Gum on My Shoe

We are delighted to welcome as our guest mental health blogger Sandra Charron. Of her own blog ( sandracharron.com ) Sandra writes: This blog is for those of us who struggle with a mental illness. This blog is for those who love someone struggling with mental illness. This blog is for those who wish to understand mental illness. While writing this blog, I will be standing on a very adorably decorated soap box and will speak out very openly and honestly about my own diagnosis of bipolar II disorder (among other mental illnesses.) We love her blog’s tagline: “I could’t outrun my mental illness, so I embraced it instead.” I’ve been battling mental illness for three years…well, for three years that I’m aware of. I now know from replaying my life over and over and over again in the farthest parts of my mind lest the closest parts engulf me entirely, well, I can now understand that some of my behaviours stemming back to my adolescence and even my childhood were not, what one would...

I had the privilege this afternoon to listen to some inspirational speakers at a corporate event. The speakers included someone I respect hightly as a colleague, and senior managers from across the globe. The industry, sector, and account on which I work all face significant challenges in the months and years ahead—as many of us do in our personal lives. No amount of “happy happy talk” is going to make the issues go away, but that’s not what was being offered today. It was a call to rethink our approaches. A call to engage. In the workplace. In our wider community. Most of all, within ourselves. Returning to the office, I was saddened but not wholly surprised at the reactions I heard from other attendees to what—for me—had been an important and empowering message. Cynicism, bitterness, resentment, and self-righteous entitlement are amongst the shields we habitually employ when challenged to think differently, and be more than we have imagined ourselves to be. It doesn’t have to be...

Supporting someone who lives with mental illness can be challenging, but there is a great deal you can do to help on a practical level, whether you live nearby or—as Fran and I do—on opposite sides of the globe. Something I am able to do for Fran on a regular basis is write a Status Report for her to take to appointments with her psychiatrist. This helps Fran because she often finds it difficult to recall details, especially if she has been fatigued or depressed. She also values having another person’s perspective. She sometimes asks other friends to offer their impressions of how well—or otherwise—she is doing, but I am best placed to provide an ongoing perspective, because we are in touch on a daily basis. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to her care and support team. They value my input as someone who knows Fran well and can provide additional input. I prefer to write my report on the day of her appointment. I start from her current status, ...

The thing about chronic illness is it never ends. It’s not like you can be friends with someone and say nice things and then they feel better and get over it. Or tell them look at all the things to be thankful for, while they are tormented with symptoms. Being friends with someone with chronic illness requires stamina, character, and a morality that is purely giving and compassionate, and yes even humorous. The sooner society gets this message the sooner we can be a part of it, instead of separate from it. We have gifts too. But please show some respect. The last thing we are is stupid. Fran  

I am currently reading Joan Jessup’s book Bipolar Goggles , and cannot recommend it highly enough. As Fran’s best friend and caregiver for the past five years, so much of this book rings true. Written with great clarity and honesty, Jessup shares her experiences of living with bipolar disorder. There is no hiding the impact illness has had on her life and those around her, and she is clear about her responsibility to work to be—and remain—as well as possible, recognising also that this is a lifetime condition with no cure. I believe this is an important book and I encourage everyone to read it—and talk about. It is by sharing our stories, both well and ill alike, that we can learn from one another, and counter the negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding mental illness. Bipolar Goggles is published by Gravity imprint of Booktrope Publishing and is available for Kindle and in print from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk . Follow the author on h...

Aron Bennett is looking for budding diary writers for his project “A Day in My Head,” a collection of diary entries to be written on May 16th 2016 by people round the world who are affected by a mental health condition. If you are interested in taking part, you can contact Aron via any of the links below.   A Day in My Head This is a fairly new project and I really need the help of fellow writers. With the aid of a few mental health charities, I am compiling a book which encompasses a day in the life of people living with mental illness. I am looking for 500 volunteers to each write about one particular day: May 16th 2016, which is the start of National Mental Health Awareness Week. I will self-publish the work and all profits will go to charity. The aim of the project is to end stigma as well as to raise money for charity. It is also a chance for people to get their voices heard and their literary skills recognised by a much wider audience. I am looking for an array ...