stigma

Mental Health Stigmas in the Workplace

We welcome Beth from BooksNest sharing her personal experience of having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the stigma surrounding mental health issues within the workplace.

In 2019, we hope that we can be more open and honest about our mental health. We hope that terms like depression, anxiety and OCD hold less of a stigma around them. But is this really how mental health is being perceived or are we still experiencing prejudicial thoughts in the workplace? [Read more…]

How Learning to Talk About My Mental Health Gave Me Wealth

A lovely piece from Charlotte Underwood who needs little introduction. As a mental health advocate, raising awareness about suicide and mental health issues, Charlotte shares her thoughts on the importance of talking.

As a sufferer of mental illness for as long as I can remember, I’ve built up quite the onion of layers. I spent so many years not feeling able to talk about my feelings and perhaps not understanding what mental health was. So, what came as symptoms of distress as a child, turned into an adulthood with much more complicated and worsened mental health. [Read more…]

About those sticks and stones…

Another wonderful piece from our resident guest writer, Tim, sharing some family history and touching on how being mindful has played a part when encountering and revisiting events. Sit back, read and enjoy.

The names, you know, they can hurt me, hurt you. And that hurt is harder to heal than a broken bone.

At work yesterday I had to listen to a man who declared himself to be 70 years old. He was opining that the UK needed to leave the EU because, in his words, “It is full of East Germans and Jews!”. Because my work is 100% customer service, I chose to listen to his bigotry rather than challenge him on it. In my own time I can challenge folk, but in the firm’s time I work to uphold their interests. [Read more…]

Tales of the Unexpected

Life is full of unexpected happenings and today our guest author, Tim, shares what for some will be a biggie. For others, they can find acceptance quite easily. So, why is that?

It’s a dilemma, is sexual orientation. Unless you are heterosexual and conform to the heteronormative society we live in, that is. Then it isn’t a dilemma at all. The rest of us either conform, or we don’t. So, the question “How do you react to the unexpected?” needs to be asked.

Actually, it needs to be answered.

If you’re a people person then a surprise party held for you won’t worry you… or will it?

  • Unexpected inheritance beyond the dreams of avarice, that’s great, isn’t it… or are you not so sure?
  • Fred, the chap who’s the lifeblood of the office is going out with Mary, they look so good together, but they’ve kept it a secret forever.
  • The company is downsizing, and I’m afraid your job is one of those that is being removed. We’ll give you outplacement consultancy.
  • Alan, happily married for the last 15 years with a couple of really sweet children, one 12, one 10, long term friend, guest at your wedding with his wife Andrea, tells you he is gay.

[Read more…]

What is Bipolar Disorder?

We ask ‘What is Bipolar Disoder?’ Our guest author, Henrietta Ross, a writer and Blogger from the UK explains. Henrietta is a Buddhist, self-confessed Bibliophile, adoring disciple of Oscar Wilde and a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), who found her writers pen at a very young age and never looked back. Henrietta is passionate about mental health, having lived with Bipolar Disorder for decades, viewing it as more of a gift than an illness. She contributes regularly to the International Bipolar Foundation and has written for Black Dog Tribe. She has her own personal Blog called Conversations with Hattie where she likes to share stories and explore many different topics including mental health, being an HSP and her experiences of being an adopted child. Henrietta is currently working on two novels. [Read more…]