Five More of the Best: Videos About Mental Health 2018

Did you know it’s Mental Health Awareness Week?

From 14 to 20 May, people are sharing their personal experiences with mental health, in the hopes of both breaking down the stigma that surrounds it and showing those around them that they aren’t alone in the issues they’re going through. As a result, a dialogue has been re-opened and it’s one we hope continues long after May has left us and we’re greeted by the warm, sunny months of summer.

You might not be aware of this, but many YouTubers have made videos documenting their own experiences with mental health issues. Through their channels, they’ve shared their stories and shown viewers mental health is something that affects everyone. This is why we’ve decided to highlight yet another handful of videos about the subject.

Whether you’re looking for someone to share in your own experiences or are in need of some advice and support, we hope these videos offer what you’re looking for. Here they are, Five MORE of the Best: Videos About Mental Health.

Daniel and Depression | Daniel Howell

“Depression is like I’ve fallen into a hole, that normal life and everyone else is out of reach and I’m stuck on the floor in the dark.” That’s how Daniel Howell describes his struggles with depression in his candid video, Daniel and Depression.

Daniel only recently opened up about his experience with depression, as he didn’t want to talk about it until he felt he was in a good place. In the video, he talks about how it can affect everyone differently and shares how it’s impacted his life, calling the days it decides to show its face as “writes offs”. He also discusses what he’s done to help overcome it, including indulging in self-care, going to therapy, taking medication and *gasp* exercising on a regular basis. It’s overall a very honest and educational chat, and one that covers quite a lot.

He also brings up a point we feel everyone currently dealing with a mental health issue needs to hear. Don’t let whatever you’re going through grow to define you. Be who you are in spite of it. You are stronger than how your brain makes you feel.

IT’S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY | #WAKEUPWEDNESDAYS | Nissy Tee

Do you ever have days where you just don’t feel yourself? Everyone experiences them every once and a while, and guess what – you shouldn’t feel bad for feeling this way. As Nissy Nsilulu explains in this video, it’s okay not to be okay.

Our emotions are like a rollercoaster. We have our ups and we have our downs, which means we shouldn’t belittle ourselves for feeling a certain way. Sometimes, we just need to let our emotions out and have a bit of a cry and we shouldn’t let the fact that life might be going well prevent us from doing so. It’s okay not to be okay. We’re human – we have our off days.

With this video, Missy also touches upon the stigma surrounding men and their emotions. Many feel they aren’t able to show how they truly feel, out of fear they might be deemed “less masculine” by their peers, but Nissy let’s us know this isn’t the case. There’s nothing wrong with being in touch with your emotions. It’s a message we hope many take to heart.

Bad Brain Days | Jack Howard

Unsure what a bad brain days are? Well, they’re more common than you might think and Jack Howard is here to share his own experiences with them.

As Jack puts it, there are days where he’ll wake up and not have the motivation to do anything. As he’s self-employed, he feels he can “give into” this lack of motivation a lot easier than most, which has lead him to feel a bit bad about himself. As he says in the video, “I feel weak as well, because I’ve given into it and ’cause I’ve let it control my life, because I’ve not fought back against it.” It’s this thought process we feel many can relate to.

How does he combat these bad brain days? By consuming himself in activities he enjoys, such as diving head first into script writing and planning new sketches. The joy he feels whilst doing these activities prevents his brain from straying into these negative thoughts, allowing him to stay in the moment and regain the motivation he once thought was lost.

how to support someone with depression when you’re not depressed | Maja Anushka

Are you someone who wants to support your friends who you know are dealing with depression, but aren’t quite sure how to go about it? Well, it’s a good thing you’ve come upon this video from Maja Anushka and her friend, Alice. They’ve got some pointers for you.

Throughout the video, Maja and Alice discuss the dos and don’ts when it comes to offering support. The first discuss the don’ts, which will ensure you don’t accidentally make your friends feel worse about themselves or their mental health. They talk about how you shouldn’t make the person feel bad for having depression, as it isn’t their choice to feel this way, and that it shouldn’t be made a competition as to who feels worse. We feel the latter is a super important point to emphasise, as comparing each other’s mental health is an unhealthy behaviour that could leave to feelings of invalidation.

So how do you support them? In many ways. The most important thing is to reassure them that they aren’t alone and that you’re there if they ever need support – it can be comforting to know someone is there to listen. However, be sure to not be overbearing if they ask for some alone time, as everyone needs their space. Finally, create an open and honest dialogue, and let them know if there’s something you don’t understand. It’ll be a learning experience for you and you’ll better know how to support your friend.

Let’s talk about my Bulimia. | Dina Tokio

Closing out our list is Dina Torkia, who, with this video, details her battle with bulimia.

In this video, Dina details the beginnings of her eating disorder, emphasising the role body dysmorphia played in its development. Not shying away from the nitty gritty, she dives deep into her use of laxatives and over-excerising, revealing her wake up call came from reading a magazine interview with the woman who played Sonia on Eastenders, who had her own battle with bulimia. She acknowledges she’s now in a better place, but admits her view of food is still not what one would consider “healthy”, showing that eating disorder recovery is a life-long process and one that must constantly be kept in check.

One thing Dina touches on that we feel is very important is the view of mental health issues within the Muslim community. She urges for there to be more discussion and awareness, and pushes for the stigma around mental health to be removed, as it will help prevent issues from reaching the point hers did.

So there you have it…

Our Five More of the Best: Videos About Mental Health. We’re forever thankful for YouTubers being so open about their struggles with mental health, and we hope they continue this open and honest dialogue in the future. While they might not know it, their words are helping many. Looking for information about mental health or are in need of some support? Resources can be found through Mind UK and Childline.

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