Jonathan Bellamy spoke with author Rachael Newham about her experiences: how she has survived two attempts on her life, through to launching a mental health charity and releasing her first book.

When we understand it better then we can help them and treat them better.

Jon: What about your hopes for the future? Personally and from a ministry point of view?

Rachael: I'd love to write more and speak more. They're the kind of things I really enjoy doing. I'd love to see Think Twice grow and be able to get into as many churches as possible. And my husband and I raising our family over the next few years.

Jon: Do you think anxiety, depression, and the kind of journey that you've been on, that it happens at any age, or do you think particularly young people can wrestle and suffer more than older people?

Rachael: I think it can happen at any age.

For some people, possibly the difference is as a young person they don't have the coping mechanisms to always deal with how they are feeling. They might not know where to go to access help. And the school system is quite difficult at the moment in terms of anxiety.

But anybody can struggle with mental illness. I don't think it's restricted to young people. But I do think at the moment we do have a particular problem with the way the world works and the way that's affecting young people's mental health.

Jon: Finally, what would you like to say to somebody who can relate to what you've gone through?

Rachael: Talk to somebody, to reach out in that way whether it is a friend, pastor, parent, or whoever. But also to get a copy of The Message or some other readable translation and be able to get to grips with what the Bible has to say and be comfortable that we can be honest with God with whatever we are going through.