Western Bulldogs forward Mitch Hannan is encouraging people to speak out if they are struggling with their mental health.

Hannan shared some of his mental health battles this week, after the Bulldogs, AFL and Lifeline Australia teamed up to launch the We’re All Mental Health Supporters campaign.

“Being a young adolescent man - especially in the footy world - I was pretty keen to keep it under wraps and deal with it as best I could by myself, but it kind of pushed beyond that,” Hannan told westernbulldogs.com.au.

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Mitch Hannan | 'I needed to do something about it'

In the lead up to Lifeline Round, Mitch Hannan talks about his personal struggles with his mental health and how it lead to him creating his clothing label Mendl.

“It wasn’t until roughly 2018 that I knew I needed to do something about it. My initial sort of movements were talking with some family and friends, and then seeking some external support and having some really good quality conversations.

“It takes a level of vulnerability to be able to do that – even if it is close family and friends – but when it is done, it can be seriously powerful.”

What came next was Mendl, a social enterprise apparel label established by Hannan and a friend, which aimed to open up the narrative around mental health.

“We wanted to create something that was quite clean, quite minimal, and also quite subtle in its branding and its messaging,” Hannan said.

“We wanted people to look good and feel good wearing the brand, and be comfortable wearing it at their local café or down the street, but also have this hidden message behind it for those who recognise or know the brand.

“For those who may not be sure what the brand is about, it might be that sort of starting point in regards to starting a conversation.”

The proceeds of Mendl’s sales for the month of August will be donated to Lifeline Australia.

The We're All Mental Health Supporters campaign calls on everyone – no matter your allegiance – to join together to confront the crucial issue of mental health in our society.

The campaign launched this week, ahead of the Bulldogs’ Round 23 match against Port Adelaide.

To download the Supporters’ Care Kit, click here.

For crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. To donate to Lifeline, visit the website or call 1800 800 768.