A #mentalhealth thought for the day

My Experience Of Mental Illness And The Mental Health System

Note: I originally wrote this blog earlier this year for The Huffington Post. Unfortunately it wasn't approved and published, perhaps because of the somewhat sensitive content contained within. Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of self-harm and suicide. The term “mental health” is bandied about a lot these days. It’s almost as if it’s become…

Applying for PIP… Again!

Last week I attended an assessment for Personal Independence Payment or as it's more commonly known as PIP. This wasn't the first time that I've had to go to one of these appointments. I previously applied to receive the additional payment earlier in the year after the DWP told me that I was entitled to…

Meeting Big Brother

I was incredibly fortunate the other week to receive an invitation from Channel 5 to come to London and meet with Paul Osbourne - the new Creative Director of the forthcoming Celebrity Big Brother series, as well as returning Executive Editor Tamsin Dodgson. I've been lucky enough over the past couple of years to also…

Too hot to think

My mind isn't really all there at the moment. I think perhaps it's a combination of the sheer amount of time that I've been away from work, and the frankly astonishing heatwave that has recently descended upon the UK. I mean, it's hot. Ridiculously hot. So hot in fact that in a similar fashion to…

Things that make me happy

Being all warm and cosy inside in the winter when the rain is lashing down outside. Late afternoon walks in the countryside in autumn time. Chilling in a sun lounger on the patio with a good book and a bottle of cider on a hot day. Driving in the countryside during the autumn when all…