May 15, 2019The Downing Street ‘light up’ for Mental Health Awareness Week is a disgusting sham.“Last night we lit Downing Street in green to mark the start of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. We must all work together to make sure that looking after our mental health is as natural and positive as looking after our physical health.” — Theresa May When the Tories first came into power, my…Mental Health5 min read
May 9, 2019Intrusive thoughts make me forget who I really am. I just want them to stop.Trigger Warning: Brief mention of suicide ideation I’m not really sure when I started having intrusive thoughts. It was many years ago, I know that much. I think I may have always had them, but I only started talking about them after my brother died. Before then I’d been able…Mental Health10 min read
Apr 14, 2019Rental Misery and Housework Woes — Part 1Trigger warnings: Suicide ideation, Non-descriptive mention of sexual abuse I have lived in rented accommodation since I was 17 and it hasn’t been a pleasurable experience. …Housing13 min read
Apr 1, 2019My brother died when he was 30. Within 5 years, three of his best friends had followed him.My brother died when he was thirty years old. He lived in horrendous circumstances with three other men. They were all addicts and had been dumped into a bedsit that was run down almost to the point of being derelict, had no internet access, which offered no escape from the…Death8 min read
Mar 20, 2019My stepdad drove me out into the country to find my mother. He took a carving knife.Following a mental health breakdown, my mother had got sober and joined Alcoholics Anonymous. Within just a couple of visits she had met a woman who she felt a strong connection to, explaining to me that her new friend understood her in ways that nobody ever had. They started talking…Fiction9 min read
Mar 11, 2019My mother had a mental breakdown in front of me and I’ve never been able to forgetMy first year of secondary school ran alongside a very unstable part of my home life. My mother had always been a heavy drinker, but I think she saw me starting secondary school as me being capable of looking after myself. She felt like she was no longer responsible for…Mental Health13 min read
Jan 22, 2019I am haunted by my old Facebook profile and I’m worried that it will destroy me.We’ve all posted things we wish we hadn’t on social media, haven’t we? Maybe after a few drinks when we’re feeling a little less restricted than usual. Or after a bad day, wanting to let off some steam and tell the whole world how pissed off we are. …Autism9 min read
Jan 21, 2019Obsessive and Impulsive Sharing on Social MediaWhen I was 20, I felt lost and alone in a world that I didn’t understand. I think a lot of 20-years-olds probably feel that way and I’m aware that it reeks of lingering teenage angst. However, my misunderstanding of the world around me, extreme isolation and naivety led to…This Happened To Me10 min read
Jan 15, 2019Saying No to the DressMy first memory of wearing a dress, though certainly not the first time I wore one, is a recollection of extreme discomfort. When I was around 7 years old I was taken to a theme park as a treat. It was a place full of exciting rides, large parks and…Feminism6 min read
Jan 7, 2019The Black Shuck: Protector of WomenOne of the most famous Fenland legends is the story of the Black Shuck. Made world famous by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this black ghost dog of immense size is said to roam the Fens and is attached to various beliefs. Some say if it follows you home then it’s…Short Story13 min read
