By Naomi Cavaday

Recognition and awareness of mental health has increased significantly in the past three years, and it is now seen as a normal topic of conversation.

Such is the progress in this area, that during my bank holiday evening in the pub, a friend of mine, who ordinarily would never dare to admit that he was capable of any emotion apart from ‘all right’, told a few of us about his recent diagnosis and battle with depression and anxiety. Aware of my history with depression and an eating disorder, he asked me if I had experienced similar feelings and situations and of course we could relate on so much.

My first experience with depression came when I was 16. One of the British Tennis coaches was telling me a funny story, I remember enjoying and laughing at his impression when unexpectedly, it felt like someone had picked up a big block of ice and gently pressed it directly into my back between my shoulders. The feeling of uncomfortable cold and numbness was making me feel like I could not breathe properly, I tried to stretch my back out and wriggle around to ease the pressure but it would not budge. The ice only melted and spread the uncomfortable feeling gradually through my body all the way to my fingers and toes, I remember even feeling it fill my earlobes!