Royal editor Emily Ferguson has explained why she continues to raise awareness of mental health and suicide, drawing on her own experience of opening up about a mental health crisis. Writing for the Daily Express, she highlighted the "domino effect" of speaking out, noting that when she published an article about her own struggles last year, she was overwhelmed by the response from colleagues, family, friends, and even people she had not spoken to in years who said it resonated with them.
One Conversation Can Break the Stigma
Ferguson said that by writing one article and revealing a side of herself she often keeps hidden, she helped other people find the courage to speak about their own experiences. She admitted it was not easy to bare her soul, but said the response was incredible and she does not regret a single thing. While a few people walked on eggshells around her for a while, she hoped that came from a place of kindness rather than judgment, and that on the whole people rightly saw that she is more than her diagnosis.
Speaking with people for the article underscored the power of just one conversation. Ferguson explained that all it takes is for one person to speak out, as once the first domino has fallen, other people are more likely to follow suit, and that is how stigma is dismantled.
The Prince of Wales's Role
The Prince of Wales is using his position to empower people, reach people, and say it is ok to feel down, while signposting them to support. Ferguson said he is able to break through the taboo and the negativity surrounding mental health and suicide, making people listen in a way they have never really listened before.
While Ferguson acknowledged she is no prince, she said that as a journalist she is in a unique position to speak to thousands of people. By writing about people's experiences and the charities that help so many through crisis, support families after bereavement, and provide hope, she can play her part in raising awareness and destigmatising the issue. She concluded that if she can help just one person recognise that their feelings are valid, that help is out there, and people do care, then opening herself up was worth it.
