Daniel McHenry

Mental health awareness

Hi my name is Daniel, I have lost to many family and friends to this horrible disease we call mental health and when I saw this opportunity to help in a small way I didn’t think twice! 

Most of us don’t realize how much we rely on our voices until we stop using them.

For 20 hours, I’ll be doing exactly that—no talking at all. (If you know me you will know this challenge will be quite hard 🤣) 

This silence isn’t a challenge for the sake of discomfort; it’s a fundraiser and awareness effort for mental health.

Mental health struggles are often invisible. People carry anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, and trauma quietly, while the world expects them to keep showing up, smiling, and functioning. Silence, in many ways, mirrors that experience. What goes unsaid can be just as heavy as what’s spoken.

By choosing not to speak for 20 hours, I’m creating space to reflect on how communication, connection, and support impact our mental wellbeing. It’s a reminder that not everyone has the words—or the safety—to speak about what they’re going through. And when people do find the courage to speak, they deserve to be heard.

This fundraiser is about more than staying quiet. It’s about:

    •    Supporting mental health resources and services

    •    Starting conversations (even through silence)

    •    Reminding people they’re not alone

Throughout the 20 hours, I will only have my pen and paper and I’ll be reflecting on how silence feels—when it’s calming, when it’s uncomfortable, and when it’s isolating. 

My hope is that this challenge encourages empathy for those who feel unheard or overlooked in their mental health journeys.

If you’re able to support this fundraiser, whether it’s by a small donation or  even by sharing this post, it truly means a lot to me. 

Every contribution helps fund resources that allow people to speak, heal, and be supported when they need it most.

Thank you for taking the time to read this—and for helping turn silence into something meaningful.

In order to raise funds for mental health charity 20Talk, I'm going to take on the challenge of sitting in a 2 metre square box for 20 hours with no technology and no talking. This challenge will be a small look into the day of someone struggling with mental health. All I will have is my own thoughts, a journal and a chair to sit on.

So why am I doing this?

We have all been touched in some way or another by the reality of mental health. It can be dark, lonely, and confronting.

Structurally, the statistics are still alarming..

• Suicide still remains the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-44.
• Only 2% of mental health funding goes towards prevention (Mental Health Commission 2022)

I'm completing the 20 Hours for 20Talk to turn these statistics around. Your contribution goes towards 20Talk's relatable prevention campaigns. They are a mental health charity that makes education cool and accessible, for young people by young people.

Your generous donations go towards:

• Every $120 puts a young person through a one day Mental Health Maintenance cours
• Expanding 20Talk's online resources and 60,000+ social media community
• Running large-scale interactive mental health events

By improving mental health literacy, removing harmful stigma, and encouraging professional help-seeking we are preventing people from getting people into crisis in the first place.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and for donating to the cause. Hopefully this small challenge can help change someone’s life.

If you ever need to chat, I’m always here. Love you all and thanks again!