The Lo Down - My Mental Health Recovery #1

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I've done a couple of posts over the last while which have been mental health related, they focus mainly on my experience with my mental health problems in the past. I've gotten lots of amazing lovely feedback from these posts so I thought I'd do a post on my Mental Health Recovery.

Mental Health Recovery is a long hard journey. I had really bad mental health problems for about two years and I'm still recovering now. I suffered from Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Depression. At the time I didn't really know what was what and I was stressed to the nines. It wasn't a particularly good time for me or my family and my friends. I didn't know what to do and of course they didn't either so it was a extremely tough time. 

As you all know by now I went into hospital twice over a 8 month period. I already did a post on my hospital experience but boy was it hard. It wasn't something I was used to as I wasn't used to the controlled hospital environment. I quickly got used to it and I made lots of friends that I'm still close to to this day. 

When I left hospital I went into a program that helped you live with mental health issues. It wasn't really for me so I left after a while and decided to do things on my own. This did make things that little bit more difficult for me and people around me as there was many ups and downs plus a few wobbly moments but we got there in the end.

I do take medication daily morning and night to help treat my problems. I was apprehensive about this as if you read up on meds they can say they make your symptoms worse which scared me completely I'm not going to lie. In the end I decided to take them regularly and after time I definitely saw a difference in my mood as of course these things take time after all.

I did attend a clinic every six months after I was discharged from hospital in South Dublin. We would just discuss my recovery plan and how my mood was in general. I didn't particularly like these sessions to begin with as I didn't think they were helping me at all but I came around after a while and began to realise they were the best thing for me at that time. The last time I was there they actually discharged me so I was delighted it showed that I had turned a corner with my recovery.

All in all my mental health recovery hasn't been easy by no means but it has definitely made into the woman I am today. I really appreciate everything everyone in my life has done to help me, they all have been amazing and I don't know what I'd do without them at times. If you are going through a hard time just know there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and always a way to get better you just need to think positively which is sometimes easier said then done but you can do it! I always say my mental health illnesses don't define me as a person, it's just a part of me that is sometimes hidden that I can over come with the right help and when I work on it. Nobody is a illness!

Laura<3

The Lo Down - My Experience in a Mental Health Hospital

Hey Guys and Dolls,

Some of you may know I spent some time in a mental hospital in 2014. I was at the lowest point in my life after losing a loved one and coming out of a six year relationship, things were hard so I couldn't deal with day to day life anymore.

Life in a mental hospital was different to anything I'd ever experienced before it was a controlled environment with 24 hour supervision so it was definitely almost too much to handle at the start. All your belonging were checked too make sure there was nothing to jeopardise your safety. After a couple of weeks I got used to the routine of going to therapy and classes so I was doing good. I enjoyed the classes and they helped alot.

I was admitted to hospital twice in a two year period for things I don't want to go into so i won't go into it. I think my stay there really helped me alot though I made amazing friends that are going to be my friends for life. If anyone is reading this who may be in the same situation as me then may not want to go into hospital, I know I didn't but once you settle in it seriously is fine and one of the best decisions I made in my life though it was extremely difficuly. 

As there are pretty strict visiting times I missed my family and friends alot. I still have my bad days where I get anxiety and feel depressed but I know with the support I have around me i'll get through whatever curveball life throws at me. I don't know what I'd do without those two people in the picture above, my wonderful parents they mean the world to me and are always there for me no matter what.

I hope this post helps any of you that are going through a hard time just remember someone is always there for you.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Pieta House Masked Till Midnight Masquerade Ball

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I came across an event recently that is close to my heart so I had to tell you guys about it. Pieta House is a non profit organisation providing a specialised treatment programme for people who have suicidal ideation and those who engage in self harm.

Pieta House opened its doors a decade ago in Lucan Co.Dublin. It has helped over 20,000 people over the years and they do such an amazing job. Since opening they have launched another 3 centres in Dublin and 5 throughout the rest of the country. The work they do is phenomenal and is free of charge so they rely alot on support and volunteers. That's where you guys come in.

On Friday 31st of March, Pieta House is holding their Masked Til Midnight ball. With entertainment on the night from the Irish Rat Pack and a DJ, it's sure to be an amazing night. You will receive a welcome drink on arrival and there will be yummy street food served throughout the night. They also hold the annual Darkness into Light Run/Walk on Saturday 6th of May. It's actually celebrating it's nineth year this year. This event takes place in the small hours of the morning and is held in over 100 venues nationally and internationally. I haven't taken part yet but I definitely want to get involved this year. I had pretty bad mental health a few years back and work like this really helped me overcome it plus I know alot of people in my life who were affected by suicide.

The Pieta House Masked Til Midnight Masquerade Ball is being held in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham and the tickets cost €75. Tickets for the night can be bought here. It is sure to be a good night with all proceeds going to the wonderful Pieta House. They would love your support on the night. I'm hopefully going along on the night so I hope to see some of you there.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - How to Help People with Mental Health Problems

Hey Guys and Dolls,

Mental health is a hard thing to deal with sometimes, I've been there and it's so tough. I was lucky as I've had so much support over the years which I will always be grateful for don't know where I'd be without my family and friends. I was going to call this post how to deal with someone suffering from mental health problems but I didn't think that felt right as it sounds like dealing with a problem. Someone who is suffering from mental health problems is certainly not a problem though and should be never treated in that way under any circumstances. I've just compiled a small list of things that I think would help someone going through a hard time and what you can do to support them.

Talking and Listening

For me this is the most important when it comes to supporting someone with mental health problems. I have an amazing little brother, Gerard who I'm forever talking to and he's a great listener when I need him there. He's full of wisdom and always giving me the best advice he can. He's suffered with ill mental health in the past so he knows what it's like to be going through something that is hard to explain at the best of times. It's really important to be always positive because there is no point in feeding into negative thoughts as it will just lead you down a bad road and no one wants that. Listening is also a must as sometimes people may not want to talk and just wants someone to listen to them.

Don't Judge

When I had ill mental health I spent most of my time saying things that people just didn't understand at all. Like I could of been saying negative things about myself that I believed to be true and others didn't. For your family and friends this can be hard to hear at times as no one wants there friend or family member hurting like this. It's not nice to see at all. It is really important to not judge though, if you do this it could make matters worse as it can cement the belief of what they are saying and that's not a positive.

Pay them Visits

I liked nothing more than on my bad days in hospital when some of my family and friends came into see me. It meant so much and I know it would mean alot to anyone when this happened. It's nice to just have a chat and to chill out with the people that means so much to you! It can also take your mind of whats going on at the moment as well which is always a good things.

Go For Walks, a Coffee or to the Cinema etc.

I know when I was having a bad day I didn't particularly like being stuck in the one place at times. I loved when I went out and about with family and friends. This can be as simple as going out for a walk or going to the cinema to see one of the new release movies that you've heard everyone raving about. It's nice to get out of routine at times and try something different too. Sometimes it can be hard to get someone out of their comfort zone but it can be one of the best things to do.

Taking your Meds is a necessity

When I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and depression one of the first thing the doctors did was prescribe me medication. I wasn't happy about this at first and point blank refused to take them for a while, after a while I decided to take them and I haven't looked back since. Everything has improved and most important of all my mood as it was pretty low all the time and I just wasn't happy at all for age. I think in the grand scheme the right thing to do it to take your medication. I know you may not want to at first I know I didn't to be fair but in the long run it helps alot and you'll be feeling better in no time which is what everyone dreams of at the end of the day.

See a Doctor

Mental breakdowns can be scary and it's hard to know what to do in that situation. When my issues started I was out with my ex boyfriend at the time and he didn't know what to do. I went home and by the next day my parents had brought me to see my GP and we went forward from there. That exact time of my life is a complete blur, I didn't know what was going on with me and I was quite scared which isn't good. My GP put me on some medication but the right meds for me weren't determined until I was in hospital and they could monitor it properly. At the end of the day I may have needed to go into hospital sooner but the early intervention by the doctor was the right way to go and helped alot in the long term. Most doctors are knowledgeable when it comes to most mental health issues even though its hard to determine the diagnosis at times. Most importantly do not use Google as you'll diagnose your self and that's never a good thing. At the day early intervention is key!

Mental Health Recovery is a long road and can be seriously difficult to handle. Just remember to always be there for the person you care about as you may not know it and they may not show it but it does indeed mean the world to them. The little things in life make all the difference. I hope this post helped you in some way as you may be suffering or know someone who is suffering from mental health problems, just know someone is always there for you to reach out to.

Laura<3