David Martin backs Time to Talk Day


West Ham United goalkeeper David Martin is backing Time to Talk Day - the day to get the nation talking about mental health.

Martin is the Health and Wellbeing Ambassador for the Club’s Players’ Project, and speaks in the video above about his experiences with mental health over his career.

A small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.

We know that the more conversations we have, the more myths we can bust and barriers we can break down, helping to end the isolation, shame and worthlessness that too many of us with mental health problems are made to feel.

We need your help to start the conversation this Time to Talk Day – together we can end mental health stigma.

David said: "It's good to tackle the stigma around mental health. I’ve suffered from it myself in my career, and it’s not easy to get yourself out of it.

"Talking to someone, I found, was the best way. There are outlets and help around that you can find - it’s about looking in the right places.

"Sometimes the hardest bit is acknowledging that you are struggling. It took me a long time to say: ‘I don’t feel good, how do I change this?’

"Luckily for me, once I spoke with my wife, I realised that, although it didn’t lift it all at once, it was a massive step in the right direction. I was lucky enough to have that conversation.

"We’re lucky enough to have professionals in the building too that you can speak to. It’s great that football now is seeing that mental health is just as important as physical health, if not more important.

"Taking that first step of talking was the biggest part of getting away from my lowest moment - and Time to Talk is the perfect saying for that."

Find out more about Time to Talk Day by clicking here.