100 Voices: Laura Sheeran On The Need to Talk About Suicide: #NowWereTalking

I can't say that I've battled with depression or suffered any serious mental health issues - and I'm very lucky to be able to say that - but many of my friends and family have. I've known so many people who've died by suicide. The first time I lost somebody that I cared about to suicide I was 11. My mom's best friend died by suicide and she took her two children with her. It was the most horrific, tragic thing ever. So as a kid I became aware of these things.

Everybody is affected by mental health issues, yet the only people who were able to talk to me were my mum or my dad: they're very open people. I was devastated, really grieving for weeks at school, but none of the teachers knew how to talk to me about it. People going through trauma like that not having support could really easily spiral into a depression, so it's important to keep the discussions open and to keep raising awareness. It's important to support each other, especially within families. Everything starts at home.

100 Voices was published in the Hot Press Mental Health Special in conjunction with Lyons Tea and Pieta House as part of the Now We're Talking Campaign. For more please visit hotpress.com/now-were-talking/