Thursday 9 February 2012

Blogging doesn't get tougher than this!

When I started putting my journey down in words and took the monumental decision to make my world public for all too see, read, comment and share one of the things I swore to myself (albeit quietly) was that I would be brave enough to share the darkest moments of my journey. This isn't just to help others be aware of Post Natal Depression, but also help me in my recovery from it.

So....

This week has been awful! If there was a darker word than, well, dark to describe how I have felt this week then I would use it.

The events of this week, for me, in themselves have been challenging for the lightest of minds, but when recovering from mental illness (yess... I used its proper term and proud to do so) any occurrence has the ability to tip you back out of the light.

I have spent most of this week attached to a packet of kleenex and putting my faith in my waterproof mascara - which I can confirm held fairly well (congrats bareminerals!) and why the tears were flowing there was no emotional release with it which terrified me. Fear of going back into the dark was gripping me beyond belief. The fear in itself felt another obstacle to beat before even attempting to come to terms with what was happening outside of my control this week.

That's when the light came back on, I was terrified beyond belief I was becoming ill again because I had no control over the events that were affecting my emotions so strongly, but although I couldn't control that I did have control over how it made me feel. WUTIWUF! If you have spent time in any therapy you may've come across this phrase, if you haven't well here you go:

What
You
Think
Is
What
You
Feel

So in order to keep the light on, time to apply this phrase to my situation(s) and hey presto things became brighter. The brighter things became the clearer I began to think, and the clearer I began to think the better I felt.

I am not going to dress anything up with rubbish jargon and awful cliche's mental illness is horrible! It's frightening, it is overwhelming and quite frankly it's difficult to accept. What it should not be is shameful to accept, hence my mind bearing all to the world.

My medication this week to make me feel better on top of WUTIWUF included 1 tub of ice cream, 1 bottle of red wine, 5 hours of jeremy kyle and changing my hair from its 27yr blonde state to brunette.

When I write this down I realise however hard things may have been, they have shaped me. They have given me the courage to do something I have always wanted too, but always been that little bit too cautious too, and that's going brunette. For anyone that thinks get a grip its only hair, that's your opinion, to me my hair is me and its what the world sees and I quite like the world to see something that would make it smile!

Guys I am sorry if this isn't as insightful as my previous posts, but I am determined to keep this blog real and what better way of sharing with you how a life in the day of PND recovery can be (intentionally that way around grammar police)

Thank you for reading - next time something takes away your smile remember frowning uses more muscles than smiling, so technically until your feeling happy again ...your face is getting a work out!

5 comments:

  1. Well done for being brave and for sharing this. It is very common, very hard and made harder because there is still a stigma.

    It sounds like you are on the right path. Seek support, try not to be perfect. "What you think is what you feel" is key. You may wish to try and find a qualified NLP practitioner who will help you with your thinking - it really works! Also, don't be afraid of taking medication. That works too.

    A big hug from someone who has the t-shirt and is on the other side!

    @BalancedMum

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  2. sometimes i find that writing it down even on your blog gets it all out and makes you feel better, i've had postnatal twice (the first time was just down right horrid, the second time not so bad) but since the death of my best friend last year my anxiety and depression has returned ten fold, so back on meds as it helps me so much, and back to been negative one min and positive the next.
    surround yourself with love and support and in the dark moments, take a pen to paper and just write and keep calm xxx hugs xxx

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  3. I write everything with an underlying hope to provoke a smile from the seriousist of points.

    Started blogging about 5/6 weeks ago now and I love it. Wish I'd started years ago x

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  4. Thank you for sharing this. I hope you have more good days, you sound like you're on the right track.

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  5. This is a lovely honest post and im really loving your writing. Thank you for being so open and honest x

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