This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (18 – 24th May) comes at an unprecedented time of global change.
As nations all across the planet slowly unfurl the restrictions of lockdown and societies begin to take small steps back to a version of ‘normal’ life, the lack of certainty over what will happen next continues to cause anxiety and distress to many.
During the lockdown, The World From My Window (TWFMW) has shone a spotlight on the stories of the individuals who are living through this difficult, shared experience. So far, hundreds of personal accounts and stories have been collected from 40 different countries across the globe; including, Pakistan, Uganda, North America, Sudan, the UK, Belarus, New Zealand and Palestine.
Everyone has a different story to tell. We have heard from patients in the throes of recovery, parents at home – struggling to balance demands of children and work and popstars – including Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne, who is finding hope in the opportunity to stay still.
What has been the common thread in all the submissions and stories received, is that making the time to write down your anxieties and emotions can bring comfort during a period of crisis.
You can add your voice to the growing digital anthology of stories told by all these global citizens by writing a short story or letter to describe what your world looks like right now. The goal is to gather stories from as many countries and societal perspectives as possible and to build a varied and holistic picture of this moment in our shared history.
Here are some extracts from the stories we have received so far:
“Loneliness is nothing to do with distance. It can happen anywhere, because it’s something we carry inside us, like a pain in our heart. We can be alone in a crowded room, even when people we love are right beside us.” – Paul, London
“Could you ever imagine, even in your wildest dreams, that a pandemic will bring the entire world to a halt? The world so preoccupied that it whooshes by those who take a moment to catch a breath.” – Atif, Islamabad.
“I hear cars and trucks, delivering important things, I hear possums and birds, wandering around, I hear neighbors and pets, living their lives, I hear silence most often and that’s a lovely sound.” – Rebecca, Australia
“I’m grateful for this moment of calm. The pressures of having to be the smartest, the most successful, the prettiest, the thinnest have disappeared and I am now free.” Sophie, West Sussex.
“…what I miss the most? It’s the ritual we were doing to increase our neurotransmitters – oxycontin, dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. The simple ritual of a Hug. – Subhan, Baku.
‘They remind me that outside my little mansion there are other stories, other entities and matter, and everything in our little world will pass, one day at a time. It’s a strange comfort’ – Aurora, Barcelona
During Mental Health Awareness Week, TWFMW is encouraging more submissions through a partnership with Centrepoint and a series of interactive Instagram live workshops and discussions.
Isolation is especially hard on vulnerable young people and TWFMW is feeding into the Centrepoint, #ChallengeAccepted, arts initiative by giving young people an opportunity to share their story via social channels in a series of different tasks and focuses to keep active and engaged during the lockdown.
To tell your story visit http://
All stories will be read with as many as possible being shared across our The World From My Window platforms.
