Mental Health Awareness Week 2015

I'm pretty sure I wrote a similar post to this last year, that probably makes little sense to anyone. That was before I'd been diagnosed with depression; I was suffering, but I didn't really know why or what to do. Things got progressively worse throughout 2014, and I finally sought help the day before Christmas Eve. I'd like to say I'm on the path to recovery, and I really hope I am - but I have no doubt in my mind that it's gonna be a long hard journey. I've opened my eyes and I can see the light flickering in the distance, at the end of a tear-stained rainbow, and I know I'll get there eventually.

I'm lucky, because I have faith in myself, because I've been brought up to know that times get rough but you'll get there in the end. I'm also unlucky, because my lifestyle doesn't allow me the "luxury", for want of a better word, although it absolutely isn't, of spending my days in bed with snacks and Netflix when my mental health is at an all time low. I'm two thirds of my way through a degree, and now have a part time job in a cafe (I'm on Sam's MacBook and don't know how to get the fancy accents above letters...) I feel as though my mental health is now third down the line of importance, and that's a hard thing to deal with.

Most mornings, I can't think of anything worse than getting out of bed and getting on with whatever I have to do that day; there's a physical ache in my bones that holds me back. But another part of me whispers in my ear that staying in bed all day isn't going to solve the problem. I don't really know what I'm trying to say here. Things work differently for everyone; I know my depression would be worsened if I didn't push myself, but for some people that's how they cope - and that's okay too. No two people are the same, and we all deal with things in different ways.

What I will say, though, is that it's exponentially important to get help of some sort. Be that medication or therapy, whether a lot of trial and error is involved, don't let fear stop you from getting the medical help that you both need and deserve. If you had a chest infection, you'd be straight to the doctors getting antibiotics to cure it. And while there's no quick fix for mental illnesses, 99% of the time there's something that can be done. Nobody's saying it will be easy, but if you don't try you'll never know.

Depression is not mascara tracks running down your cheeks and Lana Del Rey lyrics scrawled on your hands in biro. Depression is ugly, and it's terrifying, and it's sleepless nights with sweat on the back of your neck. Get help, and surround yourself with positivity and people who love you. There are people out there who would do anything to see you get better.

MIND Charity
Rethink Mental Illness
SANE MentalHealth
YoungMinds

Sorry if you're at all fed up of reading about mental health, but if you are, unfollow me. The conversation is only just beginning.

Take Back What's Yours.

I was tagged by the lovely Abbie to take part in the Take Back What's Yours campaign, started by Chloe over at Chloe's Concept in an attempt to make a difference! By now everyone is sick of seeing new year's resolutions - but this is something different. This is a chance to make a change not just to our own lives, but to the lives of those around us too.

A few days before Christmas 2014, I was diagnosed with depression. This is something I've not told many people, but if I can't be open and honest on my blog then where can I be? So in 2015, I what to take back what's mine: my happiness. And not just that - depression has led to such a lack of confidence and energy, meaning I don't want to do anything that doesn't allow me to lie in bed all day every day. Uni has become a struggle, and seeing my friends is something that I've almost started to dread, because it leaves me feeling tired and uncomfortable. But I'm hoping to change that this year, and I know I have some wonderful people in my life who will support me along the way.

Please excuse my lack of make up

and the grammar mistake ... Oops

If you want to find out more about the campaign, click HERE. I will be tagging 10 bloggers at the end of this post, but of course if I don't tag you, you're still welcome to join in with something that is so wonderful and important!

I think creating a dialogue about the importance of mental health is one of the best things we can do; it's slowly becoming less of a 'taboo' subject, but it's easy to feel as though people are belittling your problems just because they can't see something physically wrong with you. We need to stick together and show people that nobody is alone. On World Mental Health day 2014 I wrote a big rambly post about which has some links to some really great organisations, so definitely check that out HERE

I TAG: Jasmine, Florence Grace, Antonia, Daisy, Rachel, Kayleigh, Millie, Katie, Zoe, and Kariss (apologies if any of you have already been tagged! Tweet me a link to your posts if/when you do them so I can RT)

Want to see a strange use for green tea? 'course you do