The Power Of 'Me Too'

Writing is and always has been very important to me- growing up as a girl with a huge imagination, I loved putting pen to paper and allowing a story to unfold. As I’ve got older and things have changed my passion for writing has never left, however, instead of writing far fetched stories about characters I’d made up- I now write about myself, my thoughts, ideas, opinions…my story.

Why? Of course my reasons behind this include the fact that its therapeutic, being a person that finds it very difficult to open up, writing is a perfect way of offloading. It means I wouldn’t have to answer to the paper or worry that it understood me. So why a blog? Why put my deepest thoughts, my opinions, my often difficult story online for all to see?

I hesitantly started my blog quite a while back to log my recovery from mental illness, however it’s been a couple of months since I’ve posted. Reason being? I started to worry about all of the same things that stop me from opening up in my day to day life. What if people reading it didn’t understand? Is my story really worth talking about? The time off has given me plenty of time to think, reflect and challenge these thoughts and the answer? Yes I SHOULD continue to write my blog. The truth is that no one can understand if they don’t know. If people with mental illness never spoke out NOBODY would understand- how could they? Mental illness happens… It’s a huge part of my life as well as thousands of others. It’s just saddening that there is still a stigma to fight. If more people that struggle spoke out it would be much easier for people to be aware. It would also be less isolating for a person struggling.
So yes, my story & journey to recovery IS worth sharing, as it’s another voice telling a difficult story and turning it in to something positive by sharing it to support others going through similar things and to raise awareness/educate those around us.

One thing that motivates me to blog more than anything is the power of ‘me too’. Being unwell with a mental illness can be the most scary and isolating thing in the world. When I was most unwell I would spend hours searching online, reading blogs and forums. To read that someone is going through something similar to you- wether it’s something that they think, a behaviour that they do or just their situation in general… to see this and be able to think ‘me too’ is the most comforting thing in the world at a time when you feel so alone and misunderstood. To know that what you’re going through isnt ‘just you’ and to read peoples journey as they fight similar battles is honestly the most motivating and reassuring things. It fights your hopelessness and allows you to see that it’s possible.

 

Therefore I will continue to blog my way through recovery, both the highs and the lows as well as all of the glimpses of life I get in between. I’ll do it to help myself and hopefully to help others too.

So for all of you out there that struggle from mental illness- please know that you are not alone. There are many of us working hard to fight each day towards recovery. And please, don’t ever be afraid to speak out because who knows in the process of helping yourself- your story may just inspire others too.