Category: Anxiety
-
Does Googling “How To Get Rid Of A Turkey Neck?” Make Me A Bad Feminist?
I am a feminist who feels strongly about sexism, ageism, and double standards, so I can’t fathom why this genetic aberration (that was clearly inherited from my father), bugs me so much.
-
Do I Really Have To Give Up Drinking?
My choice to drink less has nothing to do with “seeing the light” in terms of my health, or because I’ve managed to avoid the dangerous lure of addiction that runs through my family tree. It is not even based on the advice of my doctor – although I’m sure she would back me wholeheartedly.…
-
Ageing: Is 10 More GOOD YEARS Too Much To Ask?
The thing about the ageing process is that one minute you’re cruising along feeling relatively young for your years and the next you are using hand cream. And yet, despite my lifelong battle with health anxiety, death scares me somewhat less than the journey there and the “not knowing” exactly how and when my finale…
-
Mental Illness: Why Love and Acceptance Must Be the First Line of Treatment
With love and acceptance – what I believe should be the first-line of treatment for people with mental illness – people like my son feel less isolated, judged and ashamed. Though “tough love” may be the gold standard approach to care for some mental illnesses, it is a risky choice and one that doesn’t necessarily…
-
It’s Obvious To Me Why Women Are So Tired
COVID may have killed more men, but it is women it has hit the hardest. We are holding things together, but we are breaking as we carry the emotional and caring burden.
-
9 Surprising Truths I discovered About Myself In 2020
Compared to many people, I was fortunate to emerge from 2020 relatively unscathed. Admittedly, certain elements of our brief lockdown in Sydney tested me, but because my job carried on pretty much as usual (and I don’t get out much anyway), there were few noticeable changes in my day-to-day life. However, I don’t think anyone…
-
The Truth About The Mask Of Mental Illness
It turns out I haven’t quite finished writing about masks. Today, however, instead of talking about clinical masks, I want to talk about a different type – the mask that society forces people with mental illness to wear. It is the mask of being well – that many of us expect them to wear, even…
-
“Clear intentions” may help you focus in lockdown, but treading water is also fine
It’s very easy to get sucked in by the words on those memes about writing a novel or finding a cure for cancer during this period of isolation, especially if you’re a perfectionist like me. After all, who doesn’t want to defy the challenge posed by this pandemic and come out at the end of…
-
How’s Everyone Coping With The Latest COVID-19 Isolation Restrictions?
So…how’s everyone travelling? YOU’RE NOT, I assume, and neither will you ever consider booking a cruise ever again, I would take a guess (if you’re of sound mind). Photo by Curology on Unsplash In the spirit of Gloria Gaynor, I am surviving, although as you can imagine, this is not a great time for hypochondriacs.…
-
9 Innovative Games To Help You Pass The Time During Self-Isolation
Isn’t it funny how swiftly the things you once dreamed about can turn to disappointment? Not that I’ve ever dreamed of spending more time (than I have to) with the old man, but surely I can’t be the only one who used to fantasise about having more time to write, more time to watch back-to-back…
-
I’m An Empath, So Why Can’t I Cut Myself Some Slack?
I’ve been really grumpy over the past few weeks. I can tell I’ve not been my usual happy-go-lucky self because I’ve seen that fear in the old man’s eyes each time we pass each other, and he has been uncommonly brave and accused me of being “unreasonable” several times. Photo by Dale de Vera on Unsplash We’ve both…
-
It’s Never ‘Too Soon’ For Laughter In The Face Of Adversity
We’ve had the usual mix of experiences over Christmas. Some of them have been as gloriously perfect as the anticipation and some have been the inevitable shite sprinkled on the top. That’s life. That’s the reality of the season for most people. Photo from Louis Hansel on Unsplash.com But it’s safe to say the fires…
Louisa Simmonds 