LetitoutLoz: A Letter to My 15 Year Old Self
Lauren please stop trying to fight this. What is happening to you now you’ve got for the long run kid and the sooner you accept it the easier it will start to get. So please don’t think it will pass. It’s real and it’s happening. It doesn’t just go away, not for long anyway, even … 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
Nick Screeton: Overcoming Depression and Building a Fitter Future
When you are struggling and suffering from depression, it can be hard to gain a different perspective and see alternatives – you can often feel trapped and helpless. But one thing that can help is reading/listening to how other people in your position have overcome depression and rebuilt their lives. Here’s an interview with Nick Screeton, … Continued
Kat Love: On Being Black, Chinese and Queer
Karolyn: Cry Baby
Rachel Brown: My depression, my story, my fight
I have been suffering from depression since being a child due to bullying in high school. I fight this every day. Some days I win, other days I lose. I was bullied massively as a kid in high school. Red hair, bigger build and parents not rich (I went to a private school). I have … Continued
Anne Sophie Cornelius: I Cut Off My Abuser Two Years Ago And Here’s What’s Happened Since
For those who don’t know, two years ago I made the soul-wrenchingly liberating decision to say “enough is enough, treat me like a human or this is over” to my abuser, who had been gaslighting, emotionally blackmailing, and belittling me – just to name a few – since childhood. My abuser then proceeded to throw … Continued
Trish Chester: I Want to Tell You a Story
“Are you sitting comfortably …” “The courage it takes to share your story might be the very thing someone else needs to open their heart to hope” Unknown As a child I possessed a vivid imagination and loved telling my stories to anyone who would listen. Magical tales recounting larger than life characters and mysterious … Continued
Karolyn: My Journey
These three poems illustrate a journey I have been on with my mental health in the last few years. Although the journey is one of growth and recovery, as I hope these poems demonstrate, it is an ongoing process. I believe everyone is going through their own journey with their mental health, whether or not … Continued
Trish Chester: Silver Linings
David Essex seductively assured me (with a cheeky pause) ‘every cloud’s got a silver — lining’, and Jeff Beck greeted his silver linings with a cheery ‘Hi Ho’. The phrase, ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’, suggests life’s difficulties could potentially be beneficial. In finding something positive, we can possibly experience joy or peace, thus … Continued
Ruth Durkin: How to Talk to a Friend
If a friend confides in you that they are feeling unwell in terms of depression, anxiety, stress or any other mental health related condition, it’s important to approach your conversation with integrity, sensitivity and respect. Here are a few examples of responses I have had, some from close friends and family, when I’ve attempted to … Continued
Ella Donnison: Lonely This Christmas
Loneliness is a tough subject. It can feel like there’s no one to talk things through with or even have a conversation with. Loneliness is a complex emotion and is unique to almost every individual. A recent article suggests that almost 700,000 people across Yorkshire live alone and incur mental health problems as a result. … Continued