The Stigma of Stereotypes

With this week being Mental Health Awareness Week I put out a call on Facebook and Twitter for people to tell me about the most hurtful or untrue stereotypes/statements about mental health they've experienced.

April and All it Brings

Ah, April - the start of the year's second quarter, the heart of spring. What a month you've been. You were better than March - and much better than February - I'll give you that, but you still weren't perfect, were you? From grey weather and chilly mornings to being swamped in university work and not feeling much joy in the things I once loved, it seemed you were here with nothing but bad. And yet, we began to turn a corner, did you and I, April.

Recommendations: Mental Health 2.0

Paperweight by Meg Haston

If you're looking for a take on eating disorders that isn't all romanticised beauty and light, this is the book for you. Paperweight is dark, gritty, and raw. The main character, Stevie, deals with the trauma, grief, and guilt following the death of her brother, as well as her personal demons. A must read for fans of dark and angry YA.

A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard

If sweeter stories are more your cup of tea, A Quiet Kind of Thunder is the one for you. Featuring representation for anxiety, selective mutism, and Deafness, this book tackles some serious issues whilst still retaining quite a light-hearted tone. There are still moments of teenage angst, but overall this book is as sweet as pie.

Thin by Grace Bowman

Or perhaps memoirs are more your idea of fun. Part fictionalisation, part true story, Thin follows Grace's journey battling herself and her weight. It tackles the myths surrounding anorexia and looks at both the descent into the depths of the illness and the beginnings of recovery. Not for the easily triggered, but a very informative read.

Moving Out and Mental Health

If you follow me on Twitter, you might be aware that last month I found a studio flat in the city and moved in. 

Recommendations: Mental Health

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

( agoraphobia / obsessive-compulsive disorder / self-harm )

For an incredibly close, real look at life with various anxiety disorders, this is the book for you. Even with a lighter note of friendship and budding romance throughout this still manages to pack a punch and shed light on the reality of mental health. Tentatively hopeful with more of a focus on recovery than triggering scenes.

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer

( schizophrenia / grief / munchausen syndrome by proxy )

A slightly more mature read, but by no means complicated or inaccessible. Written by someone with a history of mental health nursing, this is a beautiful depiction of how the loss of a loved one can impact your own health. Sensitive yet still realistic, this spends a lot of time looking at two brothers and how their lives change.

After the Fire by Will Hill

( post-traumatic stress disorder )

Although not apparently obvious which mental health issues are present in this book, it is obvious that the children from inside The Fence have some. Moonbeam's time inside has left her damaged, and this follows her on a journey of acceptance and healing. Set heavily in a clinical facility that looks at her memories and tries to unpick them, there are mentions of more sensitive topics including rape, imprisonment, and gun violence.

Compulsive Skin Picking 101

Before passing judgement, please be aware that this is a very personal and sensitive topic for me. I can't help my mental health.

Exams and Anxiety

It's that time of the year again where students all across the globe are prone to burst into tears at the slightest glimpse of a calendar and the reminder of how unprepared they are. That's right: it's exam season.

Bullet Journaling for Mental Health

I've been bullet journaling since August 2016. I've been battling my mental health for a lot longer.

Mental Health in Fiction

I've been sitting on this idea for a few months now, but I've never found the words to accurately and coherently describe how I feel or discuss it without stepping on too many toes. I'm expecting a lot of toes to be stepped on, but I'm not sure if I care all that much. This is something I'm passionate about and my thoughts need to be honest. Even if they don't make much sense.

Pets and Mental Health

I'm speaking from my experience with cats, but I'm sure the feelings are the same for dogs, rabbits, hamsters, and all other pets.

People are often very quick to offer their solutions when you open up about mental health - most being along the lines of trying yoga or getting professional help. While these two things can be extremely helpful, they don't work for everyone.

On Turning Twenty

This past Monday was World Mental Health Day, and with my twentieth birthday coming up on Sunday, I've been doing a lot of reflecting. There are a lot of things you can learn in two decades, but some of them I've only learnt recently. I'm still coming to terms with others, and I'm sure there's plenty that I still don't know. This post is a reminder to myself - and others. Here are twenty things I've learnt about mental health before my twentieth birthday.

To Medicate Or Not

I am not advocating self-medication. Please follow doctors orders. My experiences are with SSRIs for anxiety and depression only - other drug classes and disorders may differ.

I'm a week late for World Suicide Prevention Day, but for those of us suffering with mental illness, every day can be suicide prevention day. Sometimes you just need to know someone is out there, offering advice, help, or friendship. I hope this post manages to do a little of that. And if it doesn't, I hope it at least makes you more aware of what medication can do.

Medication is nothing to be ashamed of. People take it every day for cancer, colds, cholesterol, you name it.

Productivity and Mental Health

When dealing with mental health, it's often the little things that can make a big difference. We're constantly told  to 'deal with it' and hear well-intended but useless things such as 'have you tried yoga?' People seem to forget, for many, getting out of bed in the morning can be the biggest challenge of the day. With that in mind, I've complied a list of things that - I hope - can help improve your day. 

Please bear in mind these are just suggestions based on what works for me. Everyone is different so if these don't help don't be discouraged. You'll find something that does. 

On Mental Health and What it Means

Apologies for the length of this post (and anything that don't make sense), but it's long overdue. I'm not looking for pity or sympathy, and I'm not making up excuses. I'm merely telling a story that should have been shared a long time ago.

I'm not feeling good. I haven't been for a long time. I relapsed and I'm still clawing my way out of the pit, only, my efforts have started to dry up and I can feel myself slipping again.

Colouring Books... For Grown Ups?!

I'm not embarrassed to say that I own thirteen colouring books and have my eye on several more.