Duncan Goose - One Water
Duncan Goose Founder & CEO at Global Ethics Ltd kindly shared his personal mental health experience with us for the TAKE 15 campaign.
When I was asked to write a short piece for the TAKE 15 mental health campaign, it felt a bit like one of those ‘should I / shouldn’t I’ moments. Like most people, we bury our heads in the sand when it comes to discussing mental health issues - ones that affect us, our colleagues, friends, partners or family. It’s still a bit taboo. Whatever you think of the young royals, Rio Ferdinand or the stranger on Waterloo Bridge, I think they kicked the door just a little bit wider open for people to be able to (tentatively perhaps), open up about the challenges they face, or those around them they are trying to support.
For me personally, I’ve only ever told one person (strangely enough a customer of ours who was dealing with their own ‘mental health in the work place’ challenges) about what I went through. I’ve never spoken to my wife (rather hilariously in this case, a doctor), nor friends or family. But I guess, like most people, they knew. They just didn’t know what to do. Mostly, it’s just a case of standing back and waiting and hoping for the world to right itself again. Sadly, is doesn’t always do that. A few years ago we lost a colleague who, for whatever reason, didn’t get the help he needed, nor was caught by those around him. I wrote about it recently during COVID as I started to see people struggle.
I was lucky in many ways. I knew things weren’t right.... but it took a while to get down to the ‘bottom’ before I realised I needed help. I read up lots on the internet, read books of other people’s journeys, but it never really led anywhere. Eventually I went to my GP who was understanding and I got some CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) support. It was short lived, but I ended up getting counselling and that put me back on the road to recovery. At my lowest, I kept the curtains closed, isolated myself (long before COVID made that a new experience for us all) and decided I was having a ‘good’ day if I could be bothered to tie my shoelaces.
But anyway, that was my journey, mostly work-stress related, and I look back on it as a warning to not go down that black hole again. So my parting thoughts to you, if you feel you’re in a dark place - do reach out. People will listen. Your GP will have seen it all before and I’m sorry to say, you are not so unique, the journey you are on has been trodden before. And if you see someone you think isn’t doing so great, do ask. It can make the world of difference to them. This has to be your, or their journey and I think only you or they can do it, when the time and circumstances are right to take the walk back. If you want a really simple guide to what I think works:
Walk - the fresh air and natural light will help your mood and exercise is good, feed some ducks if you can.
Talk - it’s really hard, but you need to - even if it’s anonymously in a chat room. Every conversation is a step forwards, however small.
Read - about others’ experiences, you are not alone - Amazon will become your friend.
Hydrate - your brain needs it - it’s mostly water - and you will feel physically better when you do.
Go to bed early - sleep helps, if nothing else it blocks out that day and enables you to start anew one the next.
