Yes, I’m lonely. You’re not surprised. Yes, I’ve been indoors for a looooooooong time, you know this too. Yes, I have pretty severe social anxiety and low self esteem – that’s probably unsurprising also. But I have a superpower that allows me do things others could only dream of. A skill that provides me withContinue reading “My invisibility cloak – when loneliness and mental illness collide”
Category Archives: lonely
Friendship…with caution
I bleat on incessantly about the lack of real people in my life. Friendships are no longer the emotional rollercoaster I used to navigate. Instead I experience silence, and sometimes I just have to find a way to be ok with it. So why have I turned into such a recluse? Does agoraphobia alone giveContinue reading “Friendship…with caution”
Kindness in the community
As this site focuses mostly on Mental Illness and positive mental health practices, I’ve always felt responsible enough to signpost visitors to professional help if they feel they’d benefit from it. Most of that help comes from charities, specialists in specific causes of stress, as well as the NHS and sometimes information bases where youContinue reading “Kindness in the community”
Grief, resurrected
My grief is heavy. It’s heavy every day from the minute I wake up to the second I drift off again. It sits on my shoulders always, but from time to time it’s quiet and I’ll forget for a bit, then out of nowhere I’ll be reminded of the space that exists, the space theyContinue reading “Grief, resurrected”
Wanted : friend
I think I’m having my first real creative crisis. It’s come from nowhere. 2022 arrived and there seemed to be a world of ideas, projects and opportunities for me to think about. My partner is the one who deserves the credit for everything I’m about to pour out on this post. I was telling himContinue reading “Wanted : friend”
Wonderful People on my Writing Journey Part 1
I’ve made the decision to start a series of posts about people I’ve been lucky enough to meet on this long and winding journey into creativity and health. Through emails, research, recommendations, and websites, I’ve found people that I’d never have met outside of ‘Steph Writes and Illustrates’. They are exciting, charitable, talented, creative, inContinue reading “Wonderful People on my Writing Journey Part 1”
Isolation – the lonliness pandemic
Before I steam in to this post, I need to acknowledge the serious reality of lonliness for some people and make it clear that I’m not trying to pull the ‘woe is me’ card. Although I feel lonliness and am basically isolated, I’m acutely aware there are others suffering and alone in a far moreContinue reading “Isolation – the lonliness pandemic”
Creative Steph 