****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****TRIGGERContinue reading “Canine carers – how pet ownership supports mental and physical health”
Tag Archives: Mental Illness
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 healthContinue reading “The Masked Illness – hiding the symptoms of Personality Disorder”
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 answeredContinue reading “Borderline Personality Disorder and Trust”
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 timesContinue reading “Self care and gaming – can digital gameplay really help in a mental health crisis?”
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 mediaContinue reading “Mental illness, the media and the government – how the recent narrative is so dangerous.”
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 yourContinue reading “Pain bias – why is everything collectively coined as ‘backache’?”
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 seenContinue reading “Agoraphobia update – why do I dread graded exposure?”
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 everythingContinue reading “Dislocated life – coming to terms with my EDS diagnosis”
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.Continue reading “Say hello to Bells Palsy”
The start of my attempt at Agoraphobic recovery
Although this website focuses mainly on the positive impact creativity can have on both mental and physical health, the interest in my personal story tends to focus instead on one element of my many challenges – not leaving home for 986 days. To briefly explain, what started as a number of problems mobilising myself physicallyContinue reading “The start of my attempt at Agoraphobic recovery”
Creative Steph 