Zoe Taylor

25 Days To Go!

Day 1

Ztay’s 2026 Mental Health Awareness

I’m taking part in 20 Hours for 20Talk on the 28th of June because mental health is not something I have just read about, studied, or supported from a distance. It is something I have lived through, watched people I love suffer through, and unfortunately lost people to.

My own mental health journey started when I was young. From the outside, I had a really beautiful life. I grew up with a loving family, good friends, sport, laughter, and support. But even with all of that around me, there were times when my own mind felt like the hardest place to exist in. I struggled with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, self-doubt, and moments where I  couldn’t see myself making it past tomorrow. For a long time, I felt confused, ashamed, and frustrated that I could have so much love around me and still feel so lost inside myself. It took me years to understand that mental health struggles are not always visible, logical, or easy to explain. Sometimes people who look like they are coping are the ones fighting the hardest battles behind closed doors.

That is a big reason why I chose to study psychology and counselling. I never want people to feel like they have to go through their darkest moments alone. I know what it is like to need help before you even know how to ask for it. I know what it is like to wish someone could sit with you in the mess and not judge you for it. If my own story can help even one person feel less alone, then sharing it is worth it.

This cause means a lot to me because I know people who have taken their lives, families who grieved their loved ones, friends who still suffer in silence and experienced my own journey of survival. Those people are the reason this matters to me. They are the reason conversations like this need to happen before someone reaches their breaking point.

I have so much respect for 20Talk and the young men who created this movement. They have taken something confronting and turned it into a way to raise awareness, start real conversations, and support young people in a way that actually feels human. This challenge is not easy. Sitting in a 2×2 metre square with no talking and no technology for 20 hours is confronting, uncomfortable, and honestly pretty daunting. But that discomfort is the point. It represents a small glimpse into the isolation that so many people experience when they are struggling with their mental health.

For me to participate in this challenge, I need to raise a minimum of $1,000. Any donation, big or small, will help me reach that goal and support an organisation that is doing important work in mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

For me, this is more than just a fundraiser. It is personal. It is for the people we have lost, the people still fighting, and the people who need to know that they are not alone. Thank you for donating, sharing, or supporting in any way you can. It genuinely means a lot.