The CEO of a Northants business has shared his personal mental health journey to mark Mental Health Awareness week, which takes place from 12th-18th May.
Robert Thompson of See Limited, a group holding company for businesses involved in the built environment industry, is candid about his experiences and hopes that by sharing his story, others experiencing a similar situation will be inspired to seek out the help and support they need.
It was during what Robert calls, ‘the dreaded Covid outbreak’ that he recalls this being the turning point of when his life changed. “I was working at 100 miles an hour and then Covid-19 came along. It was a massive disruption to a lot of businesses and families but it was also a time when my body just crashed.
“Automatically I questioned whether this was a by-product of Covid and I never really got to the bottom of it.
“Obviously, I went to the doctors and they did blood tests, but my body was shot. I couldn’t get out of bed and at the time, it was quite easy to put it all down to Covid. But in reality, whether it was long Covid or not, my body was pretty much shutting down and saying, ‘enough is enough’.”
Robert says that this was the wake up call he needed to make positive change in his working and personal life, though he freely admits that this was a real challenge as he was impacted both mentally and physically.
“I wasn’t able to do half the things I wanted to do and was trying hard to figure out how to fix myself, as my natural persona is to fix things but I felt I couldn’t do this.”
Robert’s mental health struggles were also compounded by the news that his wife, Katie, was diagnosed with stage four cancer while he was away on business in the US. “The news of my wife’s cancer diagnosis was very traumatic but she was amazing in the approach she took. She embraced the diagnosis in a positive way and it was her approach that helped me significantly in terms of trying to understand what was wrong with my body – and that’s where my real journey began.”
On his route to recovery, Robert recognised that he needed to prioritise his mental and physical wellbeing. He gave up alcohol and meditates alongside embarking on regular daily exercise. “To function properly, you need to look after yourself. Through my own experiences, I soon realised that I also had to be more patient in order to improve and get healthy.
“I have four beautiful children and a wife and wanted to fully appreciate the simple things in life. Although it was, and continues to be, hard work I was determined to get better and as I progressed, I started to feel better mentally and physically. The one percent changes that I made to help improve my wellbeing made all the difference. For me, making those small changes helped me deal with the harder times; it’s all about being consistent.”
It is from that consistency that Robert has benefitted. He now has what he calls ‘non-negotiable daily routines’ of exercise and meditation that enable him to take the time out he needs to be truly present, both at work with his colleagues and at home with his wife, children and dog Molly.
Robert freely admits that his mental health journey continues, as does the challenges faced by his wife. However, he firmly believes he has been given a second chance and is determined to continue to seek out the good in every day. Consistency and a willingness to talk are, he says, vital steps in anyone’s recovery. “Everyone should have an awareness of mental health and the challenges that it can bring. I still have peaks and troughs but I think it’s important that people understand that they are not alone.
“Mental health is often stigmatised but the more people talk about how they are feeling and keep in mind the importance of giving back, will only transcend itself into a greater wellbeing for all.
“Hopefully sharing my story will resonate with others facing similar challenges and encourage them to seek out the support they need.”
Since 2001, the Mental Health Foundation has been leading Mental Health Awareness Week. This year it takes place from 12th-18th May.
