Dean Park

My journey with mental health

I've struggled with my mental health for 10 years now, since I was 8 years old. I've struggled with my body image, my self worth, my eating and everyday I've pushed through feelings and the thoughts. I had bad days and I had good days. But now after years of therapy and mental health services in hospitals and in youth centres. I've been able to slowly work through and improve my mental health and now I want to help others who are less fortunate or unable to get help for their mental health or their family situation. Its a blessing to be able to do things like this, it's incredible.

Dean Park

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.

I personally have also been through the realities of mental health problems and I have watch family struggle and fail pushing through their mental health. I want to help raise money to save the next generation's mental health and their families and loved ones. Love and care is the most powerful to hing we can do to help with people's mental health and raising this money to get people who are struggling, will spread more love and care. So on and so forth.

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!