10/10/2026
(Part 2)
I genuinely got to the point of looking into closing the club. It felt like I was a hypocrite, how could I help others when I couldn't even help myself. I seriously spiralled. A friend reached out had a chat with me and I thought, yeah I can get through this. Then Wednesday we had another knock down, Thursday, yet another one, come Friday I felt done. My wife and I barely slept, I was battling mild panic attacks and it felt like no matter what we did we would always be stuck in the eye of the storm. But I still did club, I sent a message saying refreshments would be limited due to a bad week. One of the members didn't even stop to think, she turned up with cans, crisps the works for everyone. I sat painting with friends last night, and then I took a long time member home and we just talked. Everything came out. I don't know if he knows just what that meant to me. I went home, and actually slept, I woke up this morning and didn't feel quite so alone.
Life will always find ways to knock you down. The storm will pass and another will roll across. But hold onto what you have, I so nearly cancelled club this week, if I did I would have missed all those little ways people showed me they cared. I'm not saying my mental health is perfect, but I'm definitely not so close to the edge anymore and I'm so grateful to those people who helped pull me back.
If at any point you feel like you're alone. Please, reach out whether that's to me, your own local gaming group or shop, you are likely to find an individual who gets it. Who will stand by you in the storm and weather it with you.
Thank you to those amazing people this week who did just that for me. Keep fighting, keep weathering the storm, it will eventually pass...
