Has my health made me a failure? I seem to think so.
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This is a post primarily about low self confidence and feeling like a failure. The post will talk about general mental wellbeing and the impact of social isolation and loneliness, chronic pain, disability, depression and suicidal ideation. Although there are ideas for managing, please only read on if you feel strong enough. If…
AI therapy – Can digital beings really support mental health?
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This is a post primarily about the use of AI as a therapy tool, which should be considered with caution. The post will talk about general mental wellbeing and the impact of social isolation and loneliness. Please only read on if you feel strong enough. If you or someone you know is in…
Support services and abandonment – Can recovery happen if interventions start with an end?
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This post talks in detail about the current wait times for NHS care, as well as mental health treatments and physical health pathways. The post will touch on suicidal thoughts and the effect of delays in crisis care. Please only read on if you feel strong enough. You can find more information on mental health…
Grey pride – finding positive body image and the importance of passing it on
In the grand scheme of our collective mental health, one thing is true – self acceptance and self love are critical in any successful recovery and overall happiness. The way we perceive our reflection and our happiness with what faces us directly impacts our confidence both at home and in the outside world. In my…
Indoor sadness – how to keep on top of mental health when you’re housebound
When I used plan taking a day off at home I’d fantasise over multiple milky coffees, biscuits and cheese, leaving the Disney Channel on constant and ignoring my phone. This type of day is what most people imagine a housebound person is happily experiencing on a permanent basis. The reality is very different. Whatever the…
Chronic at Christmas – my best ideas for balancing the festivities with pain and fatigue
In 43 years I can’t remember a Christmas that wasn’t exhausting. When I was 7, the excitement of seeing whether Santa had visited became unbearable around 5am. Like all kids, I was eager to discover what exactly he’d left for me under the tree. As a consequence, my parents and I had heavy eyelids and…
Understanding Agoraphobia in Today’s Political Landscape
The world is not a pleasant place at the moment. Now, I have no idea if my brain is over-inflating the problems I’m seeing in the news and allowing them to impact my ability to be socially ‘normal’, but I can’t remember a time in my 43 years when I was more afraid of everything…
Is ‘fake care’ STRICTLY helping? How BBC prime time is handling its mental health emergency.
Twenty years of Strictly Come Dancing have gone pretty fast. When the show started I had relatives who are now long gone, my hair certainly looked darker, and I was still a confident woman in her twenties. Strictly was a small reality show with a pensioner for a presenter. I imagine they used fake crystals…
Awkward conversations – our discomfort could save lives
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This post will talk about the impact of mental illness, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and lives lost to suicide. There will also be comments about potentially triggering language and events. Please only read on if you feel able to. For help and support with any of these issues, please visit my mental health…
Crap poem 58 – How I felt before the election
Hi everyone, and welcome to another Crap Poem as part of the COPE campaign. I wrote a post recently about my frustration with all parties over their handling of the election campaign from a disabled persons perspective. That frustration should have died down after I put my metaphorical pen to paper, instead it grew and…
ASD Parenting and Bullying – coping with being an isolated parent
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This post will go into some detail about being bullied. It will also talk about the impact on parents mental health when they find out their child is going through something so upsetting. Please only read on if you feel strong enough. Please visit my mental health and suicide prevention support page for…
Inequality and Marginalization: Mental Health and Disability in the General Election
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This post will talk about mental illness and disability and the effect the general election is having on these communities. I will mention the frustration caused by cultural bias and marginalisation. Please only read if you feel strong enough. For help with mental health and other issues please visit my get support page.…
Hold humour Part 15 – being grumpy
Hi everyone, welcome to the 15th edition of awful jokes as part of the Hold Humour distraction project in the COPE campaign. It’s been noted at home that I’ve been a bit…grumpy…lately. Now, I could blame it on a million things…lack of sleep is probably the favourite, but at the end of the day my…
Should Mental Health Awareness last more than a week (and be more uncomfortable)?
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This post talks about mental health, mental illness and suicide. Although no specific details are shared, please only read on if you feel strong enough and safe enough to do so. For help and support please visit my mental health and suicide prevention support lines page. Ask for help rather than reading on…
Hold humour Part 14 – getting old
Hi everyone, welcome to the 14th edition of awful jokes as part of the Hold Humour distraction project in the COPE campaign. As many of you know, this month is significant for me for a few reasons. One, I am challenging myself to complete more than 50 Haikus in the Haiku Hope project before the…
Haiku hope 42 – Crap TV
Welcome everyone to the 42nd haiku in the Haiku Hope series. This is part of my creative distractions within the COPE campaign, and a list of personal distraction ideas can be found on the stress hacks page of this website, along with sensory distractions and kid-friendly stress hacks too. We’re now up to 42 haikus,…
Confidence, disability and fashion
Working out how I disguise myself into what the public perceives as ‘normal’ in preperation for my first footsteps outside in nearly 3 years. As someone who’s chosen to start a trial of wearing white during the same month that my nose started bleeding everytime my dog wags her tail, it’s safe to say my…
Crap poem 57 – Disability dating
Hi everyone, and welcome to my 57th Crap Poem as part of the COPE campaign. First a disclaimer – I watch a lot of crap on the TV as a distraction. It seems, at the moment, I need distracting a lot. One of my favourites (and my partners, although he’d deny it!) is MAFS. What’s…
Haiku hope 41 – Three long years
Welcome everyone to the 41st haiku in the Haiku Hope series. This is part of my creative distractions within the COPE campaign, and a list of personal distraction ideas can be found on the stress hacks page of this website. I’ve made it to 41 haikus, and I’ve made the decision to try and reach…
Health support services – helpful tool or additional trigger?
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This post talks in detail about the current wait times for NHS care, as well as mental health treatments and physical health pathways. The post will touch on suicidal thoughts and the effect of delays in crisis care. Please only read on if you feel strong enough. You can find more information for…
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Steph Writes and Illustrates
“A kinder, more thoughtful world is a place we all deserve to live”
Email me: steph@creativesteph.co.uk
Creative Steph 