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Prince Harry opens up about mental health struggles and how he got help.

It's taken Prince Harry nearly 20 years to unpack some very complex feelings.

In 2016, a few members of the royal family got together and made a viral video promoting a mental health awareness campaign.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in 2016. Photo by Nicky J Sims/Getty Images for Royal Foundation.

The video for the campaign, called Heads Together, is super cute and got a lot of positive attention at the time.


A year later, we've finally learned more about what inspired the royals to speak out.

Prince Harry opened up about his own mental health in an interview with The Telegraph's Bryony Gordon and shared how it was shaped by his mother's sudden death when he was just 12. He also shared what finally led him to seek treatment over a decade after her passing. While the specific details — being in the spotlight from a young age, losing a parent — are unique to Harry's specific situation, his approach to addressing his mental health is super relatable.

Princess Diana and her son Harry at a parade in 1992. Photo by Allan Lewis/AFP/Getty Images.

For Harry, it was a combination of counseling, boxing, and being willing to listen to his older brother's advice.

In the interview, Harry confesses that he has "probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions," but it wasn't until his brother and others close to him stepped in to urge him to find help that he was able to put himself on a path for success.

Harry visits a boxing club in 2016. Photo by Daniel Leal-Olivas - WPA Pool/Getty Images.

There's no single "fix" for depression, anxiety, or any other mental health challenges. It's never as simple as saying, "OK, go take this pill and you'll feel better" or "Seeing a counselor will fix you up." Finding your own unique solution to mental wellness is often trial and error; thankfully, Harry found what worked for him.

He hopes that being open about his experiences will help others feel less alone.

"The experience I have had is that once you start talking about it, you realize that actually you’re part of quite a big club," he explained.

Photo by Joe Giddins - WPA Pool/Getty Images.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 300 million people around the world are affected by depression. Another 60 million live with bipolar affective disorder, 21 million with schizophrenia, and 47.5 million with dementia.

No one is immune to mental illness.

"I know there is huge merit in talking about your issues, and the only thing about keeping it quiet is that it’s only ever going to make it worse," Harry said in the interview. "Not just for you but everybody else around you as well because you become a problem. I, through a lot of my 20s, was a problem, and I didn’t know how to deal with it."

If you or someone you know struggles with mental illness, you can get help. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a website dedicated to mental health issues, and of course, there's Heads Together, the U.K. organization behind last year's video.

Harry's entire interview with Gordon is worth checking out, and the full 27-minute version can be streamed below.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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