In cartoons, when someone is hit over the head, their vision blurs and they see three of everything. Sound is distorted and even just moving requires a great deal of effort. Of course, for these characters, a quick shake of the head solves everything. But for me, the aftereffects of discontinuing my antidepressants meant even just laying down, I felt like the room was on a high-speed carousel. It was like the worst hangover of my life, without the fun of drinking the night before.Read More
Before the pandemic, working from home was a luxury I enjoyed for one day most weeks. It was a chance to escape interruptions, have an opportunity to focus on specific projects and act as a mental health fire-break. When the first lockdown meant we had to stay at home, I envisaged it would just be […]Read More
Instagram is a digital minefield for mental health – and its danger is increasing through online trolls, super-toned celebrities, and perfect holidays to Dubai, to name just a few. 40% of the world’s population is now on social media. That’s a huge three billion people jeopardising their mental health for an average of two to […]Read More
When the catastrophic storm of COVID-19 hit the world was unprepared, it left huge destruction in its wake. With the number of cases rising at an alarming rate within the week of March 16th – 23rd, with the total infections rising to almost 100,000, drastic action needed to be taken in a bid to control the virus. […]Read More
2020 was a difficult year. The sudden proximity of death in a society which has distanced itself from death and the dead will leave a deep scar on the UK psyche. The UK already has a very remote relationship with death. After death, the body is hidden away, while other cultures display it or even […]Read More
Fear is a complex emotion. Though traditionally seen as a negative feeling that makes us worried and unhappy, the truth is that fear takes many different forms. A fear of losing your job, for example, is wildly different to a fear of spiders. Indeed, horror is a genre of fiction specifically made for those who […]Read More
Refreshing the page time after time – thrilled when another like popped up, disappointed when one didn’t. I constantly stared at the selfie until I hated it. Delete. Why did I even post it? This was just one of the many instances I craved the approval from others that social media could supply. I realise […]Read More
2020 has been… a lot. As people’s mental and physical health suffer, self-care has surged in popularity. But forget about the countryside walks and long baths because a different sort of self-care is predicted to take over in the new year: v-care. The beauty of self-care is that it can mean almost anything to anyone, […]Read More
We all know that feeling of defeat when you finish work for the day and can’t be bothered to do that small workout you had planned. Instead, curling up in front of the TV with a drink and a packet of crisps. Truth is, you shouldn’t feel bad about not being active at all. With […]Read More
DISCLAIMER: I am not a qualified health professional. This article describes my personal experience with emotional blunting and antidepressants. If you are seeking advice on your specific situation, please seek help from a medical professional. Emotional blunting was the first thing to appear when I ‘googled’ how I was feeling after two weeks of taking […]Read More
They say ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas.’ Given the huge surge in ‘pandemic’ puppy sales they may need need a new slogan; ‘a puppy is for life, not just for lockdown.’ Registrations of new puppies jumped 26% between April and June. With many buying dogs as lockdown companions, there is a […]Read More
Disclaimer: We acknowledge that not all women have vaginas and not all people with vaginas identify as women, however, most studies into cervical screenings use the category of ‘women’ to cover those with vaginas. Smear test, the words send shudders through the hearts of young women. This is a test to help prevent cancer as […]Read More
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to suicidal thoughts. If you are affected by any of the issues mentioned please contact a mental health support line. In November 2018, I sat in the harsh light of a university counselling office and told the lady sitting opposite me, through tears, that I was thinking about ending […]Read More
Body image has only become a more pertinent issue for men during lockdown, an issue that - as research shows - can have tragic consequences.Read More
This World Diabetes Day we need to talk about the psychological and emotional impact of type 1 diabetes. Primarily there needs to be a discussion about how the current NHS care system doesn’t offer enough support for struggling diabetics and about how and why this drastically needs to change. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune […]Read More
