A TEENAGER from Morwenstow has become a YoungMinds youth activist, aiming to raise awareness of mental health and encouraging young people to talk about it.

Mental health is a rising concern in Cornwall, especially in young people living in isolated areas of the county. Cornwall has one of the highest rates of suicide in the country, and one in four people will have a mental health problem at some time during their life.

Half of those with lifetime mental health problems experience symptoms by the age of 14, and three quarters before their mid-twenties.

The UK has many mental health organisations tackling this huge problem such as Mind, SANE and Samaritans.

YoungMinds, a mental health organisation focusing on child and adolescent mental health, recruit a small number of young people every year from throughout the UK to work with them to raise awareness of mental health, help to launch campaigns and much more.

Lana-Meave Keenan from Morwenstow, was chosen to become a YoungMind’s youth activist, along with eleven other young people from around the UK.

Lana applied to become an activist through YoungMinds’ website. Every year, YoungMinds look for new activists aged 14 to 25 who have experience related to mental health, including personal experience or caring for someone with a mental health problem, or just having an interest in mental health.

The YoungMinds activist program is a three-year program structured around the themes of ‘Involve, Develop and Progress’. The selected young people attend many training and activist opportunities throughout their three-year program.

Activists are encouraged to share their story and encourage other young people to find the courage to talk about mental health, inspire young people who are struggling with their mental health to look for support and to lead the way in helping to create positive change and attitudes around youth mental health.

In December, Lana travelled to the YoungMinds headquarters in the heart of London to begin her work as a YoungMinds youth activist and to attend valuable training.

Lana said: “I think that the mental health facilities in Cornwall are underfunded and understaffed, so young people are suffering as a result. You get referred from one service to another and can easily fall through the cracks. I know that there are similar problems all over the country, but because Cornwall is so rural, many people feel isolated and like they have to struggle along, which simply isn’t true.

“In becoming a YoungMinds youth activist, I hope to provide a voice for young people with mental health issues who live in rural areas. I am hoping to set up a mental health support group in the Bude area to show people that they don’t have to suffer in silence and there are other people out there who are going through something similar.

“I just want to thank all the people who have made this opportunity possible — my friends, family and amazing staff at YoungMinds!”

Lana aims to create a mental health support group in the Bude area for local young people to join together and share their stories and have some fun.

With help from YoungMinds, Lana wants to gain a greater knowledge about mental health and would like to lobby for improved mental health in young people living rurally and to give support to others facing mental health problems.

Visit www.anxiouskind.wordpress.com to read Lana’s blog.

For people who believe they may be suffering from a mental health problem, speak to someone you trust or a GP. Mental health websites such as Mind or Samaritans offer help and advice.