Crisis Helplines
Samaritans. To talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email jo@samaritans.org or visit some branches in person. You can…
Solitary Confinement
You can be a young African teenager, a well-paid Wall Street stockbroker, or a middle-aged British football mom; old or young, black or white, gay or straight, single, married, or polyamorous, and fall victim to mental illness. Psychological disorders do…
Discrimination, Prejudice, Bias, Bigotry, Sexism, Ageism, Difference
When will it end? In the late 1970’s to mid 1980’s HIV was a disease associated primarily with the male gay community; in the same way, albeit it for a much shorter period of time, the Coronavirus was associated with…
The Benefits of Meditative Breathing
“Until you’ve survived Covid-19, the concept of ‘Just Breathe’ is something many people will never understand.” This is a statement from a nurse on the frontline who ended up being a patient herself after having contracted the Coronavirus six months…
Round and Round the Coronavirus Bush
The saying is that many a true word is spoken in jest. Just this morning, a family member shared this meme with me, and I found myself thinking how incredibly true this is right now – to me, and probably…
The Dark Days
There are times when the shards of light creeping through the blinds aren’t welcome. There are times when the thought of leaving the comfort zone of your bed and facing the tasks of the day are overwhelming. This is a…
Acceptance v Denial
Acceptance v Denial Sometimes the enormity of what’s happening in the world can be consuming. Sometimes the size of what personal challenges you have can be like swimming against the torrent. Sometimes the thought of both can drag you towards…
Mental Health, COVID, and the LGBTIQ+ Community
The LGBTIQ+ community are, when compared with heterosexual persons, more likely to face discrimination, inequality, and bullying. This increases the likelihood of disproportionate, significant, and widespread mental health issues occurring. Such discrimination against sexual identity and orientation has, in recent…
How to Deal with Stress
We are all prone to stress. It is a natural part of our being, one that occurs when we sense a threat or are forced to deal with pressure. While it can be motivating in small amounts, when sustained over…
Student Mental Health and Anxiety
Anxiety is a sense of worry, dread or fear that bad things will occur. This sense of looming apprehension associated with anxiety comes from our primal instincts, our fight or flight considerations. It is, unfortunately, a common experience for many…