Self Caring After Trauma
Self-care is a vital aspect of maintaining mental and physical well-being. It involves activities and practices that we engage in regularly to reduce stress, enhance our health, and restore our balance.
Understanding OCD: Breaking Down Misconceptions
People with OCD don’t “choose” their thoughts or compulsions. Telling someone to “just get over it” is dismissive, harmful, and perpetuates ableist attitudes. If someone has lived with OCD for decades and tried all known interventions, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), medication, counseling, and even alternative therapies such as hypnosis, it is unjust to boil their suffering down to a fad.
Bipolar Disorder and (PIP) Eligibility
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by extreme mood swings, including periods of mania (elevated mood, energy, and activity levels) and depression (profound low mood and energy). Managing the condition can be challenging, as it often impacts everyday tasks, relationships, and quality of life.
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Universal Credit Reforms
Labour is facing the prospect of another mass rebellion from its own MPs as concerns mount over proposed reforms to the universal credit system. The focus of unease is on changes to the assessment process for disability benefits, particularly the health element of universal credit (UC).
Facing Inner Demons: Why Trauma Survivors Turn to Drugs and Alcohol
Trauma leaves lasting wounds, but numbing pain with drugs and alcohol only deepens the suffering. Although self-medication may seem like an escape, it damages the body and creates new chains of dependency. The path to healing is not easy, but it is possible. With therapy, support, and healthier coping mechanisms, people can face their fears, overcome their inner demons, and take back control of their lives.
Can Forgetting Compulsions Help Heal OCD and Trauma?
Stress can play a major role in memory lapses, especially for people living with OCD and trauma. When the mind is overwhelmed by anxiety, daily pressures, or too many competing tasks, it can become harder to focus on intrusive thoughts or compulsions. Preoccupation with other responsibilities may naturally push the urge into the background, allowing it to fade over time. In this way, stress and distraction, although challenging, can sometimes disrupt the cycle of OCD by creating moments where the compulsion is forgotten.
Why Medical Evidence Should Replace Biased PIP Assessments
A letter from your GP, along with copies of your medical history, is crucial for a successful PIP claim. These documents provide solid evidence of your condition, detailing your symptoms, treatments, and how the disability affects your daily life. By presenting medical records, you offer a comprehensive view of your needs, ensuring the decision-making process is based on factual and reliable information. This approach increases the accuracy of your claim and helps prevent any potential discrepancies or delays.
Link Between Trauma, MS, Financial Stability & OCD
If only we could erase bad memories and achieve financial stability for the rest of our lives, our mental health would no doubt improve. A reflection on trauma, OCD, MS, and the importance of stability for wellbeing
Trichotillomania and PIP Eligibility
Trichotillomania, also known as Hair-Pulling Disorder, is a serious mental health condition classified under Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in the DSM-5. It involves repetitive hair-pulling that leads to noticeable hair loss, emotional distress, and social or occupational impairment.
Overprescribing Anti-Depressants: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Antidepressant use has soared over the past two decades, with the UK alone seeing a doubling in prescriptions since 2008. While medication can be life-changing for some, concerns are growing around its overprescription, especially for patients who may not need long-term pharmacological treatment. From the reluctance of GPs to offer fast-acting relief to the alarming trend of children being medicated, it’s time to ask, are we medicating emotion at the expense of wellbeing?