BRAWD

I was at a low point when I came across Brawd. The first meeting I didn’t say a word, just sat there and listened to everyone tell their stories, wanting to join in but not feeling like I could. It took me a few meetings before I spoke up in front of the group, but with every session that passed, the supportive atmosphere made me more and more comfortable.

Since then, I have opened up about my struggles, sometimes to the group, but mainly when having conversations with other members of the group. Everyone has been supportive, understanding, and just generally great. I have also done things with the group that I didn’t think I would be able to due to my anxiety.

This is just the start of my journey, but I am so happy I found a great group of guys to go through it with and hope I can continue to improve with the support of the group.

A life-changing programme. Run by great mentors who truly understand the challenges presented by a dip in mental health. I kept myself to myself at first in the sessions, but that was OK. Just being there and hearing other stories seemed to help. It has renewed my confidence so that I feel comfortable again in my own skin.

Thank you Brawd for all your support. I couldn’t have got here without you.

End of autumn I made the decision to commit to feeling better, so I took the leap and decided to join one of the walk-in sessions. It is the best decision I’ve made in a while.

There’s still a way to go but I’m now more in tune with what I’m going through and feel supported by others who are experiencing similar. I have a plan in place and am taking active steps to get back on track. More importantly, I have a support group to lean on.

I moved to Cardiff in late 2019 and as you might expect neither me or my partner managed to get a social life going before the world stopped in 2020. For me the pandemic became a magnifying force pushing my mental health further and further down through loneliness and halting any hope of getting treatment for a chronic health condition. Almost three years after we moved to Cardiff I hadn’t managed to change any of this. Partly due to anxiety and partly because I couldn’t influence things.

That was until my partner sent me a flyer for this group called Brawd and, for whatever reason, I finally decided to chance it. I honestly didn’t know what to expect that first time I went to a session but after I came home I knew I’d been given a great opportunity. I haven’t looked back since. I’m not alone because I’ve found a great group of guys to help me through the tough times, and I’ll do my best to help them through theirs.

I’d been to similar groups like this in the past but what stood out on my first session was the professionalism, positivity and commitment to helping our fellow brothers tackle their mental health challenges that sets Brawd apart.

With Brawd you are truly not alone.