Prince Harry urges mental health discussion

OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Harry has urged military personnel to “talk about” their mental health.
The 32-year-old royal – who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan before leaving the Army – visited a Veterans’ Mental Health conference in central London on Thursday (16.03.17) where he told over 200 audience members that mental health issues are “not a life sentence” and should be discussed so those affected can get help.
He said: “It is incredibly difficult to talk about mental health in the armed forces. It is still a very difficult conversation.
“As a military person, once you put that uniform on during your training, you are taught to be invincible and not to let anybody down.
“However, a lot of individuals prefer turning to alcohol rather than a friend.”
Prince Harry made the visit to the conference on behalf of mental health awareness campaign Heads Together, which he spearheads with the help of his brother Prince William, and sister-in-law Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
The conference was made up of participants including former military personnel like himself, academics, and representatives from organisations such as the National Health Service (NHS) and the Ministry of Defence.
It isn’t the first time Prince Harry has been vocal about the mental health of army veterans, as he previously said it was “really important” to make sure former soldiers regain their mental health as well as their physical health when they leave the forces.
He said: “Getting back your mental as well as your physical fitness is a really important thing. One of the biggest struggles is accepting that there is a problem in the first place. Rather than operating at fifty or sixty per cent you can operate at eighty or ninety percent and be a better person.”
Meanwhile, Harry also highlighted the importance of soldiers “reintegrating into society” when he visited the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project in Epping Forest on Wednesday (15.03.17).
He said: “We have to remember that when you leave the force you have to somehow integrate yourself in society. You need to appreciate you’re not invincible.
“We could do better to prepare people for that. You’ve been looked after by the army for so many years, and you have got to somehow reintegrate yourself in society.”

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