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Tell yourself 'it's going to be a good day' and make it happen! Mathew // Project Linebacker

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Reflection: For as long as I can remember, my peers have always asked me to 'look after yourself'. Quite often a request ignored or overlooked when considering and understanding its importance and motive. The overwhelming anthropomorphic power of our brains is a subject frequently ignored by people suffering mental health problems (guilty). Such attitudes lead us to push away the support and care administered by loved ones and instead, balance precariously on the fine line between being okay and not. Yes, it may make more sense to just hide away in a huge pile of work / commitments and feel super productive, but it will only become your own undoing eventually. Tiredness and isolation take over to the point whereby, along with your physical health, your brain will shut down and force you into a state of intense depression (with the added regret for not taking people's advice). Don't let this happen to you the same way that it has happened to me recently. TAKE A BREAK! Reflect! Spend time with your friends and family doing the things you love! Relax and refresh your brain (it may even make you work better when you're ready to go back!) Love yourself as much as others love you. Never let anyone deprive you of that, especially yourself! And too all the people that I have done this to recently, I'm AOK, sorry about that! Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #advocacy #support

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Friends are incredible! We all need those people in our life who are constantly there for us, unconditionally supporting us every step of the way! Dealing with mental health issues can be just as physically exhausting as they are mentally, in keeping our security blanket of friends around us, we can lean on them to help motivate and guide us. Keep talking about mental health! Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #support

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Nothing brings people closer together than a good old fashioned wedding. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to witness my brother tie the know with his amazing fiancée. Being surrounded by so many friends and family made the day all that more special, being able to share such a wonderful experience with them all. Love your friends, love your family, for they will be there for you during your darkest times to help pick you back up onto your feet. Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #bipolar #welbeing #advice #advocacy #wedding #family #friends (at Holne Park House)

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We all need a little guidance at times. Whether we are lost and confused or have our heads in the sand, ignoring a problem until it goes away. Yet sometimes it is us who needs to administer advice. A colleague under pressure at work. A brother having financial troubles or a stranger dealing with mental health issues. It doesn't matter what the scenario is, what's important it our ability to be able to confidently approach the situation and help that person get through their tough times. A little help can be the turning point towards success in a persons recovery process... Never underestimate its power. Studies have shown that early intervention of mental health problems can lead to significantly greater recovery results! Prevention is better than cure! Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #bipolar #anxietydisorder #selfharmmm #advice #guidance #wellbeing #mindfulness #compass #support #intervention

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I thought that it would take me a few days to process everything I saw and discussed last night but I'm clearly not ready to bottle this all up. I went to watch 'UNITY' - an almost sermon-like documentary that explores humanity’s hopeful transformation from living by killing into living by loving. A unique film about compassion for all beings, or all “expressions of life,” and going beyond all “separation based on form,” and beyond perceiving opposites. Needless to say, I was left stunned at the brutal imagery of an unjustified and idiotic disregard to all logic, compassion and morality. It begs the questions; 'how do we continuously get it so wrong time after time? Why are we such savages?' In relation to my latest post about feeling disappointed with particular social and humanitarian aspects of my life, the film made me realise just how unimportant it is to be wrapped up in the social grief caused by others lack of said compassion and morality and how we, as a species, need to look at our history (from both a scientific and existential perspective) and start learning from our previous mistakes - to start planning a better and brighter future wherein everybody is excellent to each other and nothing else. No ego or acquisitiveness ideologies. As the film suggests, we're not the same but equal. I take full pride in actively working towards a time in which we can work together in the hope of securing a more enlightened and fulfilling life (and legacy for generations to come). This ideology applies to every day life, especially (but not exclusively) to those with physical and mental ailments. Working as a team with unified ideals, be it on a local or international scale, is the first step towards said enlightenment. Remove negativity. Remove hate. Remove social pressure. Remove expectation. Promote love. Promote well-being. Promote mindfulness. Celebrate diversity. This is how we work together. This is how we become truly unified... Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #unity #unitythemovement #depression #anxiety #mentalhealth #advice #welbeing

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We make decisions in our life to recruit a safety net of loved ones and peers, but sometimes our judgement radar can be a little off - making us frustrated at both them and ourselves for relying on / adhering to them. This is just a simple way of life that can easily be rectified by obtaining space, which in turn leads to perspective. Such a scenario was faced by myself recently - I'd felt disappointed and let down by a number of people I once relied on as confidantes. After a trip away this month, I was able to regain my missing perspective and re-address the problems with clarity and a relaxed, more mature approach. With such change I am feeling 100% more confident in my ongoing recovery process. Never underestimate the benefits of time off, your sanity and happiness doesn't deserve to be compromised by anyone else. Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #stigma #recovery (at Sion, Switzerland)

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I have not written in a little while, and for that I apologise. Those who know me personally will know how stressful the last 6 - 8 weeks have been. Amongst other things, my work schedule has been on overload with that addition of a ton of gigs, my girlfriend moving in with me and the end of a teaching year (and all the marking that goes with it). Somehow, all of this has made me neglect my postings from Project Linebacker. This is now on the mend, I promise! 

All it took was a week away in Veysonnaz, Switzerland to help me get my mood straight. The amount of prior stress resulted in an ‘only to be expected�� down period in my mental health - one that I was very good at both masking and bandaging along the way. Still, there is no point in denying how hard it was etc... that would only sell it short. It is CRUCIAL to be able to recognise the tell tell signs of a bad mental health episode - be it you or someone else subjected to it. Either way, recognising the early symptoms will only allow you to put certain support beams in place BEFORE the full weight of your ailment hits... it may even keep it at bay for another day! I have mentioned it before and I’ll continue to mention it, but your support blanket is everything to you during any step of your journey. Make sure they are well prepped on the current state of your condition and have any necessary medication / prescriptions etc that you may require. Most importantly, make sure they are excellent listeners with a non judgmental, stigmatic personality - serious, nobody needs that. Positivity, likemindedness and compassion goes a hell of a long way! Anyway, I hope you are all well and enjoying your summer so far. Plenty more to come from Project Linebacker as promised! Keep talking about mental health! Mathew // Project Linebacker

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Every Sunday around 4 p.m., much of the developed world gives a collective groan. The weekend is fast receding, Monday is fast approaching, and the blues (a legit thing—ask the experts) set in. But you can outsmart them—and keep your mood in weekend mode till the clock strikes midnight—with a few easy strategies. Monday can wait. “Sunday nights aren’t considered the end of a great weekend but the beginning of something neither the child nor the adult is looking forward to,” says Stuart Brown, a psychiatrist and the founder of the National Institute for Play, in Carmel Valley, California. But what is the cause of this dread? And what can we do to change it? If you’re prone to Sunday-night blues, try one (or, uh, all) of the following tips. And welcome to a future with no more sad Sundays.

Do Sunday on Saturday //

Typically we schedule fun stuff on Saturday, obligations on Sunday. This only reinforces the blues. Instead, take care of buzz-killing chores, errands, and commitments on Saturday, when you’re naturally in a better mood. This could also change your experience of tougher tasks. For example, visiting your great-aunt in the retirement home when you’re already feeling down may remind you of the shortness of life; seeing her with a fresh Saturday-morning mind-set might move you to reminisce about summers at the cabin (happier for her, too). This weekend switcheroo leaves you open for “moments of unencumbered joy” on Sunday, when your psyche is in need of them most, says Cassie Mogilner, Ph.D., a happiness researcher and an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Become a Forward Thinker //

Another reason you feel off on Sunday, of course, is that your head is swirling with tasks for the upcoming week. Spare yourself this stress by ending your workweek with a plan. “Before you leave the office on Friday, prep your desk so you can jump in Monday without missing a beat,” says Peggy Duncan, an Atlanta-based professional organizer. Create a Monday-specific to-do list, line up necessary files, and tag e-mails that require attention. If you have to check your work calendar over the weekend, do it Sunday morning to avoid having the prospect weigh on you all day, then dive into a distraction (exercise, playtime with the kids) to keep yourself from becoming consumed with work thoughts. If it is within your control, don’t schedule Monday-morning meetings. “They just add to the sense of dread,” Duncan explains.

Be a Social Animal //

Slipping into hermit mode is all too easy come Sunday, especially in the short days before daylight saving time kicks in. But there is plenty of research that shows that people who are less social tend to be less happy. And a Sunday already potentially mired in the blahs is when you’ll need contact with others the most. Can you stay in your pj’s and communicate on Facebook? “Perhaps,” says Mogilner. “But connecting over a computer isn’t as effective as connecting with living, breathing humans.”

Any regular Sunday social ritual—church for some, yoga or softball for others—can lift spirits. In fact, a 2010 study published in American Sociological Review found that people who routinely attend religious services were more satisfied with their lives than were those who didn’t. The reason, researchers determined, isn’t just related to faith; it’s also about having friends in the congregation who give people a sense of belonging and, in turn, higher levels of well-being.

Make Over Sunday Night //

Why is it that 7 p.m. on a Sunday feels like 11 p.m., but on every other day of the week 7 p.m. is just the start of the evening? Maybe because our idea of “doing nothing”—say, binge-watching Game of Thrones—is not necessarily the best medicine for relieving the Sunday blues.

Active leisure—a book club, practicing yoga, or even going to the movies—will make you happier than choosing something that is passive. “If you’re engaged in an activity that keeps you moving, you’re absorbed in the moment and your mind has much less room to allow workweek worries to sneak in and take hold,” says Mogilner. So while we’re forever grateful to HBO for transforming Sunday nights, you may want to DVR your favorite episodes and watch them on a night less fraught with anxiety—say, hump day.

Mathew // Project Linebacker​

[Credit]: Yolanda Wikiel

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And I Quote...

"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." - F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In recent weeks I have been a target of mental health stigma. Not directly by anyone or anything, but by it’s concept. Buried in my work and routine, I have busied myself away from the ever habitual depressive stage of my cycle - this also accounts for my lack of posting, sorry! Scared to just face up to my issues and share my fear and suffering with friends and loved ones, I put on the mask - the one that makes you look ‘normal’ and ‘fine’. If anything, it made me feel like a hypocrite... a hypocrite who has committed his life towards supporting and encouraging others around him to take off the very same mask and be proud of who they are and seek the support they so desperately need. Needless to say, even the best of us get suckered into to it’s lure... 

All of this is a result of ‘Stigma’ (Noun - “a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation”)

It is said that almost nine out of ten people with mental health problems (87%) reported the negative impact of stigma and discrimination on their lives... How can this statistic even be a thing! We have to stand up against this discrimination, this misguidance and ignorance to the larger picture. But ‘how?’ you ask. Here’s how: LANGUAGE MATTERS Words can help…but they can also hurt. Pay attention to the words you use. Explain to friends and colleagues who use words like “psycho” or “nut” without thinking that their comments may be hurtful and provide an alternative view.

EDUCATE YOURSELF Myths exist about mental illness that contribute to stigma. Learn the facts. Learn more, know more. Be knowledgeable and help fight stigma with facts.

BE KIND Small acts of kindness speak volumes. Don’t stand by if someone is being labelled or bullied. Treat a person who has a mental illness with the kindness and care you give to people with other illnesses through a friendly smile, a helping hand, a phone call or visit.

LISTEN AND ASK Sometimes it’s best to just listen. Don't trivialize someone's illness. Instead, say: "I’m sorry to hear that, it must be a difficult time. Is there anything I can do to help?"

TALK ABOUT IT Start a dialogue, not a debate. Break the silence. Talk about how mental illness touches us all in some way directly or through a friend, family member or colleague. Stories of lived experience are the best way to help eradicate stigma. Support mental health and anti-stigma programs in your community.

Support causes such as:

http://www.mind.org.uk

http://www.sane.org.uk

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk

Mathew // Project Linebacker

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Tomorrow marks the start of a new chapter - a chapter that both terrifies and excites me all at the same time! Either way, I'm ready for it! #roomies Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #depression #anxiety #bipolar #advocacy #girlfriend

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I could be home by now...

The past 2 weeks have been incredibly tough for a number of reasons - reasons that have culminated in me being awake at 2:30am at the peak of a particularly severe anxiety filled fortnight. Surprisingly, there is a lot of good stuff happening right now which would beg the question as to why I was anxious at all... but we all know that’s not how it works, don't we? Mental health issues can take on such invisible forms, sometimes the host isn’t even aware of them! In brighter news, we are stepping into summer, which means that I have a short break from my lecturing, a trip to Switzerland and my brothers wedding. In other exciting news; I have started planning the first in a series of short films by Project Linebacker, each one focusing on different aspects of mental health and how we live and breathe it everyday. Whilst still in the development stages, early estimations place January 2016 as a strong contender for a potential release date! I will be continuing to keep Project Linebacker up to date as much as possible. Mental Health advocacy is EVERYTHING to me, so I won't rest until stigma is abolished worldwide! Thank you for your patience and support so far. I love you all! Keep talking about mental health! Mathew // Project Linebacker

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This weekend I had the distinct pleasure of performing at the wedding of Nick and Emma Watson - 2 very close friends in my musical life. A beautiful woodland in the heart of Devon was the setting for what turned out to be a day and night of laughs, log fires, deep grooves and a lot of merriment and revelry! Thanks for a wonderful day guys. Love you both! #watsonwedding Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #wedding #devon #watsonwins #music #conversation #summer #merriment #revelry #advocacy #mentalhealth #blog

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Truer words have never been spoken. We all have our ailments, some more so than others. Yet, it takes time to develop a way past them and strive towards being the best possible version of ourselves! Never rush, take time to build better, more sustainable foundations so that you may bask in a greater, richer and more fulfilling life. Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #anxietydisorder #bipolar #cuppa #brew #tea #advice #advocacy #conversation #music #art #stigma

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'Defeating Depression: What Hope?' was amazing this week. Networking and connecting with so many likeminded individuals within the mental health community. Truly inspiring talks from leading health care and political figures. Can't wait to connect with you all again! Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #defeatingdepression #depression #mentalhealth #exeter #advocacy (at RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum))

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'JP' was a fellow course-mate at University and now a colleague at AMS. She is off for some scary spinal surgery tomorrow yet has remained chipper right up to the day! We are all rooting for you JP! Here's to a successful surgery and a swift recovery! Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #talkaboutmentalhealth

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Kintsugi (金継ぎ) - "To repair with gold"; the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken. This has been a summary of my life as of late. Countless hours on countless projects and feelings of despair, exhaustion and restless nights. Now on the mend from such capacious negativity, I can finally see all the pieces of the puzzle coming together and forming a beautiful finished product! Thanks for your patience with me this last fortnight. I love you all! Mathew // Project Linebacker #projectlinebacker #mentalhealth #depression #anxietydisorder #anxiety #bipolar #kintsugi #advice #advocacy #conversation #family #friends #goodday #hopeforall #livewell #music #manic #manicdepression #nomorestigma #nomorestigmas #pride #stigma #support #thankful #talkaboutmentalhealth #wellbeing