Today a friend of mine who is also a sufferer of NS posted on a support site to raise awareness of the links between living with a long term chronic illness and suffering mental health issues. So between us we both decided to post on our respective social media pages about our own experiences. We honestly both believe that honesty is the best policy. On this blog I have never kept away from talking about mental health, because I always wanted to prove there shouldn’t be a stigma attached.
From a young age I have seen the effects mental health, which is why I have always been the first to talk to my family about how I am feeling. I know for some people this isn’t the case; so by writing these blogs, Matt and I are hoping to show that if you suffer from both a chronic illness and mental health issues you are certainly not alone.
Firstly, I’d like to say I am on antidepressants and I most certainly am not ashamed. After many many years of suffering with anxiety (certainly not helped by NS) I finally took the steps I needed to help myself. It has been 5 weeks and I have to say I honestly feel like the best version of myself again; not battling through everyday. I’m not cured by any sense, nor did I think I would be, but I’m singing in the shower again (its the little things right!)
I know I was extremely lucky to be put on meds that worked for me straight off the bat; I know many people can have horrible experience. However, if you can keep going and find something that works for you then it is worth it. One thing that really gets my gander up is when people poo poo antidepressants because of the side effects. Sorry, we put ourselves on horrible medication to fix our kidneys and we keep going because it makes us better, why do we see antidepressants as the enemy? I’m not saying stick with something that is giving you awful side effects but, we need to stop viewing mental health as something different to physical health. I put my body through cyclosphosomide at 17 despite the fact it could have made me infertile; yet some people would suggest that taking something far less dangerous to sort out my anxiety is ‘too much’ and I should ‘just be positive’.
Of course using counselling is amazing and works for many many people especially that are going through long term health issues and many other things. However, for me I knew it wasn’t right, I will always find something else to be anxious about no matter how many times I talk anything through, I come from a family of anxiety sufferers; I pretty sure its in my make up. Some of us just need some tablets to help us and make us our minds function properly.
Whoever you are and whatever you are going through, talk to those around you and keep an eye on everyone you love.
