Mental Health Awareness
‘Mental Illness is not fun. Mental Illness is not glamorous. Mental Illness is not a fad. I see and hear so many comments day in and day out relating to Mental Health Problems. ‘I’m so OCD’ little does that person know that a sufferer with OCD does not spend their days ensuring everything is clean and tidy, they spend every second of every day using everything in their power to prevent harm coming to their loved ones. They check, check and check again every night before bed. They battle with horrific intrusive thoughts on a daily basis. Every thought they think – they believe. In a single second, their worst nightmare appears like a reality. They constantly seek reassurance from their friends and family because they don’t believe their own mind. OCD is a form of anxiety disorder that affects around 1.2% of the UK population. ‘Just stop worrying’ is like stabbing yourself in the stomach with a knife and then saying just stop bleeding, that is not how it works. Sufferers of anxiety cannot and will not stop worrying just because they are told to. It is impossible. Anxiety is a feeling of unease, a worry or a fear that can range from mild to extreme. Something can happen, anything at all, and all at once, the small thing is very big, it grows and grows in your head, it floods your chest and you feel as though you cannot breathe. It is the feeling of being embarrassed; it is making up scenarios in your head, it makes you overthink everything, you push people away, you feel worthless. Anxiety is silent, but the sufferers can sometimes not undertake the most simplest of task for the feeling of being overwhelmed. ‘Just eat something’ You wouldn’t tell a victim of a car crash to just get up and walk would you, this is no different to telling a sufferer of an Eating Disorder to just eat. Eating disorders are serious and often fatal illnesses that cause severe disturbances to the sufferer’s life. The most common Eating Disorders include Bulimia, Anorexia and Binge Eating. Bulimia Nervosa takes control of the sufferer and removes every bit of energy. Bulimia Nervosa suffers can have normal body weights and tend to consume more calories overall through bingeing and purging. Binge Eating Disorder is episodes of excessive eating or drinking over a short period, even when you are not hungry. Sufferers may buy special binge foods and describe being in a dazed state during a binge, the sufferer often feels out of control and binge eating will increase the control measure.‘
Read the full post here -
https://myjourneywithobsessivecompulsivedisorder.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/world-mental-health-day-2/