Mental health sufferers struggling to get emotional support
Over a quarter of people in our region say they regularly feel alone.
People in Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire are struggling to get daily emotional support - with over a quarter saying they regularly feel alone.
Research from mental health charity Mind also found that two fifths of people with a mental health condition here find it difficult to open up to those close to them.
Lauren Blenkensop has faced battles with loneliness since her teens and recognises the importance of speaking up:
"The majority of mental health issues that people might experience tend to develop before they reach the age of 25 so it's important people get help before then. It's also a time when there's a lot of turmoil and a lot of change, your doing exams, leaving school or going to university or college or trying to find work so there is a lot of uncertainty.
"You're not alone and it makes you realise that what you're going through isn't strange or scary and there are people you can talk to. I found it really fantastic to be able to talk about some things that I has experienced in the past and going through now.
"It can feel very isolating even if you know that there are people out there going through something similar. When you feel that low and unwell it is very hard to imagine that someone can be feeling that bad."
David Smith is from Hull and East Yorkshire MIND. He says this kind of support is just as important as professional help:
"Sometimes we make the mistake of assuming that charities like Mind or the NHS or your GP will deal with all your mental health needs and that's not the case. Most people get their everyday support from their family, friends and work colleagues and when that's not there, people suffering with mental health tend to get worse and really struggle.
"This report is a reflection on the way our society has developed, that we have got so many people who don't have that basic level of support there for them. Basic things like having someone to chat to and share your worries and concerns with, even just to help you keep things in perspective.
"We know that the support isn't there in the way that it used to be. The way our communities used to be structured, the way our families used to be structured is changing. Families are a lot more split up now and spread over wide geographical areas and also it can be hard to ask for support. We have come a long way in tackling the stigma surrounding mental illness but there is still a long way to go.
"If people don't speak out then things will build, it will become more difficult to return to what was a better situation. I've struggled with my own mental health and bottling up just doesn't work and sometimes just a chat is all you need to help make you feel better."