This is Sami’s second testimonial, to read her first, please click here.

At the age of 14 I was diagnosed with depression, some say it’s hereditary, some say it’s a learned trait, either way there it was. Over the many years I have tried various things, happy pills, herbal remedies, ignoring it, allowing myself to some dark places (this wasn’t very nice at all) but now I think I have learned to manage it.

Certain times of year seem to be my triggers, season changes being a regular one to cause my mood dips but Christmas is my killer.

Until this Christmas. I have managed to stay in a relatively light place, and the only major change in my life has been running and Stoke FIT. I have heard before that running/increased fitness has a positive impact on mental health but its the only thing I have never tried or believed in.

I am now converted, I feel physically fitter, possibly fitter than I have ever been and this has had a tremendous improvement on my mental state. When I start to feel down, rather than reach for the sofa and pillow I now reach for my trainers and get out to blow the cobwebs away.

I won’t say I’m cured, I can’t say I’ll never be down again, what I can say is I now control it, rather than it controlling