In this series I’ll be chatting to friends about their mental health how they cope, their support systems, advice they’ve learnt and advice they’d like to pass on.

I’m Abby Lacey and I’ve suffered for anxiety for as long as I can remember. I’m not a mental health professional but I am an advocate of speaking out and breaking the stigma attached to mental health.

In 2019, I started Mental Health Mates - Reading, a peer support group organising walks and talks for people suffering from mental illness, along with their family and friends.

Since then, I have made many friends and connected with so many like-minded people, so I thought it would be great to give them a platform to tell their stories. If this podcast can help just one person then my job is done.

1 in 4 is not intended to take the place of professionals. If you need help, there is a number of services available to talk to:

Samaritans – 116 123Mind – 0300 123 3393Beat (eating disorders) – 0845 634 1414Anxiety UK – 08444 775 774No Panic – 0844 967 4848SANE – 0845 767 8000OCD ACTION – 0845 390 6232Rethink Mental Illness – 0300 5000 927