D’s Story
Anonymous’s story (we refer to him as D) Age: 20 Black/male I started having mental health difficulties about 3 years ago when I started uni and was exposed to adult life, pressure, and stress. At the beginning it was like manageable stress and general anxiety but gradually it became like being paranoid, it was like, … Continued
Jane Peryer: From One Disaster to the Next
I was until recently living in the Scottish Borders but events have led me back to Sheffield. I had a lovely cottage and a wonderful dog called Domino who was a boxer. I suffer from severe depression and anxiety disorder and have been ill for a very long time. I had a mouse problem so … Continued
Elizabeth Shane: Life Beyond Words
Words once spoken cannot be returned. Whether asked for or not, a diagnosis is given. Truth heard in hushed sounds within my head. Dare I say it out loud or has shame clouded the reflection misted over? Wipe away the residue or maybe not? Perhaps I can pretend time has frozen. Underneath, everything can remain … Continued
Becky Mairi Farrell: Summertime and My Mental Health
As the days lengthen and the temperatures rise, most people seem to be happy about the arrival of summer. Not me. I’ve never been a fan of the season because of its impact on my mental health. Give me drizzle or a crisp autumn morning any day! So, what’s not to like about summer? It’s … Continued
Long Covid – What Chronic Fatigue Taught Me
Looking around me, I can see that we’re at the beginning of a fatigue crisis, as the long-term effects of Covid-19 become ever clearer. While ‘Long Covid’ and Chronic Fatigue aren’t exactly the same, there is enough of a crossover that Covid survivors can often find solidarity and support from within the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic … Continued
Elizabeth Shane: Look Up
Look up. Two simple words once said to me and resonated. I never realised until recently, that I have spent most of my life looking down. Looking down through shame, through fear, through self-loathing and feeling too vulnerable for people to look into my eyes and heart in case they saw the darkness I felt. … Continued
Ella Donnison: 5 Ways to Cope With Uncertainty
Uncertainty is close to home at the moment. As human beings we crave to know all the information as soon as we can. Sometimes I think, is it healthy? I have always struggled to enjoy the present and ‘not focus on the future’, but throughout the pandemic, I feel like this is the only way … Continued
Hannah’s Story
Hannah’s story Age: 30 I became depressed in my early teens when I was looking after my mum who was suffering from mental health difficulties. She committed suicide when I was 21. I was her carer and had to look after my younger brother too whilst my dad was away. I spent a lot of … Continued
Billy’s Story
Billy’s story Age: 15 It started a couple of years ago when I was 13 years old. When I went back to school I felt I wasn’t really prepared for it, I was in year 9 and I didn’t keep up with the pressure and preparation for GCSE. I felt like I would throw up … Continued
Haley Eyre: Silver Linings – Magpies Love Cheese
Hello, I’m Haley, I’ll be your Writer today. Who am I? Now that’s a question, with a long answer but here are three facts to start with…I am a Woman, Wife and Mother. This is my first piece of writing for Sheffield Flourish. I wrote the first draft before the First Lockdown; quite a lot … Continued
Ruth Durkin: Before COVID, I Had All My Ducks in a Row
I (Ruth) have suffered with my mental health as a result of the coronavirus situation, which isn’t surprising because I struggle with maintaining my mental health most of the time. But what about people without mental health problems who are suffering because of coronavirus? How are these new feelings such as anxiety and depression affecting … Continued
Becky Farrell: How the Pandemic Has Made Me Rethink Anxiety
Who, alive in 2020, will ever forget that bright season of Spring when we stayed at home and went out only to buy food, or for medical reasons, or to take our daily hour of exercise? Or perhaps the alternative version of lockdown for key workers who went out and worked throughout the lockdown, often … Continued