Resources for overcoming Mental Health Difficulties

Michael shares his go-to resources for mental health difficulties.

- Michael Rigby

There are so many resources that will help you get back up after being knocked down. However, we don’t always realise this… we tend to think we have nothing that can help us. I’ve probably asked myself more than a thousand times: “how do I get back up from this?” I even have a couple of falls to this day, but that’s just part of the rebuilding process. Here is a list of resources that could help:

1: Family/Friends- These are the key people who will always be there for you, whether you’re at your best or your worst. Never forget to show your appreciation for these people: you only get one set of parents, and friends can be just like family. I’m not saying that all friends will be there for you at your moment of weakness,  but re-evaluate your group of friends you have and think about the ones who are there for you as much as you are there for them. Those people will help you, and you will probably find that you’re helping them as well.

2: Physical Activity- I understand not everyone likes this subject. However, it’s proven that exercising daily for at least 30 minutes to an hour will improve your mental health as well as your physical health. Also, it can be a massive stress-reliever. You can’t beat the feeling of putting on headphones and blocking out this stressful world for an hour.

3: YouTube- I’ve managed to find many motivational videos that have been put together by professionals. Honestly, I think they are brilliant. My personal favourite: “Unbroken by Mateusz M”, a video that includes inspirational lines from motivational speakers Les Brown and Eric Thomas, and the late Louis Zamperini and Steve Jobs.

4: The background of your role models- Many people tend to think that big names have had it easy and are lucky to be where they are in life. However, that’s not always the case. These people are also human, just like the rest of us, and you’ll find that these individuals share our stories in some way. I personally think autobiographies are very engaging reads and you’ll get an insight into what life was like before ‘success’. At the moment, I’m reading the autobiography of the well known comedian Kevin Hart. Personally, I think the story is fantastic. To see somebody fight and crawl to make it to the big time inspires me. He’s not the only person to have had a difficult life before fame. Therefore, think of one of your role-models and go and read their story.

You’ll find that everyone has a story, but what matters is how you choose to write the next chapter. These people were just like us… the only difference is that they’re making their story the best it can possibly be. You could say “they’re true success stories” which is true. However, they’re also just people who didn’t let hard times defeat them; that’s the true success of their stories.

We all know these times are difficult. However, we have to keep going. Nothing that is dragging you down should be allowed to defeat you or define who you are as a person. You’re not weak, you’re not a quitter, you’re one of the strongest people in the world. Only the very few can relate to how hard it is to battle with your mind everyday. You will overcome this… you just have to KEEP FIGHTING!



Hi, I'm Michael Rigby and I study Sports Business and Broadcasting at UCFB Wembley. I have experienced mental illness, including depression and social anxiety, since the age of 14.