Mental Health Support

I am very proud to start 2010 with a post by a guest writer, Susan White. Susan's contact details can be found in the by-line at the bottom of her article. Please do visit her link so that you can get a feel for what Susan usually writes about.

This afternoon I had a lovely experience. I was invited to a Christmas Lunch organised by Hear-Our-Voice, a Mental Health Action Group in the town where I live. The people who run Hear-Our-Voice are a friendly dedicated bunch who certainly know how to make somebody feel welcome.

Should you wish to obtain information about Bi-Polar Disorder from the NHS, please be aware that the following booklets are available free of charge:

I really like the list of 10 Common Myths about Clinical Depression written by Angela Peterson who is from Houston in the USA.

Although it is written by an American for an American audience, the points Angela makes are totally valid for anybody in our western world and probably Australia as well.

Following the devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Italy, I have been wondering and worrying too.

Recently, I received the opportunity to participate in a Mental Health Directorate public Consultation. For the sake of all Mental Health Services users, I thought it was important for me to make my comments public.

This is what I wrote:

Dear Ms xxxxxxxxx,

Thank you for sending me a copy of the Consultation papers for the Redesign of Mental Outreach and Day Services. I appreciate the opportunity to comment.

As my hubby was sitting next to me, driving along in the wintry sunshine, I had a light-bulb moment. Just like that. Out of the blue. It suddenly occurred to me that my bi-polar disorder was a powerful physical metaphor for my 'Emotional Swing-o-Metre'.

I have spoken many times of the monster that lived inside my father and that could switch him from a warm loving daddy into a dangerous violent one. This was how I used to experience my father's own bi-polar disorder as a child.

My hubby often says to me when he walks into the kitchen: "you're cooking up a storm in here!" and I love that expression of his. It gives the word storm a very positive meaning for me, as opposed to the awful feeling of being in the storm of bi-polar depression. Also, I enjoy the feeling of 'cooking up a storm' because it is full of energy.

I am in clearing/cleaning mode this week. I suddenly feel the urge to clear my office out. I feel the need to reorganise my books and to re-read them. Considering how many books I own, all that re-reading should keep me busy for a good long while.