Mental Health and Being a Mum:Postnatal Depression
Anyone who tells you that parenthood is easy, is lying to you. It's been a long, exhausting slog since my last post. My mental health isn't great, but getting better. Fighting through postnatal depression and social anxiety at the same time isn't fun.
Down January
January is always hard for me. My mental health always takes a big hit.
Every year it is the same thing, but I hold onto the knowledge that bad moods and dark thoughts don’t last. This year is a bit different, it’s my first working through it. It’s a different experience having to mentally try and control myself whilst somewhat putting on an impression of “i’m fine”.
Turning Point
Since my last post, "I'm not going out today", I've hit a bit of a turning point. I received some feedback and comments that spurred me on, that gave me a bit more confidence and passion. I made the conscious decision to not care as much.
10 years ago I would take the camera everywhere I went and snap away, coming home afterwards happy with whatever I had. Recently it's been quite the opposite. I'd go out, have an idea in my head and then be left deflated when that idea didn't come to fruition. As it stands, I'm constantly fighting with myself to do the opposite. To embrace what is already happening wherever I am. To be a photographer.
"I'm not going out today"
I'm not going out today. A phrase that I, and probably a lot more people than thought, use quite often when feeling anxious, or low. A phrase I should stop saying but that's just one part of the battle.
#TimeToTalk - Mental Health Awareness
So, I originally planned this post to be out yesterday, however it has taken a lot longer than planned to organise and write. Writing about my mental health always requires more time than I plan for.
Thursday 1st February 2018 marked Time to Talk day. Although, a day really isn't enough. It should be time to talk everyday. The following post is probably going to be my most personal and most difficult to write but it's an important one.
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2018
Firstly this is not my usual topic of choice for a blog and it may not be a pleasant idea for some people. However, it is an important one. This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.
I put off having my Cervical Screening Test, otherwise known as the delightful smear test, for a year. The day I received my letter inviting me to go to my GP to have potentially the most embarrassing procedure done was not my idea of fun.