Andy Horner known online as Anxious Andy who’s voice is making a difference for people struggling with their mental health

Andy Horner (a.k.a. Anxious Andy) is a mental health campaigner in the United Kingdom and is a voice of all those suffering with poor mental health.

Andy shares his own personal journey on social media where he does regular live videos with his audience which has acquired a large following. Andy plans on taking to the streets in the new year in his hometown of Huddersfield West Yorkshire to raise awareness about people who are suffering having a serious lack of support from services.

Andy Horner says that people battling with mental health issues are now in desperate need of help. Face to face appointments are becoming scarce and people are lucky if they can get the care they need and things are starting to get out of control. People need to be helped before they reach crisis point. Andy, speaking about his own experience says, “I have battled with my mental health since a young age and have been on and off with services for the past 30 years. I have never known it to be this bad, especially amongst young people.

Without appropriate, urgent treatment, can lead to chronic depression, damaged relationships, alcohol and/or drug abuse, eating disorders, physical illness and/or disability, unemployment, homelessness, and even suicide. This sounds extreme, but it’s reality in the U.K. Services are so stretched that they simply cannot cope.

Leaving someone to simply cope at home without the help and guidance from a mental health professional is dangerous and puts extra strain on families and relationships, this can then lead to the person who has a mental health condition to feel like they are a burden to others/isolation and unfortunately we all know where this can lead. There is no doubt that untreated clinical anxiety or major depression are very serious problems.

Those with severe panic attacks or a major depressive disorder cannot just “snap out of it” It just doesn’t work like that. Without the appropriate treatment, which would likely include psychotherapy and antidepressants, these conditions can go on for years or even a lifetime. However, with the proper treatment and support most sufferers can be helped significantly and lead a near normal life.

Those living with other forms of mental illness, like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, which again do not receive the amount of attention and support that they deserve. The stresses of Covid-19 have not helped by any means, health services have been stretched to the limit, this has led to the lack of services available for people suffering with mental health issues in the U.K. and it’s time that people stepped up and demand more from our government.

I hope more campaigners come forward and make a stand to raise awareness amongst our MPs and communities so that we can bring about changes in the NHS that are sorely needed, which is more help for those struggling with their mental health. GPs, Police and Ambulance services are becoming the new mental health nurses which in my view is just stretching emergency services even more when really all we need is more money put into mental health and more encouragement and benefits for people wanting to become a mental health nurse, psychiatrist or psychologist, we don’t have enough people wanting to get into this line of work.

Mental health conditions are very complex and challenging so I can understand why it’s hard to recruit, but the government need to be doing more. Charities are great for the community, but people with chronic conditions need expert clinical help.

Charities usually consist of group work or support over the phone. Not everyone wants to discuss their problems to a group of people, especially in their home town where they might know people who attend the groups. Phone calls are a good listening tool but many with a chronic condition need expert urgent help. We need improvements urgently.