#worldmentalhealthday

Today it is world mental health day! Something that I feel very strongly towards supporting and promoting. Mental health isn’t something that I talk about so regularly and openly on my blog but I want that to change! Let’s start that today…

Hi Darlings, welcome back to a new blog post. Get cosy, grab a hot drink and a snack and enjoy the following blog post. I will keep it upbeat I promise!

DISCLAIMER: This is just my story and what helped me.

I am not a professional!

I have spoken a little bit about my mental health on my blog. For me, It is mostly in the past now. I am so relieved that I don’t really struggle with bad mental health anymore. I used to have the worst Anxiety!

School for me just was not a happy place, it was honestly the worst time of my entire life. Yes, I am a drama queen but I am being honest about this! I was bullied by students, disrespected and picked on by teachers, unsupported by teachers and subsequently so unhappy in myself.

Things like; the phone ringing and me being scared that It was my school spreading bad news or just bad news in general, people whispering or laughing – is it about me?, being tagged in a post – is it a joke or a dig at me? I still get anxious about these things sometimes because school was so traumatic.

My anxiety was from school and I never really let go of it. It stayed with me because I felt like I wasn’t good enough, pretty, smart, good enough! I used to have 0 confidence or self believe in myself. Not anymore…

I didn’t really do anything about my anxiety, I just struggled with it and accepted that It was normal or something that I would always have. Sleeping was always difficult, leaving the house to go anywhere along was a huge no, making new friends was difficult because I couldn’t trust easily, believing that I could do anything I wanted? Naaa it won’t happen.

I realised I needed to turn things around after having my biggest panic attack yet during a presentation at University. I was presenting to a group of new people who I hardly new and lecturers. My lecturers were amazing and so supportive throughout my course, my lecturer Mike encouraged me to go to a free counselling session that the University offered.

I always thought personally that counsellors would be very patronising and that I wouldn’t be something for me. I tried herbal medication, sleeping drops and lavender spray for about a year but it wasn’t enough!

Counselling for me really helped me to work out the route cause and triggers of my anxiety. Saying my fears out loud was awful and very difficult but it was honestly the cure for me and helped me to heal.

I had six sessions I think? I haven’t personally felt that I needed anymore. My mind feels clear and I am happy and confident. I know my self worth. I won’t be used as a doormat by toxic friends, boys will treat me as I deserve to be treated and I CAN do anything that I set my mine towards doing.

Things to REMEMBER & DO

• Take time to look after yourself (Bath, Read a book, Watch TV)
• Put yourself before anyone! Your health and happiness is more important. If you don’t want to or aren’t feeling it then trust your gut.
• Get out of toxic friendships and relationships! You can do better!
• Talk to friends or family if you feel down ~ don’t bottle it up.
• Ask how your friends, family and loved ones are, check up on them!
• Help yourself! Don’t accept anxiety like I did – why should you?!

I hope that this post helped some of you or inspired you to get help. Life is too short to be unhappy! Don’t just accept your mental health like I did for too years!