Not the best of photos, but a rare good day was captured on an especially bouncy tree!
I may only be 21 years old but I've come to the point in my life where I need a mid-life breather. I've already had to deal with some very testing moments and some dark struggles. Unfortunately for the past 6 or more years I've been in pretty poor physical health, my immune system has been shot to pieces and I've also been experiencing mental health issues. I will go on to write more about my mental health in future blog posts as the primary focus of my blog is to address conditions such as social anxiety, panic attacks and depression, all of which I have and still experience daily.
I'm not expecting a huge following of this blog, if I could help just one person feeling a bit lost, struggling with the pressures of daily life in our hectic modern world, I'd be ecstatic. I think this is what was missing when I was a young girl struggling each day feeling incredibly low without knowing why, I'd see other people my age having the time of their lives, living without fear, living in the moment and having fun before heading off to university and the workplace. I just didn't understand what was happening to me and why I was different. One thing I've learnt so far in my (slow) recovery and acceptance of my mental illness, is that difference is brilliant, no two people are exactly the same. We all have different qualities, and we search for people with the qualities we lack in ourselves. Depression has next to no perks as such, but having lived through some incredibly dark days, feeling pretty crap and hopeless means that any good day and good experiences I have will be appreciated so much more now; the contrast between the horrific and the good is great. Obviously I'd love to help anyone, especially any young people living with mental illness with this blog, but its also an attempt to save myself, to give me something to be held accountable for, to get up for and to occupy some of the time in my belated gap year.
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Thank you for being so courageous and honest in sharing your thoughts and feelings, Chelsea. Keep writing your blog so we can all get a better understanding of living with and learning to overcome social anxiety, panic attacks and depression. You'll be helping both those who are experiencing it as well as those learning to support someone. So proud! xx
ReplyDeleteWell done Chelsea. You have demonstrated great strength of character by sharing your experience. I know there are many young people out there who will identify with your feelings of anxiety and depression. Your blog provides a great opportunity for others to share their mental health issues and in so doing, take great comfort from knowing they are not alone. You are an inspiration. Stay strong. Lizzie B xx
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for those people who have no experience of depression.. Many of the greatest minds, sportsmen, musicians, comics and all round nice guys have achieved great things in their chosen fields whilst having some form of the condition.. Many, unfortunately dismiss the illness.. It's almost like, " depressed, put yourself a colourful jumper on, that will brighten you up" really!
ReplyDeleteI look at depression as a competition, yes you have it, but who's going to win the battle ultimately.. Somewhat Z like a Tug of war, your on one end of the rope and depression with all it's hangers on at the other .. You are being pulled their way towards the line.. So what are you going to do about it... Call out for help and support from your friends.. They can only help you if they know about your struggle, so go on, ask for help!
Chelsea you should be very proud for you have now achieved this, by asking.. Well done you.. It takes a lot of courage to do, but you will, I know, feel oh so much better for doing so..
Helping others too is wonderful, says it all about you as a person, always willing to give to others.. A truly precious commodity from a truly precious lady..
Luv, support, always there for you...
X... E
We don’t expect someone with a broken leg to run. We help, support and encourage them until they’re better, so we can run together again.
ReplyDeleteWe understand what it means to have a broken leg but not enough of us understand what it’s like living with mental illness.
It’s people like you, Chelsea, who are brave enough to talk about living with mental illness, that enable us to understand what we can do to help, support and encourage to get you and others up and running again.
You've bravely asked for help and now you're getting more and more of us joining in your tug of war. The ground may sometimes be wet and slippery but we're all digging in to help you inch away from the line.