When mental health takes over... I find this image really poignant. How suffering from any mental illness does not only take over your mind and way of thinking, but other senses too. It can affect my speech and the way I say things. I develop a slight stutter in overwhelming situations. I get frustrated and say things I don't mean. And sometimes it completely paralyses my voice box so I can't physically talk at all. An explanation is too difficult and draining to even attempt. It affects my eyes. I see things that aren't there. I sometimes see myself as so hideous that I cancel plans and will refuse to leave the house. It makes me see through the eyes of depression and my vision of life and the future become distorted and frightening. And in times of extreme panic, it physically affects my eyesight. My sight turns blurry and distorted and I cry uncontrollable tears. I remember my first therapy session, and my senses were so heightened that I couldn't concentrate because the clock ticking was so loud to me that I couldn't hear myself think. I could hear every little sound as if it was amplified by a thousand. I hear metaphorical voices in my head telling me I'm a failure, a waste, ugly, useless... Mental health takes over so much of a person both physically and mentally. I love this picture for what I feel it represents, and because it's colourful and beautiful in its own way. Which everybody's mental health is. Like a beautiful monster. Beautiful because it can teach us so much about ourselves and lead us to better ways of life. A monster, because it can cost us so much along the way. It hurts and it's frightening. But the monsters never win. @mindcharity @timetochangecampaign
