Are You Really OK?: Understanding Britain’s Mental Health Emergency

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In August 2020, Joe Lyons, Roman Kemp’s much-loved best friend and work colleague died by suicide. Roman and his tight knit group of mates were totally blindsided by Joe’s sudden and unexpected death, and understandably their devastation at the loss of such a special person remains to this day. Describing it as the most “f***ked up industry in the world” he says his confidence was shattered as he was called out for having a “Mediterranean nose” and “wide hips for a man”, and became convinced he had bad teeth as he was never allowed to smile for photos. To witness the scale of the issue first-hand, Kemp travelled across the country to meet friendship groups who’d been devastated by suicide. Northern Ireland has the highest suicide rate in the UK, with young adults twice as likely to take their own life than in England. Here he met four friends, all haircuts and hoodies, whose friend Carl - “the class clown” at school - died last May aged 15.

Are You Really OK? by Roman Kemp - Waterstones Roman Kemp: Are You Really OK? by Roman Kemp - Waterstones

There is also a big section on depression, PTSD, and mental illnesses and how people suffering are not supported -- We pretend that it doesn't exist, forcing those struggling with it to battle through it alone. (p162) The research also found that seven percent of those surveyed felt it’s a conversation you don’t need to have unless someone seems to be in a really bad way, or in crisis. I liked the way the book was structured, chapters were separated by the type of mental health condition and was very easy to readThe sky was streaked with oranges and pinks and purples. The reflection of those colors into the turquoise lake caused a surreal tie-dye effect that amplified the sunset. You could hardly tell where the sky ended and the water began. Everything was glowing. Things begin to change -- better yet, miracles begin to happen -- when we take inventory of what we are believing about ourselves and begin aligning those beliefs with God's unchanging truth. (p116) Everyone has a role to play in ensuring the people in their world feel connected and supported,” says Ms Fardell Hartley. “The free tools and resources that R U OK? have available can help you build your confidence to support your friends, family and colleagues. You don’t have to be an expert, just a good friend and a great listener.” This programme was a BBC Three production. The youth channel has form for unearthing fresh documentary talent - from Stacey Dooley to Professor Green, from Reggie Yates to Jesy Nelson. On the evidence of this impassioned and affecting film, Kemp has a promising career in factual TV ahead of him too. He was charismatic and funny but a good listener and refreshingly ego-free.

How to Respond to “Are You Okay?” When You’re NOT Okay

Roman - thank you for a book that covers mental health without being statistical and/ or regimented, but being real and honest. Roman Kemp is desperate to find the love of his life, but wants to sort his mental health out first (Image: Lorna Roach) Read More Related ArticlesAs the saying goes, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Simply put, keep doing what you’ve always done and you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got. The tension you are feeling is telling you that you have reached the end of your line. Reading this book is like sitting on the couch with your own personal therapist. In Are You Really OK? Debra shows us that our spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health are intertwined, weaving in her personal and professional experience. The book is full of wisdom, understanding, and practical tools that will make a difference in your life today.” Are you really OK? I don’t think there’d be too many people who could answer that question with a resounding yes after living through what the 2020’s have given us so far. Now, more than ever, we need to do whatever we can to look after our mental health. A year later, during the pandemic, Roman’s best friend, Joe Lyons – the producer who’d nurtured his career – took his own life aged 31. In August, on the second anniversary of Joe’s death, Roman got a tattoo on his arm of a dove. He already had a bird tattoo on his leg to match one that Joe had.

Are You Really OK?: Getting Real About Who You Are, How…

Every week, 1 in 10 young people in the UK experiences symptoms of a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression, and 1 in 5 have considered taking their own life at some point. In this book, Stacey Dooley opens up the conversation about mental health in young people, to challenge the stigma and stereotypes around it. In Are You Really OK? author and licensed counselor Debra Fileta challenges you to get real with who you are and how you’re doing spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically so you can recognize where you need growth and healing. You’ll learn to… He adds, “I think they’re fantastic, though. Every family has their squabbles, but what both of them have done is amazing. Here are two boys who have been through one of the worst traumas you can go through as a child – losing a parent – in public. They’re bringing mental health into that family and environment. It takes a lot of balls and I think they should be very proud of what they’ve achieved.”Scrolling through photos and reliving their escapades, Kemp spoke with palpable love for Lyons, who’d become the brother he never had. He cried as he recalled the morning Lyons didn’t turn up for work. “He was struggling with something we couldn’t see,” said Kemp, heartbroken by how close the pair lived. “Three minutes away, a part of my life was completely ending.” Painful. Difficult. Confronting. Hopeful. Optimistic. Promising. Empowering. This is all things in spades and a must-read for everyone. Books like these, potential lifesavers. That's what counts.

Are You Really OK? | Harvest House Are You Really OK? | Harvest House

Watching Roman's documentary about his best friend committing suicide was really eye opening. The grief he went through, and even his own mental health was played out brilliantly and now the work he does to support Mental Health Charities, everything was there for us to see and I really found his program heart warming. None of us are immune to life’s challenges whether that’s a relationship breakdown, financial worries, work pressure or, sadly for some, the loss of a loved one,” said Ms Newton. “Sometimes it won’t be obvious that someone is having a hard time but we know that when we ask early and in a genuine way, we can help someone who might be struggling feel connected and supported, long before they are in crisis.” While that knowledge is somewhat terrifying, it’s also comforting because it removes blame from the person with the illness. This is a book for Christians who are not afraid to get pushed out of their comfort zones. Fileta asks us to get out from under the facade and be honest with all aspects of our lives. She asks us to stop pretending because we are Christians and we are supposed to have it all together. If you are ready to get below that facade and work on your mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health, grab a journal and get to work with this book. At one point my daughter Daisy said, “Dad, I think I have a bite!” And so I leaped to her side and encouraged her to steadily reel the fish in.It was at that point that I looked up and realized that her pole wasn’t bent at all, which it would have been if there were a fish on the line. I realized what had happened when my eyes made it to the tip of her pole. There was her hook and little sinker right at the top. She hadn’t caught a fish at all. She felt all the tension because she had reached the end of her line. Travelling across the UK, Roman meets the Police and NHS taskforce set up in Nottinghamshire - a form of emergency service specifically for mental health crises, a young persons’s suppport group in Belfast where the suicide rate among men is twice that of their counterparts in the UK, and Professor Rory O’Connor from the University of Glasgow, a leading expert in suicide prevention. One of my favorite quotes is from a section discussing the emotional distress of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. “His emotions were telling Him to run. But He stayed. JESUS stayed for you. He stayed, even when everything inside Him told Him to run. And because He stayed, so can we. Because with confidence, we too can declare that though our feelings can’t always be trusted, our God can always be trusted.” With powerful vulnerability, Debra shares relatable stories from her own life and examples that lead to another layer of wisdom written through love and purpose for the reader. “Healing happens in layers!” Each chapter layers in so many deep insights, truth, practical questions, and self-actionable suggestions to journal through.