Laura Darrall
Case Study
How would you like to be described?
Kind and full of hope! (With a good sense of humour… of course!)
How would you describe what you do?
I run a mental health awareness campaign called #itaffectsme, to show the universality of mental health and how we are all, in some way, affected by it. However, currently, I am training to be a vicar, both roles as a campaigner and as a vicar are about instilling hope in people and wanting to make the world a place where we can all be fully who we are. To be seen and visible to others and to be proud of and embrace our vulnerabilities as well as our strengths.
What is your greatest achievement?
Being one of the petitions that helped to get mental health placed on the upcoming National Curriculum!
What was the cause or ’trigger for this journey of making the world a better place through being useful and kind? And how old were you? When did you realise you could make a difference?
6 years ago, when I was 27, I suffered with OCD, anxiety, panic attacks and depression which all, in turn, snowballed into a breakdown. After a lot of help from friends, family, my doctor and therapist, and a lot of work from me, I managed to come back to myself. I realised that though I had had a lot of support, throughout its entirety poor mental health makes you feel incredibly lonely, and I wanted to create something that would help people know that they weren’t alone. So, one day, I sat on the end of my bed, said a little prayer, asking for all this pain to be turned into something good, and the idea fell into my head. I asked people all over the world to take a selfie with a post-it note on their forehead saying #itaffectsme, and they did! 3.5 million people worldwide were reached by the campaign and that has continued to grow. We all have the power and strength to make a difference in this world in our own way, not by copying others, but by leading out of who you are.
Was it something your parents are/would have been proud of and encouraged?
My parents were extraordinarily proud, my dad suffers from bipolar disorder and so it was extremely emotional and personal for all of us, they were thrilled with what happened. We’ve always been a family that has encouraged each other to talk about our feelings and so this felt like an extension of my family ethic!
Who or what were your early influences?
The Spice Girls. And I say that partly as a joke, but in all seriousness, growing up and seeing 5 women all with bold, brash personalities speaking out and championing Girl Power, helped all of us 11 year olds at the time to believe we were worthy of having a voice. An equal and strong female voice!
What were you doing at 16?
I was finishing my GCSEs, mainly languages, drama and the arts and was working in the local carvery serving roast dinners on the weekend and trying not to nick all the Yorkshire puddings!
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
Love yourself. Don’t care so much about what others think. You are a work in progress. And as Morgan Freeman says, “Don’t take criticism from people you would never go to for advice”
What advice would you give to other young people?
Believe in yourself, but most importantly be kind. Always be kind, to yourself and to others. Take joy in being in the world, in the little things as well as the big, and try to do something for someone else each day, even if it’s just a smile.
What has been the most difficult challenge on the way and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges has been knowing that you can’t save the world in a day, that all things take time and persistence and love. And not taking on too much for yourself, which you can overcome by building up a brilliant team around you and trusting others to support you in your endeavours!
What do you think are the changes we need to see in the world and how can being U&K help solve those things?
We need to see a rebuilding of community, of people coming together and regaining that sense of being part of humanity as a whole rather than lots of individuals unconnected. We can all begin to change this by building up relationships with those around us, talk to the people in your local shops, help people feel that they are connected.
How are you useful and kind to yourself - what helps and hinders?
Before bed each night I will do some yoga, write in my diary and pray. It helps to centre me and connects me to something bigger than myself. I will also take myself out on dates! To the cinema or for dinner, just to treat myself. It’s so easy to forget to treat yourself, but give yourself that permission.
How are you both useful and kind to others (the easy ones and those who are more difficult to be U&K to)?
I try to love them. And love is not always easy, it means being alongside people who don’t agree with you or vice versa and creating a space for all voices to be heard, not just the ones you would choose to be heard. History is full of people oppressing others’ voices, the way that we can be useful and kind is to let them be heard.
What is your biggest challenge in the future?
My biggest challenge for the future is to be a part of building a church where all feel welcome and included, no matter what your background, something that many religions have failed at in the past. But for me, knowing that you are seen and loved and valued by not only the big G, but by the entire community is a church I want to be a part of.
What do you wish you had done differently?
I wish I’d sought help for my OCD and anxiety sooner than I did, we often leave it until we are at breaking point before asking for help, but my wish for myself and for others is that they would reach out sooner.