Gum on My Shoe

Fran and I find analogies helpful when discussing mental and physical health. This is especially true when one person has little or no experience of what the other is attempting to convey. In this post I want to share a few models and analogies we find useful, and introduce a new one we’ve only recently taken up. I’ve described a few of these previously in The Stress Bucket and Other Models That Help Me Talk about Mental Health . Spoon Theory Perhaps the most well-known analogy for chronic illness is the spoon theory created by Christine Miserandino. The idea is that people living with energy-limiting conditions such as MS (multiple sclerosis) and fibromyalgia begin each day with a limited number of energy units, represented by spoons. If you’ve ever come across the terms spoons or spoonies online in a health context, that’s what they’re talking about. Waves Although Fran and I reference spoon theory on occasion, we’re more likely to employ our home-grown models. I’ve al...

Talking about mental health can be difficult and I wrote recently about some of the reasons we may not want to . Part of the problem can be that we lack the words to adequately describe what’s going on for us when we’re struggling. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when I completed a Mental Health First Aid Refresher course. The training covered several models of mental health and wellbeing, including the mental health continuum and stress container (or stress bucket). Models such as these can never completely describe the personal and often subtle details of what we’re going through, but they can provide a starting point and some common language with which to explore and share our feelings. In this article I’ll cover a number of models I find helpful when talking about mental health, plus two relating to supportive friendships. The Stress Bucket Also known as the stress container this model was originally developed in 2002 by Professor Alison Brabban and Dr Dougl...

If you are unfamiliar with the term “spoonie,” it refers to an article by Christine Miserandino called The Spoon Theory , in which she describes explaining to a friend what it is like to live with debilitating fatigue. Her spoons analogy has been taken up by many who live with chronic fatigue, whatever its underlying nature or diagnostic label. Teresita Bauer is a spoonie who, in her own words, lives life to the fullest. She blogs about lifestyle issues for chronic disease patients. In her first guest post for us, she talks about her experience within the online spoonie community. Spoonies Online: Friends in Need … but Also Friends Indeed? The online community of spoonies is a great source of support and information. Have you ever found a friend there? Great! However, have you ever been hurt by someone online, someone you did not even know? Some people have a thick skin. Unfortunately, spoonies tend to be more vulnerable. Obviously, the spoonie online community offers lots ...