A Depressive With a Megaphone

I haven't blogged the last few days or so. This is because I've been busy. However as I say down to write something I realised that I didn't have much to say today. I think this is because I have emptied a lot of pent up anger and frustration on this blog so far and this has emptied me a lot. I feel much better having written a lot of stuff down in this blog. Quite a few people had told me to start writing my thoughts and feelings down, as they had also found it very beneficial. So if you aren't doing so already I'd definitely recommend the cathartic process that is known as blogging. However any form of writing is good. One friend of mine said that her depression lifted when she started writing poetry about how she felt. Her poetry is often quite witty and it helps her laugh at tough situations, as well as helping her release the pent up energy. So a short blog today. Try writing and let me know how you get on.

Here is a reply from the Department of Health regarding my concerns about the huge lack of support for those with mental health: Dear Mr Youell,  Thank you for your correspondence of 22 October to the Department of Health about mental health.  I have been asked to reply.  The Department recognises that many factors influence a person’s mental health.  Evidence from population surveys, in which people were asked to rate their own happiness or mental wellbeing, shows that although Britons have become richer over the last 50 years, overall mental wellbeing has not improved.  This would suggest that many of the things that are commonly assumed to improve wellbeing, such as greater wealth, more possessions and expensive holidays, do not on their own lead to a lasting improvement in an individual’s mental health.  Over the last 20 years, new evidence has emerged about the factors affecting mental wellbeing, and this evidence shows that the actions we tak...

I've just finished speaking to a lady on the phone from a local charity that helps people with mental health issues. As I might have mentioned previously I had tried to make a GP appointment (with a new GP) in order to access this very charity (they require a diagnosis or doctor's letter). The receptionist had said the only available appointment was 3 weeks away. I initially accepted this but later went back to ask for an earlier appointment, as I felt that they had let me down earlier. I was assertive with the receptionist which did make me feel better, as I was attempting to get my needs met (authenticity again). We had left it that I would talk to the GP practice manager to get an earlier appointment. Anyway I had been quite angry about the delay. However after a bit of a rant online and the assertive feedback to the receptionist (I wasn't that bad honest!), and a couple of days doing other things, I have calmed down quite considerably (I guess I had emptied and also...

I've just arrived on my teaching course. I'm feeling slightly anxious. But I'm OK with that. Sitting in the car waiting to go in. I have been behind with my homework which meant I had to find a place to print out the worksheets before the class! I managed to find a voluntary organisation at 8.45 in the morning to do this. 5p a sheet! Such a kind lady! :) I managed to get almost all my homework done. Reflection: getting behind on urgent tasks creates stress. Stop procrastinating haha :)

I have been eating more healthily recently and I feel much clearer headed tonight. I don't drink alcohol so that's not an issue for me, however I find sugar does make me feel pretty rotten. I tend to get a 'sugar high' at the time, then followed by a 'sugar low'. I have been eating more fruit and vegetables and I've had fruit smoothies (freshly made) in the mornings. My exercise is pretty non-existent at the moment so that's probably the next thing to work on. Anyway goodnight!

Sometimes We Can't Be Authentic? I had a friend say to me that she wanted to be fully authentic, however sometimes she felt that society wouldn't let her. The example she cited was in regards to the electoral roll (in the UK it is a legal requirement to sign up to it, or so it seems). She didn't want to vote so she didn't see why she had to fill it in, fair enough. Her point was that she felt authentic to not fill it in, but the government would fine her a lot of money if she didn't so she felt like she couldn't be authentic now. However the reality is, that no matter what happens, we can always be authentic. In the above case, she would simply need to be authentic in relation to learning about the fine. This is just new information that is added in to the mix. She would now just be authentic with how she reacts with all the available information. So we can always be authentic. Being authentic doesn't mean that things always go as we want. It's...

I over-slept which means that I have missed a session of one of my courses. I have a vague recollection of the alarm clock going off. I awoke a bit dazed and confused. I suddenly realised that I had awoken without an alarm, which could mean only one thing... I had over-slept. I grabbed my phone from the side of my bed and low and behold it was 9.45am or so. This mean that the next train would be about 10.30am which would mean getting in to the course for the last half hour of a two hour course! I initially phoned and said I could make it for half-time, as I was sleepy when I first called. I later realised I couldn't make it in time. Surprisingly I didn't feel that annoyed at missing it. I have done all I can do, which was to get a message to the tutor before the course started in order that she and the other students know. Hopefully I won't miss a practical today. Apologies for a boring post! I'm still sleepy!