When you live with mental illness you're often told to 'reach out' for support. But how do you actually do this? I'm a mental health writer and advocate, and often find myself telling people to 'reach out' when they're struggling. I stress how honesty and openness is important, that you can't move forward without sharing [...]
As someone that experiences actual delusional thinking, it's difficult to hear people using the word to describe someone they disagree with. By using this term all you're doing is insinuating our symptoms are synonymous with badness. I live with Bipolar disorder, with psychotic symptoms. When I have an episode of bipolar mania, I might become delusional. [...]
That feeling you get when you're doing well, achieving and everything is working out, but somehow you feel like a fraud. You tell yourself over and over, "I'll never be good enough" It's called imposter syndrome and it makes us feel insecure as hell. It leaves us feeling as though we're not worthy of our [...]
Make a Plan. Before an episode of mania starts, make a plan together. First off, they'll be more receptive to your ideas. They'll be more in control and be able to look objectively at previous episodes of mania. Decide together what will help them, and what support and help they want when they are seriously [...]
I've listed on the blog before about what not to say to someone with psychosis, and although that's important, I realised I didn't go into much detail about what helps. As I've mentioned before, psychosis covers experiences from hearing, seeing, or feeling things that aren't really there, and delusions. Delusional thinking causes us to believe [...]
Through the years I've had many mental health crises. I've been on the brink of ending it all, of no longer wanting to fight, of no longer wanting to exist. Although I owe the NHS a great deal, they've also let me down when I've been at my most desperate. But there are people in [...]
Yep, the secret is out! I've been offered a publishing contract with Jessica Kingsley Publishers to write a book about bipolar disorder. The book is going to be a practical guide to bipolar disorder. I'll offer tips and advice on how to navigate daily life and how to manage symptoms. All of this will [...]
Mania for me always leads to overspending. I'll spend an exorbitant amount of money on useless, meaningless stuff. Shoes, bags, clothes, collectible toys, lego figurines (yes, really), games consoles, hotel rooms - I could go on and on. I'm not a materialistic person by nature, but with mania I just can't help myself. It's an [...]
I've been putting off seeing my doctor for ages. Why? I'm afraid. Afraid that they won't be able to help me. That they'll fob me off with a 'just keep doing what you're doing' response. Anxious that they'll want to change my medication. Again. I've had a difficult year with medical professionals. Long story short, [...]
I've seen a shift recently in how people view advocacy and raising awareness around mental health and mental illness. To some it's now 'boring' or no longer necessary or needed. I think they're wrong. It should be obvious to anyone in the UK that mental health services are underfunded. Waiting times are atrociously long and [...]
