​"My name is Tom Carmichael. I am 33 years and have been working within recruitment now for the past 12 years and this is me sharing my journey of my struggles with mental health. 

 I was just your average 29 year old man, wondering what was coming next as I approached 30 and feeling significant pressure that I was behind in life, constantly comparing myself to friends and peers. I’m very fortunate to have a very huge family who I am very close to, lots of different circles of friends and always busy socialising. I guess I had an awareness of mental health and seen first hand what it can do to someone close to me, but I never considered for one minute that I could be affected. I’ve always been a worrier, an over-thinker and have put massive pressure on myself in various situations and unfortunately during June 2018, shortly after my 30th birthday I had a complete breakdown that was not only to affect me, but everyone I cared about. It spiralled and I spent countless days, then months just stuck in my room seeing no way out. If it wasn’t for the constant support of family, then I dread to think what could have happened. It took time, it took the right medication and now I am happy to see that I have never been in a better place. I want to give people hope, that they WILL get better, and I hope by doing something like this will be a source of support for someone who is struggling right now and unable to see a way out. I now make it my mission to reach out to friends and just ask that simple “how are you doing?” and try and use my experiences to help others."