“I have always been a little different to my peers, I have never been overly ‘happy’ or ‘positive’, even as a child. As an adult I like to just claim I am realistic but its more than that, I also live and battle with mental illnesses, mainly depression and crippling anxiety on a daily basis.
My mental health has stopped me from ‘functioning’ as your typical adult in society. I can’t go out and party or socialize. I cannot work due to the way that it makes me suicidal. I struggle to complete day to day tasks like going to the corner shop or washing my hair. Really, it prevents me from being the person I really am on the inside – struggling to get out.
There are times when it has got so bad that I have abused substances and self-harmed. I have become suicidal and not left the house for months on end. It has left me with a very small social circle and a very impending sense of loneliness, which people wouldn’t assume was possible in a young, physically able person.
However, my mental health has improved in the last few months because I have been working so hard on myself. The biggest discovery I made was that I could say ‘no’ and be selfish, I have been a doormat for my whole life so doing this has given me so much strength and the ability to know my limits and put my mental health first.
On a daily basis, I like to write and that is simply it. Even writing a few words a day helps me to manage my mental health. Not only does it keep me busy and allows me to feel productive but it is also enlightening. Writing allows me to sort out the mess in my head and understand it better on paper.
I have sought help from the professionals, given the system is lacking, I have made a few improvements since, finally finding the right medication and updating my GP monthly has just helped prevent those relapses. I am starting therapy very soon and I couldn’t be any more excited.
So, what is the key to my mental health recovery? It’s just a mixture of support, love and self-care.”
You can follow Charlotte’s healing journey on her blog and twitter.
——————————————————————————————
Check out our June advertisers for some great content: Stuart , Spill Chat
Help the blog to exist; Become a patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ThisIsWhatAPersonWithMentalIllnessLooksLike?ty=h
