Cassie Talks - Mental Health

Caring for someone can be rewarding but can also be very tiring. If carers do not look after their mental health they are at high risk of severe fatigue (extreme tiredness) which can trigger depression and anxiety. Research has found that carers are more likely to be in poor health both physically and mentally. 61% of carers in the UK have depression because of their caring role (Carers UK). Our carers get little recognition for what they do, so I would like to say a massive thank you for being you. If you are feeling overwhelmed by caring for someone you are not alone. It is so important for you to look after your own mental health too. Check out this article from Mind: How to cope when supporting someone else, click  here to read the article.

If you don’t feel in the mood to read you can just sit back, press play and watch the video instead. Sitting here staring at the crisp white piece of paper as I try to summon my thoughts. My concentration is whacked, I am so easily distracted, I have a short attention span and I forget what I want to say next, my thoughts are not flowing as they used to and I am struggling to put a sentence together. I used to write with ease, ideas came flowing so fast that my pen used to glide over the page capturing every detail so quickly I thought my pen would take off, I couldn't write fast enough. Now? well lets just say my pen now judders and stops as my mind freezes and thoughts come to a halt. To be honest I haven't been able to write for a long time. Yes I have started this new blog but I am only updating it with stories and articles I have written over the years. This is the first new one in quite some time. I thought my writing days were over and stopped writing for a little w

"Taking the first step to wellness and gaining control of our mental health is the hardest, but once we have taken that step, we must keep moving forward no matter how small our steps may be. We become trapped when we don't move at all" ~ Cassie.

The following may be triggering for some people. If people who live with a mental health disorder do not receive the correct treatment and help they are at risk of self harm and suicide. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that each year approximately one million people die from suicide, which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds. It is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds. If you are experiencing the devastating symptoms of suicide ideation it is so important to reach out, speak to a friend, loved one or colleague and seek help from your health care provider. To read information about suicide prevention and dealing with suicidal thoughts and feelings click here To read information about how to help someone who is suicidal click here

A good sleep routine is very important, many people suffer from insomnia or indeed sleep too much. Lack of sleep or not being able to achieve the right quota of sleep one needs for a prolonged period of time (or for some just a few nights of restless sleep) can effect our body, mind and soul. Sleep is an important aid to our wellbeing and one which needs more awareness. I must add the amount of sleep we need varies from person to person depending on the stage of life, work and life commitments etc. Some may need only a few hours sleep and feel rested while others may need a full 8-10 hours quota of sleep. Insomnia is a common early warning sign of depression in many people. In a 2007 study of 10,000 people, those with insomnia were five times as likely to develop depression as those without. Sleep deprivation can also affect our memory, hand eye co-ordination, and our ability to judge our own performance accurately. For example If you’re chronically sleep deprived, you may think you

Does your mental health pick up in spring and summer? Do you get depressed during autumn and winter? If so you may find this article of some interest: Why does the sun play such an important part in our emotional wellbeing ? The sun creates vitamin D when it hits ours skin, In the warmer months when we are exposed to more sunlight we experience an increase in vitamin D, the presence of this vitamin is said to improve our serotonin levels, memory and cognition. In the winter months our levels of vitamin D decrease, vitamin D deficiency is associated with many different disorders, such as depression. Serotonin is a natural mood lifting chemical, in fact serotonin is the chemical targeted by a class of anti-depressants called SSRIs, which keep higher levels of serotonin in the bloodstream to help elevate mood. The more sunlight the human body is exposed to, the more serotonin the brain produces. So sunlight increases Vitamin D and Serotonin which is good for our emotional wellbe

Hope lies at the foundation of recovery, even the smallest amount of hope and belief helps along the recovery process. Hope is a very powerful word which can hold a lot of meaning. However very often when feeling unwell feelings of hopelessness can consume a person and they may hold little belief that they can feel better and that life circumstances can and will improve. With the right education, treatment, knowledge and care it is possible to step out of the darkness into recovery, Hope means different things to different people, below are some quotes and saying's from different people about what hope and belief means to them. It is hope that gives life meaning, And is based on the prospect of being one day to turn the actual world into a possible one that looks better" ~ Francois Jacob "Hope dances in the puddles waiting for the sun to come out" - Author Unknown "The natural flight of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope

A poem about the highs and lows of Bipolar and reaching stability. If you don't feel in the mood to read you can just sit back, press play and watch the video instead. Hypo/mania is a special place, life is just fantastically great. I am the life and soul of the party, laughing and joking whole-heartedly. Others dance with me to my infectious tune, everything in life feels bright, warm, and sunny I hope this doesn't end any time soon. I sing a cheerful song as I soar through the sky my bipolar wings are helping me fly very high. I fly for days, weeks and sometimes months without much rest, I feel that I can stand this test. Mania joins me and comes along for the ride flying with me by my side. The sun is too bright and I can't see what is within my sight. As I reach my peak all of a sudden everything looks bleak, my wings become weak. Adrenalin leaves my side I am not enjoying this ride. The storm replaces the sun, I am in trouble but its only just begun

 "We all have physical health which we need to look after, when we become unwell we go and see a doctor and/or confide in friends and loved ones. We all have mental health which we need to look after but yet stigma and discrimination can stop many people from seeking help and confiding with friends and loved ones if they become unwell. Mental and physical health are both important to our wellbeing, just because you can't see mental health illness, or confirm it through a blood test, urine sample or an X-ray it doesn't mean it is not a real illness, mental health illness is just as real as a physical illness. Mental illness does not discriminate, however many people still discriminate those who are affected by it. We all have mental health which we need to look after, mental illness can happen to anyone. So before you judge someone or make an unkind remark, stop and think how you would feel if it happened to you"  - Cassie

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness helps to control worrisome, self - defeating thoughts and negative thinking, to help our attention span and increase quality of concentration through simple breathing and meditation practices. Mindfulness exercises are about living in the present moment to reduce stress and anxiety, by spending more time present to ourselves and our surroundings. Where does Mindfulness originate from? Mindfulness is based on Buddhist philosophy, however it is not a religion nor are religious belief's necessary to its practise. Please note that although many people benefit from mindfulness techniques it can trigger dissociation for people who are susceptible to it, professional advice should be sought before using mindfulness if you suffer with dissociation. A step by step guide to Mindfulness: There are many mindfulness techniques to choose from, there may be some exercises you can do and some you can not do, you may find in time that you are able to u

If you struggle with balancing your emotions or indeed live with emotional dysregulation then you may find this post of some interest. Please note some people may find this post triggering. If you don’t feel in the mood to read you can just sit back, press play and watch the video instead. Many people who suffer from a mental health disorder can suffer from emotional dysregulation issues for many different reasons. It is said this symptom is not exclusive to Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder also known as Borderline Personality Disorder, many people who live with mental illness can suffer from this. This post covers what emotional dysregulation is, my experiences and how I cope with it. Please remember that we are all different and unique, some people may relate and other’s may not, so please do not use my post as a diagnostic tool. What is Emotional Dysregulation? Emotional Dysregulation refers to a person who finds it difficult to control or regulate their emotions to int

Please note some people may find this blog post triggering. WHAT IS SELF HARM? Self harm is usually associated with cutting, however self harm is not just cutting oneself. Self harm happens when you hurt or harm yourself. You may take too many tablets (an overdose), cut yourself, burn yourself, bang your head or throw yourself against something hard, punch yourself, stick things in your body, swallow things, bite yourself to name but a few. Many people who self harm suffer from Anxiety, Depression, PTSD and other mental health disorders. WHY DO PEOPLE SELF HARM? People who self harm may do so to express pain and intense emotions that they can't put into words, they may feel disconnected and numb so self harm to feel pain, some people use self harm to release tension or vent anger, to calm and soothe, or as self punishment. MYTH: People who self harm are attention seeking. FACT: Most people suffer in silence and self-harm in private, many people find it very diff

Before I embarked on my recovery journey the questions who am I? Where does my personality begin and my mental health illness end? used to haunt me daily. I had lived with being symptomatic for nearly all of my life with not much stability in between. My likes and dislikes, my views and outlook on life changed more rapidly than most due to depression, anxiety, mania, mixed states, emotional dysregulation, negative judgements from others, stigma and discrimination, dissociation and paranoia, I was living in no man's land. It is common to have a lack of identity when living with a mental health illness, especially for those like me who has lived with a mental illness for many years, having a lack of identity is also a symptom of Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder. Although many people lack a sense of identity it does not mean that they are unable to discover and find the person who they are, who they always have been hidden amongst the mist of their mental health illness. H

  Some people may find this article triggering. Many people men and women alike are vulnerable to abuse. Does your controlling partner, friend or colleague say that you're the crazy one -- that you're the one with the problem because you live with a mental health illness when you confront them about their behaviour and how it is effecting you ? Many suffer in silence for years some are unaware that it may be happening as the warning signs can be very subtle especially in the beginning, and sometimes the warning signs go unrecognised as the abused can believe that because they have a mental health illness they are the crazy one and the abusive behaviour they are living with isn't that bad or is not even happening, that it's in their head, or they are over reacting and being over sensitive. (These beliefs are usually reinforced by the abuser so they can get away with their abuse). This can make people who live with a mental health illness even more vulnerable

Alongside the correct treatment and many other self-help techniques having a positive mental attitude has helped along my recovery. However I understand all to well that sometimes when we are feeling unwell we can feel as if this is impossible to do. When I used to hear others go on and on about how people who live with a mental health disorder need to be more positive, and I was unable to think positively at all, it used to make me feel as if I were a weak person which used to trigger me further. I knew I had to start thinking positively to step in to recovery but was unable to do so. I became trapped. I wrote the following when I was unable to have a positive mental attitude, I also have written below how I learnt to break free, which led to my recovery. "The guilt and tears set in this morning and everything looked pointless. The birds were singing their usual songs, but their tunes were not the same. The sun was warm on my skin, but all I noticed were the dark clouds i