Life With A

My key tips for Agoraphobia recovery

So I know I was going to talk about self-care this week, however I am still not happy with the post I’ve written. I made a post last year on the topic, but rest assured that I will get this new one out soon. As mentioned last week, I was meant to go to Nottingham a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t make it. So yesterday I tried again and I did it! I went on the train, it wasn’t super busy, but…

Recovery is not linear . . . #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalillness #recovery #positivity #selfcare #selfhelp #agoraphobia

So this week is Mental Health Awareness week. Last year I opened up about my OCD tendencies in this post, but this year I thought I would talk about something that I think will resonate with a lot of you. Possibly one of the most important things to know if you are coping with a mental illness is that, as the title suggests, that recovery is not linear. So to use myself as an example: As many…

It’s not my fault I treated you like that, I have depression . . . #mentalhealth #mentalillness #depression #anxiety #toxic #behaviour #blog #agoraphobia #wellbeing

This is something I have been meaning to write about for a while. I feel some people might not agree, but it’s something more people need to understand.

Mental illness is still being stigmatised. Some disorders are misunderstood, others aren’t taken seriously and undermined. Many organisations are yet to put into practice a solid structure and policies to help those with illnesses thrive. We…

Anxiety, the new pandemic? . . . #anxiety #lockdown #lockdowneasing #supersaturday #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #wellbeing #selfcare #bekind #itsokaytobenotokay

As lock-down eases and people start to take their first steps back into the world, something has begun to affect many of us. Anxiety.

I’ve seen a lot of people express their feelings of worry and discomfort about integrating back into society. Those living an average life pre-corona have now found themselves with a racing heart while out shopping for socks. Others are very reluctant to return…

A year in review . . . #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #agoraphobia #motivation #anxiety #travel #japan #depression #selfcare #wellbeing

Today I should be coming home from Japan, but as you may have guessed I didn’t get to go. It made me think of how different things are in comparison to last year. This time in 2019 I was taking a year off from work, living off my savings and even though I felt like I had made some progress, I was still over-planning, I was still unable to get to Birmingham and was a 50/50 chance I would get on…

Finally opening up for Mental Health Awareness Week . . . #mentalhealthawarenessweek #anxiety #agoraphobia #blog #OCD #panic #recovery

This is something I have found particularly difficult to talk about, but I threw a strop yesterday, so here we are.

Today I will be talking about my obsessive and intrusive thoughts surrounding contamination, mainly around mould, insects and dirt. Despite dealing with this for over 20 years, I still find it difficult to describe it in an all-encompassing way.

Chances are, unless you are…

My Mum . . . #loss #celebration #nostalgia #wellbeing #bereavement #remember #mentalhealth

Two years ago today, we lost a fantastic, brave, clever lady who impacted so many people’s lives.

So often we feel like we can’t talk about our loved ones that have passed away out of fear we will make things feel awkward, or it looking like an attention seeking act. But you know what? Who cares?

Instead of feeling sad, I’ve decided to share more about her life and who she was to me.

So this is…

I thought I would post in honour of world mental health day I spoke before about what Agoraphobia is in this post, but today, I’m not talking about definitions and symptoms. I am talking about the daily lives of people living with this disorder and the realities of being Agoraphobic.

Everyone’s experience is going to be different. We all have different things that make us uncomfortable and we are…

So I haven’t posted in a while, but that will change soon. I have about 25 posts to write and schedule and PLENTY of ideas for future posts and series, so hopefully by the end of the month we will be back on it!

I haven’t just been sitting around however, I’ve opened two online stores on spreadshirt, one looking specifically at mental health and the other is for home decor posters to frame.

I’ve…

The positives of mental illness . . . #mentalhealth #blog #depression #anxiety #positivity #wellbeing #selfhelp #education #advocate

You may or may not have noticed that I haven’t been posting as much as I usually do, I have been quite busy with making cool stuff that will be released at some point this week. I have also been doing a bit of self-reflection, figuring out where I’m at in my life and where I want to be by the end of the year.

I’ve realised that I am actually a bit of a pessimist and overall I don’t think that…

Mental health vs the sun . . . #depression #anxiety #heatwave #mentalhealth #advocate #education #blog #wellbeing #summer

So you’re sat outside in the sun, hanging out in the park. It’s 33c and you are wearing weather appropriate clothing. The next thing you know your anxiety is through the roof and you have to go home. Sound familiar?

Those of you in the UK will know, it’s a bit warm and it’s set to get warmer.

For many it is a time to get to the beach, hang out at the pub or go on an adventure.

Not for…

5 little signs of depression . . . #depression #mentalhealth #selfhelp #wellbeing #advocate #education #symptomsofdepression #blog

Now I want to make this very clear. This is not a diagnosis. There are many other things these symptoms could indicate. If you are worried about any changes you have noticed or feel something is not quite right, please speak to a GP.

I want to make a blog post around this topic as depression is often spoken about as sadness and not getting out of bed. If you find yourself struggling in your…

Safe spaces . . . #agoraphobia #anxiety #mentalhealth #advocate #education #safespace #motivation #blogger

Safe spaces; it’s safe to say that this phrase has caused a lot of controversy over the past couple of years, with institutions like Universities offering places for students to be in a space free of conflict and bias while the students are then being branded “special snowflakes.” As someone who has never needed one of these safe spaces, I will refrain from giving my opinion and leave that to the…

Afterlife: An accurate portrayal of grief and depression? . . . #afterlife #netflix #loss #bereavement #mentalhealth #wellbeing #review #depression #blog #education

I know, I know. I’m definitely late to this show. But given the topic of my last post, I thought it would be a good time to review this. Spoiler warning! If you plan on watching this and don’t want it to be spoiled for you, I would recommend whacking on Netflix and giving it a watch before you read this. There are only 6 episodes and I got through it in one evening.

I thought I was going to…

Coping with loss: A guide for all . . . #loss #bereavement #mentalhealth #wellbeing #coping #education #advocate

Losing someone in your life is never an easy thing. Whether it be your mum, your grandparent or your dog, loss affects us all. Despite this, it is still a taboo subject in many cultures and it is common to try to distance yourself from the topic of death.

This blog aims to be a guide for those who have lost someone, those who are supporting them and employers. I am not a health professional…