Zaynah Shehraz's story:

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I grew up in a home where there was never any sort of discussion around mental illness. I know that this is not uncommon, however having been brought up by parents of South Asian descent, I learnt that issues of mental health were shrouded by secrecy and silence. There seems to be only two reactions - no acknowledgement whatsoever or ridicule. So, after years of masking my emotions, I finally confessed my inner, darker thoughts to my parents and I felt an overwhelming sense of shame and weakness. I had been struggling with various mental health issues since a child and it took me to have a crisis episode in my mid-20's to confront my demons. I'm now in recovery and have recently started writing a blog notasimplemind.com to share my experiences with the hope of ending the stigma and ensuring others don't suffer in silence.