Hello all. Today, the 10th October, is World Mental Health Day. The day is held in order to raise awareness of mental health around the world.

A while ago I wrote a poem about depression. Normally when I write a poem I’ll get it how I like it, read it to people and revisit them regularly. Sometimes however, I write something a bit more serious, like The D-Word, and I never go back to those poems. I thought today might be a good idea to share the poem, given that it is WMHDay. It is written from past experiences and I believe every word to be true.

Thanks for reading. I’ll have a more light-hearted poem up next week.

The D-Word by Liam Overend

Depression, misery, sorrow, despair

All of these things will make you stare

Into the dark and dismal abyss

Soul sucking things that will make you miss

The feelings of happiness, pleasure and joy

The fun you once felt as a girl or a boy

And all of those things that once made you smile

Are no longer exciting, they’ve gone for a while

Depression divorces our souls from our life

It fills us with nothing, a void full of strife

But there is a way out, it doesn’t have to be bad

There’s people to talk to, there’s help to be had

Some people, I know, don’t want to ask

But suffer in silence, hide in their mask

Not because they don’t want to converse

They feel they’d be making their friend’s lives worse

But friends, they will listen, you won’t be a drain

They will lend an ear and help with your pain

And don’t feel sorry, don’t apologise

And don’t be ashamed if tears roll from your eyes.

Talk now, talk to anyone, whoever is best

Tell them your sorrows, offload from your chest

Confide with your comrades, they’ll help in your fight

Life will get much better, but not overnight

This pain that you carry, it won’t last forever

You must believe in this truth. Stand firm, shout ‘Never!’

‘I won’t let you beat me, I won’t let you win!’

There’s never been a greater time to begin

But please, do it now, don’t dawdle, don’t wait

You have to tell someone, don’t leave it too late.

Because no-one wants to say ‘If only we’d known’

Tell others your nightmare, don’t face it alone.