A big day out for mental health

Thank you all. A big day out clocked in at midnight with 447.8km on the clock and over 5,000chfs raised for our charity of choice. Thank you all for making this happen, it was a joy.

Hello to you all; my name is David. I will be cycling around Zermatt for 24 hours on October 10th, World Mental Health day, to raise funds for Pro menta Sana, an independent mental health organisation here in Switzerland. It is the contact point for people with mental disabilities, their relatives and professionals to receive support and guidance.

Unfortunately, almost all of us know someone who is suffering – or has at some point suffered from – poor mental health. Many even know the pain of losing someone to a battle lost with depression. I had a brief encounter with depression a few years ago, which significantly impacted me and those closest to me. However, I was lucky. I had access to resources, medical care and support; others aren't so lucky; this ride is for them.

Cycling the same 4km loop for the entire day seems fitting; feeling lost within and identifying with a destructive thought cycle is what depression felt like to me. I came out of it on the other side, after receiving help, feeling as though I got away with it. In some way, I was merely drifting in the shallows. I know that I was fortunate, and others have not been so lucky. The rip tides of stress and circumstance can pull people out, far away from shore to the point of loneliness, hard to imagine, where suicide can feel like a solution.

As we cannot see depression or mental illness in others, I will ride 24 hours on a town bike in regular clothes to symbolise the fact that we cannot know what each other is going through. I have always used physical activity as a way back to a clearer state of mind; this ride is a tiny gesture to all those still suffering. All donations will go directly to support the work Pro menta Sana does to alleviate mental suffering and help promote a positive and progressive approach to mental health issues in society today.

The following facts and figures outline the need for such services

People with mental disorders live 10 to 25 years less than the general population.

2 out of 3

people with mental distress are not getting the support they need.

Over 1 million

people (every 8th inhabitant) in Switzerland take medication for depression, anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses.

Almost 50%

of all disability pensions are awarded on the basis of mental illness.

Over 1,000 people

take their own lives every year. That's five times more deaths than on the road. Approximately 90% have psychological impairments.

Please help raise a little bit of money to tackle a big issue affecting many. I would love your help to make a difference with a small donation, sharing this page or even better, joining in for a few laps and a chat if you're in town.

I appreciate your help. All the best.

David