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Stridi 2020

Stridi 2020


Hi Readers! 

I'm the founder of Stridi - Josh Littler - and I wanted to publish a message looking forward to a brand new decade and what role Stridi, and all of us, can play to help with mental health issues over the next decade. 

The support and recognition of individuals has advanced a massive amount over the last 10 years, but the truth is, there is far more we as a society can do. Stridi was founded in 2018 and the initial idea behind it was to create a safe online space for individuals with mental health issues, but since then we have evolved. 

In the last year and a half we have been able to collaborate with Bath Spa University, running seminars on how technology can be used to support individuals with mental health, and myself sitting on the Mental Health Advisory Board set up by the Vice Chancellor, Susan Rigby. Moreover, in 2020 I've collaborated with the University of Reading and we are aiming to publish research into how anonymous online communication can decrease subjective anxiety in students. 

The dreams and aspirations of Stridi will always be higher and we will always aim to grow, but looking back I am extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve so far. One of our main forms of communication is this Stridi blog. The blog was set up in order to act not only as a place for individuals with mental health issues to come for advice, but also as a place for people to give advice. Since May 2019 (the first post), the blog has been viewed by over 1,200 people in 4 different continents; so much of this is down to Matt Lawrence. 

Matt has helped me run the blog side of Stridi for the past 6 months and has been instrumental in helping it grow! I first met Matt 5 years ago and since then I've seen him grow so much as an individual and a friend. It is an honour to have someone as passionate about mental health as he is and with his help, Stridi will continue to grow. 

So, to save you getting bored and hook you in, how can YOU make a difference? 

1. Knowledge

Stay educated! Knowledge is vital to any progression whether that be on a personal level, in business, or in society. Keep reading, listening and learning because if we are to convince society to change and grow we have to have the evidence to back up our arguments.

2. Speak Up

Hold people to account. Times are changing and remind people to be respectful, caring and considerate. But this does not only apply to keeping the world in check! If you know someone close to you has mental health issues, be their friend, listen to them and help them feel loved and understood. People quit on people with mental health issues because of a lack of knowledge! "He's always miserable" , "She never says anything!" , "They're a loner / weirdo". Realise that what is happening externally is the result of something happening internally. Abnormality beyond quirkiness is the brain's way of reaching out - so be brave enough to reach out.

3. Look After Yourself 

We cannot move, grow and love without understanding ourselves. How often do you take time to understand yourself? What drives you? What are your values? What holds you back? What triggers you? Take some time everyday to understand yourself, notice your emotions, understand where you feel good and where you feel bad. If we can understand our emotions we can control them and use them to our advantage. 

My final piece of advice - treat your brain like a muscle and think of it as a computer. If a runner doesn't rest and recover, they risk damaging their muscles. You have to respect your brain like a top athlete respects their body. Learn to switch off after work, school or university. Eat right, sleep well and allow your brain time to recover through meditation. 

Secondly, think of your brain as a computer. The functions that you put into a computer produce the output. Dangerous sites and downloads lead to viruses which affect the computers performance. Negativity to the brain inhibits its ability to perform effectively. Protect it, control the input and the outputs will help look after you. 

Thank you for your support. Let's make 2020 the best year yet! 

Josh


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