I have, until relatively recently spent my entire adult life living miserably. Between 1999 and 2012 I lost several people extremely close to me - most notable my mother at 16 and my father at 26, and whilst on the face of it, I probably seemed to be coping I had a huge dependence on what I would call 'quick fixes' - namely beer, take-aways and gambling. 

 With the concept of happiness being seemingly out of reach, the comfort provided by a few pints, a kebab and an accumulator at least eased the pain I was feeling - something I can only admit with the benefit of hindsight. 

 Trust me, I could write a novel about the struggles I have had but the key thing to know is this is not a sob story - this is a tale of glory as for the last year or so, I have found that happiness I had craved for so long.

 Having said that, old habits die hard and whilst I do not have a dependence of those previously mentioned vices, I still partake a little more than I perhaps should so, with a keenness to raise awareness of this magnificent charity, I pledge to give up alcohol, take-aways and gambling for the whole of the 2019/20 Football League season. 

 With football being such a big part of my life, it seems appropriate to use the forthcoming campaign as the period in which to 'go clean', plus hopefully it will help capture the imagination of anyone who is inspired enough to give what they can.

 Those who know me won't need telling that I am not in good shape at all, but that is what will happen if you spend half of your life not looking after yourself. Until a year ago, the battle was just to stay alive but now my head is finally in a good place, hopefully my body can follow suit and this will only aid that, I guess it's a classic win-win situation. 

 On a serious note, you are probably aware of the statistics but it bears repeating that suicide is the biggest killer of males under 45. Fortunately for me, though it was a consideration on more than one occasion, I could never go through with it but tragically the fact remains. 

 The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is a leading movement against male suicide. They do wonderful work helping those in a crisis, and I am keen to do what I can to raise awareness and funds for this cause. 

 Many people are doing great things regarding mental health, and I have been particularity inspired by my beloved Nottingham Forest and their 'It's Tricky To Talk' initiative, but there is so much more that can be done. 

 This is just the start for me, and I have many more ideas in how I can get even more involved but for now it's your help I'm asking for, even if it is just by sharing my story. 

 Deke Hardman