I am not brave. I wish I were. Otherwise I would have the courage of my convictions and tell the world at large about Moodscope. On a train, in a shop, in an eatery, whenever the opportunity arises, I should really spread the word. Shouldn't I?

But maybe it's a bit like spreading a religious conviction, or political allegiance. You pick and choose who you disclose to. Why? Is it out of fear, embarrassment, or even a desire to keep the Moodscope community a closed shop of kind, caring and sharing people? Or actually something else? I haven't reached a conclusion yet.

But I do know that I don't want everyone to know my business. I don't trust everybody. I have to have verification that the person I'm talking to is on the same wavelength, shares an interest in, and sympathy for mental health issues. And that includes people I know well.

Over the five decades that I've experienced depression and anxiety, there has been a huge shift in thinking about people with mental health illnesses. If I think back to fear of schizophrenia, when I was in my twenties, when we visited a friend's schizophrenic landlady, I am appalled now at my fear, lack of knowledge or appreciation of the condition then. When my sister-in-law recently confessed that she felt unable to travel in our car if our autistic son were a passenger in it, I knew the fear among outsiders still persisted. There is still far to go along the path of acceptance and understanding.

How much do you share about Moodscope?

Who do you tell, and why them?

And are there people you deliberately withhold your membership of Moodscope from, and can you say why this is?

Sally

A Moodscope member.