Since the age of about twelve, I have been crippled by intrusive thoughts that enter my brain. They set up camp, uninvited without so much as a subtle introduction or a gradual move-in and have now been there for over 10 years.
Due to these unwanted parasites, I have always been quite an anxious person; a “worrier.” But over the past year, this anxiety has surmounted to unbearable worry and has made life pretty miserable at times.
So many of us experience mental illnesses every single day, yet so little of us talk about them. According to the charity “Mind,” around 1/4 of us will experience mental health issues at some point within our lives and if that’s the case – then its probable that we all know of someone who has played victim to a disease of the mind. Yet, so little of us seem to talk about the things that go on in our head. This is perhaps due to the disparity between the treatment of mental and physical illness within this country. I myself have been guilty of feeling too ashamed to talk about the things that have cluttered up my head.
Then in March of this year, I experienced a severe episode of anxiety and panic disorder. I couldn’t do anything except have panic attacks or spend my days safely underneath my duvet; not wanting to wash myself never mind interact with the world outside.
So I decided that I as no longer going to collude with the age-old lie that I am “fine.” I decided that I was going to take control over my life and get myself better. And this is where my journey begins: with this blog. I want to share my story. I want others out there like me to realise that, far from being weird: mental illness is completely normal.
I hope that in reading my story, you might feel able to share yours, too.
Talking Heads 