Nick Frendo from ASCND on the road to RESPAIR, mental health advocacy in cycling and recovery from a serious mental health crisis.

** First up a warning.. in this episode we talk in some detail about the topic of suicide, so if this may be triggering to you please consider this before listening. **

Nick Frendo is a mental health activist and one half of ASCND, a London based cycling mental health advocacy project. Over the last few years he's raised a ton of money and awareness around the subject of mental health through some epic rides, kit collaborations and building a platform for others to share their own mental health experiences.

We talk in some detail about Nick's own battles with mental health issues and the work he's doing with ASCND to get more cyclists trained as Mental Health First Aiders. 

But what this podcast is really about is Nick's experience over the last week. We'd been chatting for a while about doing this podcast but after a serious mental health episode last week Nick got in touch and wanted to share what happened here on the podcast.

So what follows is a very open, honest and raw account just a few days after hitting rock bottom and attempting suicide. It's incredibly brave for Nick to share this so soon after it happened, and importantly he's got the immediate help he needs in a time of crisis. To use ASCND's own tagline, he's now back on the road to respair*.

* Respair is an old english word that means the return to hope after a period of despair.

 

ASCND Website.
To participate in ASCND's Mental Health First Aid training in the UK click here.
To find your nearest Mental Health First Aid training in the USA click here.

Mental Health Support Resources (UK).

To speak with someone immediately, contact Samaritans on 116 123.

The Samaritans.
The New Normal (Peer Support Groups).
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
Mind.
NHS Mental Health Services.
How to spot the signs of someone having a mental health issue.

Mental Health Support Resources (USA).

Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ) .Call 1-866-488-7386
Veterans Crisis Line Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1

Project Healthy Minds directory of support resources (by Emotional State and Resource Type).