EXCLUSIVE INSIGHT INTO THE HISTORY OF TIME TO TALK DAY ON I’M NOT DISORDERED | TIME TO TALK DAY 2026

‘Time to Talk Day 2026 will be held on 5 February 2026. This event is a significant initiative aimed at promoting open conversations about mental health and wellbeing, encouraging individuals to listen and share their experiences. It is a day for everyone to come together to break down stigma and support one another's mental health.’

Time to Talk Day - Mind

You won’t believe how stressful this post has been! So, it usually takes me about a week to create a blog post of a decent length and the graphics to accompany it, but it wasn’t until February 3^rd that I realised Time To Talk Day was coming up very soon and I had no content for it! At first, I messaged fellow mental health Blogger Martin Baker (of www.gumonmyshoe.com) and I said it was only two days – but when I started writing content that was about prioritising and the fact that my Mum’s Birthday is the same day of Time To Talk Day I realised that’s actually three days (Mum’s Birthday is February 6^th). Then, I googled and it turns out Time To Talk Day is just the first Thursday of February and that yes, this usually lands on the 6^th but this year it is actually the 5^th – so my maths ended up, sadly, being correct and I was back to not only rushing the content but also, finding a new topic because it is, in fact, not on my Mum’s Birthday(!). So, with two days’ notice, the best I could do was to run through the archive of previous Time To Talk Day posts and providing some insider, exclusive insight into each one…

TIME TO TALK DAY 2020

https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/get-involved/time-talk-day

This year, for Time To Talk Day I’ll be celebrating my Mum’s Birthday so I’ve had to reject all of the event invitations for the day and decided instead to schedule this post in advance so that I can really dedicate my day to my Mum!


Note: For 2020’s Time To Talk Day, Time To Change have chosen to base the theme around the popular game; ‘Would You Rather?’ so this blog post will be in keeping with that…


Would You Rather is a bit of a controversial topic in mental health I think because a lot of people are very – and rightly so – defensive of their actions and decisions where mental health is concerned and particularly where self-harm is involved. I guess that a lot of that comes from the feeling that self-harm isn’t very often a ‘decision’ because it can sound as though a person is choosing to self-harm rather than feeling that it isn’t an option. Of course, if it were, then they wouldn’t choose self-harm and all of the negative consequences that come from it! Another reasoning for some finding the idea of mental health being a choice is the thought of what has led them to be struggling the way that they are. For me, if I could have made any decisions around the trauma, I went through which triggered my ill mental health, then I would have most definitely opted to have not experienced any of it! Or would I?! And here’s where Would You Rather comes in!

'EMPATHY SHOULD BE A MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER'S BEST-FRIEND' | TIME TO TALK DAY

So, I’ve had a few comments today asking if I’m actually going to write something for Time To Talk Day 2019 since my two posts so far have been penned by others (haven’t seen them? (They’re here and here!) With the theme that talking about mental health will help rid us of the stigma, I thought I’d talk about why talking is just the beginning of things…

When I started experiencing auditory hallucinations I had never felt so alone. It sounds ironic but the second I started to hear voices, it felt as though I was the only person in the world. I think that a large part of this came from the fact that mental health – and most importantly; voice hearing - was rarely talked about in 2009 and so it held huge, stigmatized connotations and assumptions. I, personally, had only ever heard horror stories about my local psychiatric hospital so being admitted there was a huge shock to the system… and attitude! taught me that mental ill health doesn’t discriminate; it can happen to anyone and calling those people ‘crazy’ or ‘mental’ says more about you than it does about them.

It’s important though, that it shouldn’t take another person experiencing mental ill health to have some understanding of someone who already does! Empathy should be a mental health service provider’s best-friend; the ability to understand another person’s experiences is a difficult art in mental health.

TIME TO TALK DAY 2019 ... WITH GUESTS!!

Happy Time To Talk Day!

https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/get-involved/timetotalkday2019 

For Time To Talk Day 2019 I spoke to a number of individuals and got their thoughts on the benefits of talking about mental health…

@Meandmymhmatter, Blogger at Me and My Mental Health Matters 

Talking about mental health helps people feel less alone and less isolated. Sharing my story not only helps others but it helps my feel less ashamed of myself. Also, it helps break down the stigma surrounding mental health and shows people that it can happen to anyone.

Charlotte Underwood, Author and Blogger 

THE BENEFITS OF TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH BY PAUL NICOL, PEER SUPPORT WORKER | TIME TO TALK DAY 2019 | GUEST POST

With this being the eve of Time To Talk Day 2019, I asked Peer Support Worker; Paul Nicol what he thought the benefits are of talking about mental health...

Quite a question to be asked. My trusty armour automatically attaches to me, offering protection at first consideration. Like some sci-fi character, I feel the chunks of metal bolt on to me as my first thought is....... there is no benefit for me. That first thought is a response to the shame I carry of mental health having influenced large chunks of my life. Why would I tell anyone that I felt worthless, pathetic, weak and struggle to survive the now, let alone consider a future? Why would I tell anyone that the monkey on my back keeps me in a regretful past of underachievement; losing job after job because I was just too lazy to get out of bed? Why would I tell anyone that I self-medicated for years and found cannabis and alcohol gave me a reason to continue and chemicals gave me a weekend party to look forward to? I’m vulnerable enough, with all of this, why would I tell anyone about my mental health?

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK 2018 WITH I'M NOT DISORDERED | POST THREE | THREE WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

1.     BREATHE

There are some wonderful breathing exercises out there that are designed to stop people from getting overly stressed, as this may lead to panic attacks. There’s an exercise that I was once taught in the Mindfulness component of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. I often use it and find it helps relieve my levels of stress. You start by sitting still, letting yourself feel

everything that is touching your skin, your jumper, your leggings, the fabric of the seat beneath you… And then – on both feet – scrunch up your toes and feel all of the muscles tighten in your feet, and then relax them. Move slowly up each of your body parts, tensing each muscle, being aware of it, and then releasing it. I find that it really helps to slow your breathing and bring yourself to the present when you’ve been stressing about what is coming – or what might be coming!

TALKING ALL THINGS MENTAL HEALTH WITH NORTHUMBRIA POLICE MENTAL HEALTH LEAD, INSPECTOR STEVE BAKER | WHILST BUILDING A LEGO POLICE CAR!! #TIMETOTALK

#TimeToTalk

TALKING ALL THINGS MENTAL HEALTH WITH NORTHUMBRIA POLICE MENTAL HEALTH LEAD, INSPECTOR STEVE BAKER | WHILST BUILDING A LEGO POLICE CAR!!

Tiny little ad here: my jumper and one of my bracelets were kindly gifted to me by the wonderful Oliver Bonas:

https://www.oliverbonas.com/

https://twitter.com/oliverbonas

https://www.facebook.com/oliverbonas

THE IMPORTANCE OF STANDING UP FOR SOMETHING

I am not a stranger to the dark
Hide away, they say
'Cause we don't want your broken parts
I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars
Run away, they say
No one'll love you as you are

But I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me

Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in
We are…

Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in
We are bursting through the barricades and
Reaching for the sun (we are warriors)
Yeah, that's what we've become (yeah, that's what we've become)

I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious

- This Is Me - Keala Settle, The Greatest Showman

So recently, I went to the cinema with one of my bestfriend’s (and bridesmaid), Lauren; to see The Greatest Showman. I don’t want to include any spoilers, so I’ll just say… it was incredible!

But also… in it, Hugh Jackman plays a man who, massively, invests (not just financially) in his ideas. When others tell him he’s wrong, or try to take something away from his successes, he stands up to them and refuses to minimise or ignore his dreams and imagination.

TIME TO TALK DAY WITH I'M NOT DISORDERED | PART FOUR

TALKING ALL THINGS MENTAL HEALTH WITH NORTHUMBERLAND, TYNE & WEAR NHS FOUNDATION TRUST CHIEF EXECUTIVE, JOHN LAWLOR | PART ONE

TALKING ALL THINGS MENTAL HEALTH WITH NORTHUMBERLAND, TYNE & WEAR NHS FOUNDATION TRUST CHIEF EXECUTIVED, JOHN LAWLOR | PART TWO

TIME TO TALK DAY WITH I'M NOT DISORDERED | PART THREE

TALKING ALL THINGS MENTAL HEALTH WITH (my ex) OUT OF AREA TREATMENT CASE MANAGER, JANICE O'HARE

TIME TO TALK DAY WITH I'M NOT DISORDERED | PART TWO

TALKING ALL THINGS MENTAL HEALTH WITH NORTHUMBERLAND, TYNE & WEAR NHS FOUNDATION TRUST CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CAROLINE WILD

WELCOME TO TIME TO TALK DAY WITH I'M NOT DISORDERED | PART ONE

The goal of Time To Talk Day (set up by the organisation Time To Change) is that it dedicates one day in particular, for those who support the cause in talking more openly about mental health in order to reduce the stigma of it. It’s highly recognised now, that one of the greatest roots of mental health stigma is the reluctance to talk about it. To have conversations about daily struggles. And to open up and tell others about your own mental ill health to encourage them to do the same so that people are more likely to both, ask for support/help, and/or recognise that judging those in similar situations is wrong and inappropriate.

Here at I’m NOT Disordered, mental health is, pretty much, the name of the game! I don’t know if some of you know this or not – or will even believe it – but there were a few years when I didn’t talk about my mental health. Ironically, it was probably the years that I really needed to; but I was still quite young (18-21); an age bracket that, I feel, is at the height of the stigmatised views against mental health.

BOOK REVIEW PART ONE: LINES FROM AN UNFINISHED LOVE SONG BY GAIL CURRY | Ad

Note: this is part one of a two part book review! There are also two other blog posts about this book in the run-up to its launch event; that you can read here & here

When I was offered the opportunity to work alongside an author in the midst of launching the book; I was really excited, having never done a piece of work like this. I, myself, have always wanted to write a book so I was keen to be so close to the journey and process of publishing Lines From An Unfinished Love Song.

On receiving my pre-published copy of the book, my very first impressions as I slipped it from the envelope were of how good the size, and width of the book felt in my hands. Perfect!

AD | PRESS RELEASE: GARY JAMES MCQUEEN RELEASES MENTAL HEALTH CARDS - "ARE YOU OK?" | AD

After studying Textiles as a GCSE student, I’ve had a passion for fashion; and as I grew older I became addicted to reading Vogue and Elle for style inspiration and the amazing photography of runway shows that I knew I’d never get to see in real life. Then, in my twenties, I moved onto makeup and beauty products (still with a jam-packed wardrobe!) and developed a keen eye for designer bargains (because there’s no money on the trees in my garden) in T K Maxx – particularly Valentino bags!

As I moved into blogging and the online mental health world in 2009, it became clear that most blogs were about fashion and beauty. It was a good thing at the time because it provided a gap in the market for I’m NOT Disordered to fill and at the time there were only four popular mental health blogs (and none of them were written by a current inpatient).

Like I said, the fashion and beauty bloggers took over the internet and seemed to be the ones who collaborated and were approached by organisations who wanted to use the blog as an advertising opportunity with the belief that when readers saw the blogger wearing a particular shoe, or talking about a new mascara; their followers would want to buy the same thing.

'A YEAR SINCE PUBLISHING' WITH MARTIN BAKER (CO-AUTHOR) | GUEST POST | Ad

Among many opportunities I’ve been offered – and have accepted – recently; is to work personally with an Author whose book is about to be released VERY soon; (that’s all I can say until the official press release on September 7^th!) and it made me think about Marty and Fran. They have both featured many times on I’m NOT Disordered and Marty recently supported me at an ITV event (post to come soon) so I wanted to check back in with them and see how they felt about their own book, (High Tide, Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder) almost one year since publishing.

Could you remind readers what your book is about?

My best friend Fran Houston and I wrote High Tide, Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder to share what we have learned about building a caring, mutually supportive, friendship between a “well one” and an “ill one.” We hope our book will inspire and inform others who—like me—want to help support a friend who happens to live with mental illness. Fran lives in the US, with three invisible and episodic conditions: bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), and fibromyalgia. Despite living 3,000 miles away in the UK, I am Fran’s primary support and carer. “High Tide, Low Tide” was published by Nordland Publishing, in September 2016.

HOW I TURNED MY HATE FOR MY ABUSER INTO DETERMINATION

♭ By the time I'm finished, they won't even know your name ♭

There are 28 posts in my 'Drafts.'

Looking through them is basically like you've glanced into my head every so often.



One of them was named TTIWICSBC - The Things I Wish I Could Say But Can't. It was going to be a little series of posts aimed at different people in my life - or who have been, in my life. People I'm unable to - for many different, complicated, confusing reasons - talk to. Things that I'm unable to say out loud and so the words float buzz around my head. [I changed my mind with 'float' because that implies that all is calm; and it isn't. Not all the time. Not where this is concerned.]

The post remains empty - but for the title and idea behind it...

POST NINE: #TimeToTalk Day in collaboration with Time To Change | Ad

#TimetoTalk

Hello!

This year, Time to Change (TTC) have worked in partnership, with I’m NOT Disordered on a exclusive series of projects for Time To Talk Day (TTD). Sadly, this is the final post for that series so I'd just like to say some thank yous to... Seb and the rest of the TTC media team for the partnership, TTC [just, in general], and to all of those who have contributed to the series: Angela Slater, Martin (Marty) Baker, Angharad May, Caroline Wild, Alexandria Readman, and Vicky McNally! 

                   
                    

Questions completed by Claire Andre, Police Liaison Lead, Northumberland, Tyne &Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LovelyClaireyA

https://www.ntw.nhs.uk/

Can you tell us about the worst (least helpful, most upsetting, anger-provoking etc) talk you’ve had with another person regarding mental health?

The circumstances are deliberately vague to protect the identity of those involved. 

One conversation sticks with me now, from probably approximately 17years ago. I was a student nurse on placement, quite early in my training. So some may find hard to believe but I was quite quiet and not very confident. I was talking to a family member whose young son was having a first admission, he had recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. I was talking with the family member as my mentor was busy gathering information for her. 
She turned to me with so much emotion in her voice and asked why, why it had to happen to her son. A question I couldn't answer. I tried to comfort her the best I could and listen. What she said next will always stick with me and I felt so emotional "Why couldn't it be a broken arm, I can explain and understand that to family and neighbours. To be honest I would find it easier to say he was convicted for a serious crime and in prison then tell people he has schizophrenia." My heart broke there and then and I tried my best to reassure and support the person. A conversation very much about stigma that has always stuck with me.

POST EIGHT: #TimeToTalk Day in collaboration with Time To Change | Ad

#TimeToTalk

Hello!

This year, Time to Change (TTC) will be working in partnership, with I’m NOT Disordered on a exclusive series of projects for Time To Talk Day (TTD) on February 2nd. 

Questions completed by Vicky McNally, Corporate Governance Director, Cygnet Healthcare

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickyMcNally1

Cygnet: https://www.cygnethealth.co.uk/

Can you tell us about the worst (least helpful, most upsetting, anger-provoking etc) talk you’ve had with another person regarding mental health?

A conversation with a taxi driver- I remember feeling surprised by his complete lack of understanding and belief in stereotypes.  

Most of my routine contact is with informed and empathetic individuals- it was a sharp reminder that there is much work to do to educate & raise awareness about mental health.

POST SEVEN: #TimeToTalk Day in collaboration with Time To Change | Ad

#TimeToTalk

Hello!

This year, Time to Change (TTC) will be working in partnership, with I’m NOT Disordered on a exclusive series of projects for Time To Talk Day (TTD) on February 2nd. 

Questions completed by Alexandria Readman, Mental Health Blogger & Time To Change Champion 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alxrdmn

Blog: https://howaymangethappy.wordpress.com/

Photography: R J Photography

Can you tell us about the worst (least helpful, most upsetting, anger-provoking etc) talk you’ve had with another person regarding mental health?


First of all I’d like to make it clear that although not every conversation we have about mental health will go smoothly, every time you talk about mental health openly you are helping to break down the stigma that surrounds it. However, we still a long way to go, and along the way inevitably we will encounter a few unhelpful and infuriatingly close-minded attitudes towards mental illnesses. Here are three of the most unhelpful things people have actually said to me regarding my mental health.

1. “A lot of people your age feel this way – it may just be hormones” –  A GP.
2. “You honestly don’t look like there is anything wrong with you!” – A former employer.
3. “But I don’t understand why you have depression.” – A close friend. X

POST SIX: #TimeToTalk Day in collaboration with Time To Change | Ad

#TimeToTalk

Hello!

This year, Time to Change (TTC) will be working in partnership, with I’m NOT Disordered on a exclusive series of projects for Time To Talk Day (TTD) on February 2nd. 

Questions completed by Caroline Wild, Deputy Director, Communications & Corporate Relations, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Can you tell us about the worst (least helpful, most upsetting, anger-provoking etc) talk you’ve had with another person regarding mental health?

I work in an NHS mental health and disability trust and often work with the public and people in other organisations in relation to mental health services.  I have seen attitudes toward mental health improve dramatically over the years, but sometimes things still happen which take my breath away (and not in a good way).  Last year we did a survey with the public about mental health and a frighteningly high number of people said that they didn’t think someone with depression could do a difficult job.  It still shocks me to remember that not everyone appreciates that we all experience mental health problems from time to time.  It doesn’t make people unable to do their jobs or have the kind of everyday lives that they have.