We need you

At Blurt HQ, we're preparing for our busiest time where mentor requests are at an all time high. We've recently been receiving as many as 5 a day and this looks set to soar as people struggle with the Winter months.

Blurt is run completely by volunteers so it is important to remember that your role in what we do is vital and without your help, we just wouldn't be able to continue to provide this essential service. Depression can be an isolating illness and many of our mentor requests come from people who feel they have nobody else to talk to. By getting involved with what we do, you are changing somebody's life by giving them hope for the future. Whether you have time to be a mentor, to fundraise for us, perhaps you have an old mobile we can have or would like to regularly give to fund one of our volunteer mentors. It all makes a massive difference.

October Blurt Alert

What a week it'sbeen! Yesterday was World Mental Health Day and to say our social media sites were on fire is an understatement. So many of you were using the day to raise awareness, speak out about your experiences and shout out to the organisations you support. We were blown away by it all and happy to see the hashtags #WMHD and #WorldMentalHealthDay trending all day.

We're also gearing up for our annual jaunt to Oxford on Sunday as our team takes on the Oxford Half Marathon. We can't wait to meet our runners who have been training and fundraising like ninjas. Pics to follow...

It's been a busy week for shop sales too as our 'Swimming Against the Tide' mugs are on sale. They're named that because those with depression often feel as though they're swimming against the tide and we wanted to reflect that on our mugs. Which, by the way, will have your tea/coffee/hot chocolate/hot water and lemon tasting even better than normal ;-) Reduced from £7 to just £5, available in grey/orange, grey/green and grey/blue and available to buy here --> http://www.blurtitout.org/shop

This month sees the clocks fall back an hour which means the evenings will be drawing in (we hope we've got that the right way around) and the number of daylight hours decreasing. Winter can be a particularly tough time for those affected by depression and also for those 3-6% of people who may find themselves struggling with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Disorder which is a type of depression which occurs during the darker Winter months of the year. Symptons, such as low mood, feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, lethargy and sleep problems, may start develop as early as September and continue until April, at their worst in December, January and February. If you're struggling, don't hesitate to speak to your GP to see what treatment options are available to you.

It can be difficult to find the words to express how depression feels sometimes. Naomi and Jen shared with us '21 Comics That Capture The Frustrations of Depression'. We could identify with so many, can you?

It's a shame that in tForFoF

We're always on the hunt for people willing to share their experiences, views, poetry or perhaps write a response to a news story they've heard.

If you'd like to contribute to our blog, here's how.

Many people wait a long time before seeking help for depression. It's best not to delay. Too many people see it as admitting that they are weak in some way and suffer in silence. Depression is an illness, not a weakness.