Beat Low Mood With Carl Turner

Carl Turner, of ViiSana, highlights the issue of mental health and its impact for those in business. He is supported RED January and raised money for the charity Mind. In this Q&A, he talks openly about is own experience with depression last year and how he overcame it.

When you developed depression how did it manifest?

It was thoughts about the workplace and life in general. I never gave mental health the respect I do now – and what it deserves. Business people tend to bury their heads in the sand and just get on with it. They are not prepared to be honest with everyone. I was like that.

How do people in business with depression often react?

It is hard to tell if a person has depression. They can typically be asked: “How’s business?” They, like I did, may reply “OK”, “Could be better” or “Under worked, over paid” – all the usual cliches.

It’s not bad to be honest and just turn around and say “It’s blooming awful” or “Things aren’t great at home” or “Staff are pulling my chain constantly”. Even “I’m short of money”.

Should people in business talk about depression?

Yes. Because it’s all the things people are scared to admit that are getting them down. They may struggle to peel themselves out of bed in the morning. The best thing I’ve found is to talk about it.

The more you bottle it up, the worse it gets.

Who should you talk to if you are suffering from depression?

If I’m honest, it’s important to talk to the right people. You don’t want to blast it to everyone. Finding support really can help. I was scared to let people know I was struggling. Probably more so to people in business

What would they think of the guy, the person that was at cricket every other week, who was laughing and joking? If they knew he was struggling, would they still be his friend? Would they still do business with him? Those are the sort of things that went through my mind. I can honestly say, from that Brighton network, has there isn’t one person I haven’t got a more enhanced respect for. These people were as supportive as the friends who I have known for 20 to 30 years.

Who helped you?

Without naming names, there were people within the Brighton/Sussex business community, from the Boundary club etc who were just a huge support for me.

People do business with them because they are just great people. It is not just business, it’s friendship. I don’t know how I would have got back on my feet without these guys. That is why this Brighton network works so well.

Why are you supporting Mind?

I don’t know a massive amount about Mind as a charity. I know what they do and that they support people with mental health when they are struggling. I do know, I powerfully believe in what they are doing as an initiative.

Their ‘It’s OK not to be OK’ campaign is unbelievable. Mind’s 31 days consecutive exercise concept is a way out. I found exercise the way out  for me.

How did you overcome depression?

I was put on tablets in the summer when I was having a breakdown or was depressed, whatever you may want to call it. The fact is those tablets turned me into a zombie. They didn’t help me in the slightest.

Going out for a run, playing squash with my pals, taking my kids out – they got the endorphins going. That is where I found my escape. It may not be for everyone. Depression is a chemical imbalance. Some people may need tablets. But exercise is what worked for me.

What is RED January?

RED January encourages people to improve their mental health through exercise. It help people focus by supporting them to participate in an activity every single day. It provides people with a goal and a focus in what is a characteristically tough month. Importantly, it empowers you to start the year as you mean to go on.

RED January celebrates every achievement and the amazing RED community is there to support you every step of the way.

Money raised as a result of my efforts in January will support Mind’s life-saving services and help more people with depression recover.

About Mind

Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. It campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.