Balance August 2018 - 24

Break
through
from
breakdown
Don't let mental wellbeing drag you down: your
lowest ebb is the catalyst for a healthier mind
words by
JO BET T ERID G E
photography by
T T T U NA

T

hanks to a hugely
successful mental
health awareness
campaign, we all know
the '1 in 4' statistic; a
quarter of us experience mental health
issues every year. We've seen countless
social posts and memes on depression,
anxiety and suicide but what about
those who 'come out the other side'? We
rarely hear of people whose anxiety and
depression are catalysts for positive change.
For some, these issues force extreme
lifestyle transformations and result in
previously unimagined happiness. Their
inspirational stories could well bring many
of us hope and perhaps even expedite the
first steps to recovery.

24

RESET
A professional will help you make
sense of your reality, recognise
negative patterns, re-frame your
thoughts and suggest coping
strategies. Your GP is a good place
to start, but you'll get a quicker,
bespoke appointment via numerous
therapists and online coaches. Most
offer a complimentary session to
ensure they're right for you

'It's sad that mental health in the media
is all about the "epidemic" of depression
and anxiety' says psychologist Lorna
Denton. 'It's never about the success stories
or what we can do to change things'.

GET LOW TO GET HIGH
Mental health charity Mind says rather
than our state of mind deteriorating in
recent years, we find it harder to cope with
our everyday worries about things such as
money, jobs and benefits.
The extra curveballs life throws -
bereavement, divorce and redundancy
- compound these worries and negatively
impact us. On top of all that, 2.1 million
women and 0.7 million men suffer
domestic abuse annually in the UK, and,

BA LA N CE August 2018

according to the TUC, an astonishing
one in three of us are bullied at work. It's
hardly surprising so many hit rock bottom.
But according to Lorna, rock bottom is
not necessarily a bad place to land. 'We
need to reach our lowest point before we
are forced to make lasting life changes. It's
easier not to face things, to plod along just
being "OK". Rock bottom gives us a base
from which to change'.
It's something I know all too well.
Years of mentally abusive relationships
and being bullied at work culminated
in a nervous breakdown. My symptoms
consumed me and lasted for years.
Depression, anxiety and disassociation
from life rendered me unable to function
on a day-to-day basis, but my daughter



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance August 2018

Balance August 2018 - 1
Balance August 2018 - 2
Balance August 2018 - 3
Balance August 2018 - 4
Balance August 2018 - 5
Balance August 2018 - 6
Balance August 2018 - 7
Balance August 2018 - 8
Balance August 2018 - 9
Balance August 2018 - 10
Balance August 2018 - 11
Balance August 2018 - 12
Balance August 2018 - 13
Balance August 2018 - 14
Balance August 2018 - 15
Balance August 2018 - 16
Balance August 2018 - 17
Balance August 2018 - 18
Balance August 2018 - 19
Balance August 2018 - 20
Balance August 2018 - 21
Balance August 2018 - 22
Balance August 2018 - 23
Balance August 2018 - 24
Balance August 2018 - 25
Balance August 2018 - 26
Balance August 2018 - 27
Balance August 2018 - 28
Balance August 2018 - 29
Balance August 2018 - 30
Balance August 2018 - 31
Balance August 2018 - 32
Balance August 2018 - 33
Balance August 2018 - 34
Balance August 2018 - 35
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Balance August 2018 - 37
Balance August 2018 - 38
Balance August 2018 - 39
Balance August 2018 - 40
Balance August 2018 - 41
Balance August 2018 - 42
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Balance August 2018 - 47
Balance August 2018 - 48
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