Published on: 31 January 2025
Time to Talk Day (6 February) is an opportunity to raise awareness around the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. This year’s theme is: ‘get comfortable and start talking about mental health’. Local organisations including Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust recognise the importance of mental health to support our overall health and wellbeing. 
As part of this awareness day, David Mellors, ex-army veteran and current peer support worker at the Trust, has shared his story. David, who has complex post-traumatic stress disorder as a veteran, has received support from local charities, NHS therapists and the Trust’s early intervention service to better navigate his mental health in a healthier way.
David said: “From the age of 10 until 16, I was sexually abused and bullied in the cadet forces, which was a youth charity in 1982. I was left terrified of what could happen if I spoke out from seeing how badly treated those around me were. I mentally tried to block this out for years even during my time in the army.
“This experience really set me back as I was unable to form friendships later in life and often found humour as a coping mechanism, which didn’t always bode well with those outside of the cadets and forces.
“In 2017, a close friend of mine contacted NHS 111 on my behalf when I was particularly struggling with my headspace. The professionals over the phone immediately arranged a GP appointment. Luckily, the GP I was assigned to was a veteran too, so she knew exactly who to refer me onto once I explained my struggles.
“The immediate concerns to my friend were that I had lost lots of weight, I didn’t want to go out or want to wash – all kinds of problems.
“The GP put me in touch with a charity that’s based in the East Midlands called SARAC which is a sexual advice and rape counselling service. I was supported relatively quickly due to my veteran status and had quite a few sessions, which I was extremely grateful for.”
Unfortunately, a year on from this support, David’s mental health started to take a turn again. However, the NHS therapy service he was accessing was able to provide the right care at the right time for his concerns.
“I was transferred to a veteran-specific team within the service whom I cannot thank enough. They intervened quickly and got me into various community groups designed for veterans to provide bespoke care and support.
“One of the best community group sessions involved swimming with dogs. I was initially apprehensive. This type of therapy doesn’t cure any PTSD or permanently take away feelings of anxiety for good, but it does give some respite to keep negative thoughts at bay.”
The enjoyment the dogs get from swimming gives off pheromones, which helps to relax people in the water. The cooler temperature of water also acts as therapy to keep people’s minds focused on the present as well as their breathing.
“I found this very therapeutic. I also received counselling for childhood and service-related trauma from my time as a veteran. This was the first time I was told I had PTSD. Prior to this, I was treated with bulimia, depression and anxiety so I was able to start piecing things together and could better understand why I was feeling the way I was.”
David is now a peer support worker at the Trust sharing his lived experience with compassion, honesty, and empathy to help other people who are experiencing their own struggles and distress.
“I have worked for the NHS since December 2024. My role involves assisting people to learn from my experiences and providing empathy towards those I am supporting. There is no better person to support a person’s journey towards recovery than someone who has walked a similar path, and so that is why I knew this job was right for me.
“I ask thought-provoking questions to patients to help support their recovery. It is an extremely rewarding role as well as being able to work for a large organisation like the NHS, and for something that is bigger than me has given me a lot of purpose.
“The team I work with are fantastic. Not only do they support others, but they also regularly check in to see how I am doing. I am lucky to work in a team that genuinely wants to make a positive difference.”
David explained how his mental health is still an ongoing battle but one that can now be better managed thanks to the help of local NHS services.
“Mental health is never easy. If I could offer advice to someone struggling, I would say it is important to talk because, if you don’t, the problems can become bigger than you. So, if you have concerns and need to express them, make sure you do so because a problem shared is a problem halved – there is support available and people who genuinely want to help see you become the best version of yourself.”
Mark Powell, Chief Executive at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Thank you to David for being courageous and sharing his story to help promote the importance of talking about how we feel. It is stories like these which have a ripple effect, in demonstrating how someone who has been in a very vulnerable position can turn their life around with the right support.
“At Derbyshire Healthcare, we are encouraging people to use this Time to Talk Day as an opportunity to get talking, so people can receive appropriate care and support, like David did.”
Everyone experiences ups and downs at some point but poor mental health is not something that should be experienced alone. There are lots of self-help tips and advice on the NHS’s Every Mind Matters website. And there are also lots of ways to reach out in Derby and Derbyshire if you need someone to talk to – including drop-in centres, safe havens open every night of the week, and a 24/7 local helpline – and these are described in more detail below.
Services to support people with a mental health crisis include:
- Derby Safe Haven - call 0330 0083722 or drop in at 309 Burton Road, Derby, DE23 6AG (4:30pm to 12:30am)
- Chesterfield Safe Haven – call 01246 949410 or drop in 188 North Wingfield Road, Grassmoor, Chesterfield, S42 5EJ (4:30pm to 12:30am)
- Drop in services at Buxton, Ripley and Swadlincote – which are available on Friday evenings and at weekends and are run by Derbyshire Mind
- Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service – available 24 hours a day on 0800 028 0077, or by dialling NHS 111 and choosing “mental health”.
More information about these and other services can be found on the Derby and Derbyshire emotional health and wellbeing website: https://derbyandderbyshireemotionalhealthandwellbeing.uk/adult/getting-help-in-a-crisis
They are also listed on the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust website: https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/getting-help/help-mental-health-crisis.
