Ableism and Me(dia) – how a disabled celebrity went on TV and became a trigger
***TRIGGER WARNING***This post has examples of ableist language which some might find confronting and / or triggering. Please only read on if you feel able to. For more information on charitable organisations who can support your mental health when you’re experiencing physical challenges, please visit my Get Support page. ***TRIGGER WARNING*** The subject of ableism…
Canine carers – how pet ownership supports mental and physical health
****TRIGGER WARNING****This post will talk about mental illness, suicidal ideation and baby loss. Although there is no unnecessary or gratuitous detail, please only read on if you feel able to. For help and support with your mental health, please visit the mental health and suicide prevention support line page on this website. Thanks for visiting****TRIGGER…
The Masked Illness – hiding the symptoms of Personality Disorder
****TRIGGER WARNING****This post will talk about mental health, mental illness and the symptoms of personality disorders and other mental illnesses. Although there is no unnecessary detail, there are some descriptions of stigmatic comments that might be triggering, so please only read on if you feel able to. For help and support with anything mental health…
Haiku hope 40 – Who run the world?
Welcome everyone to the fourtieth (FOURTIETH) haiku in the Haiku Hope series. This is part of my creative distractions within the COPE campaign, and a list of your own distraction ideas can be found on the stress hacks page of this website. Although my life is obviously quite small, I feel very lucky to be…
Borderline Personality Disorder and Trust
How mental illness takes away my faith in the people I believe, including myself. Being labelled with a personality disorder is a bitter pill to swallow for many, including me. Don’t get me wrong, when I was told my challenges had a reason, that I wasn’t simply ‘crazy’ and I could get help, it answered…
Haiku hope 39 – Trust!
Welcome everyone to another teeny tiny haiku. This is part of my series of creative distractions within the COPE campaign, and a list of your own distraction ideas can be found on the stress hacks page of this website. I’ve been struggling with trust issues recently, it’s something I hope to write about in more…
Self care and gaming – can digital gameplay really help in a mental health crisis?
Through my COPE Campaign I’ve created a list of Stress Hacks for Adults and Stress Hacks suitable for kids, all of which are designed to distract you when you are struggling. Specifically, I wanted a list of ideas to try when you’re sat on hold for someone to help in a crisis because hold times…
Haiku hope 38 – love yourself, stupid bitch!
Welcome everyone to yet another haiku. I can’t believe how many of these I’ve written, although I think I say that every time. This is part of my series of creative distractions within the COPE campaign, and a list of your own distraction ideas can be found on the stress hacks page of this website.…
Mental illness, the media and the government – how the recent narrative is so dangerous.
Anyone regular to my blog might have noticed a bit of a hiatus. I apologise for being absent for 2 weeks, but frankly, the stress of existing alone has been enough for me lately. I’m back though, and I’m starting my posts with a subject I’ve touched on before – mental illness in the media…
Haiku hope 37 – Old at 42
Hi everyone and welcome to my 37th Haiku Hope – part of the COPE campaign bundle of creative distractions. This time I wanted to write about something that’s really bugging me – the yawning chasm between my real age (42 – which already feels older than I imagined) and the age my body looks and…
Pain bias – why is everything collectively coined as ‘backache’?
There are so many things to be frustrated about when you live with chronic pain and / or chronic fatigue. As soon as your pain becomes ‘chronic’, the level of explanation needed just to get across to family, friends, doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers, what you’re experiencing can mean that you spend most of your…
Agoraphobia update – why do I dread graded exposure?
Let’s start with the obvious question – no, graded exposure is not an experiment where I slowly take off my clothes in front of other people, although that does sound easier than what’s being asked of me. Graded exposure is a form of therapy for people with phobias or phobic tendencies. You may have seen…
Haiku hope 36 – Lego
Hi everyone and welcome to my 36th Haiku Hope – part of the COPE campaign bundle of creative distractions. This time I wanted to write about something silly – bloody Lego! I’ve been working on a project with my daughter – Lego is one of the few things I can manage that she also enjoys,…
Television that took my breath away – my reaction to the ITV1 series ‘Breathtaking’
There’s no question – there are so many great drama series out there right now that every night it’s difficult to work out which one to choose. Last week however, my partner insisted that we should both venture into the ITV1 series called ‘Breathtaking’ . The series is based on a book by the author…
Dislocated life – coming to terms with my EDS diagnosis
The last six months have probably been some of the toughest I’ve experienced, certainly from a pain perspective. When I found out in early 2023, that my two Covid infections had left me with POST COVID syndrome, I assumed that most of the answers to my health problems would suddenly become clear. However, not everything…
Haiku hope 35 – The Bells
Hi everyone and welcome to my 35th Haiku Hope – part of the COPE campaign bundle of creative distractions. This time I wanted to write about my experiences since being diagnosed with Bells Palsy. If you’d like to know more about Bells Palsy then please look at my blog, where I recently posted more information…
Say hello to Bells Palsy
Although I’m very open about my health you’ll be unsurprised to know there’s an awful lot going on at home that I don’t mention. Why? Well in many cases it’s about privacy for my family. I choose to be open about my story, but it’s not their choice, so I keep some things under wraps.…
Finding cheap chronic pain solutions
Being uncomfortable and trying to mitigate my pain is a daily obstacle for me. I’ve saved up to buy heated pillows, expensive support cushions, feather filled large cushions and I’ve been given support wedges by social services. Despite all these options, I still found myself struggling to get comfy while sitting up. After less that…
Hold humour part 13
Hi everyone, welcome to the 13th edition of awful jokes as part of the Hold Humour distraction project in the COPE campaign. For this collection of 5 jokes, I’ve chosen a selection of random jokes about random subjects. It’s getting close to the end of February, and there’s nothing specific to write about…do I’ve kept…
Haiku hope 34 – The Voice
Hi everyone and welcome to my 34th Haiku Hope – part of the COPE campaign bundle of creative distractions. This time I thought I’d write about ‘the voice’. Sounds ominous, I know, but research shows that we all have an internal narrative, the problem is it’s either welcome or unwelcome, helpful or unhelpful, kind or…
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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 