A BASINGSTOKE teenager is urging the community to “get talking and listening” about mental health in time for next month’s ‘Time to Talk Day’.

Jessica People, a 19-year-old former Queen Mary’s College student, hopes people will support national charity Time to Change’s campaign to get those suffering with mental illness to speak out about their experiences with the conditions.

The Time to Change young champion, who also volunteers as a mental health activist for YoungMinds, has suffered from depression and anxiety throughout her life, most poignantly when her friend committed suicide when he was just 17-year-old.

The experience led Miss People down a path of despair, but now she is hoping by speaking of her own background, others with similar issues will come forward and talk on February 2.

“When I lost my friend, I got really bad and had thoughts of self-harming,” Miss People told The Gazette.

“There’s such a stigma attached to mental health, which is often portrayed within the media. 

“Stereotypically mental health is shown as dangerous and violent, but ultimately there is no education in schools.

“I remember when I had my first panic attack in school – I had no idea what was going on and nobody was willing to talk to me about it.”

Thankfully for Miss People, she managed to turn her negative experiences into a positive and now regularly volunteers for mental health charities in the hope of inspiring others to speak out.

Time to Change is a growing movement of people looking to change the way we think and act about mental health.

It believes together voices are stronger and louder and is funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund.

“What helped me was just talking to other young people,” Jessica said.

“The levels of young people with depression is increasing, but people need to speak up and talk about their challenges.

“Being in a room with other young people really helps and spending time with your peers puts you at ease.

“Anyone can talk to anyone and listen, but I want people to open up and talk about mental health because listening is the smallest thing someone can do – but it can change, and potentially save, someone’s life.”

Visit time-to-change.org.uk.