Nov 24, 2022Member-onlyUsing the Bathroom while Wearing a Wedding DressThis was one of my biggest worries due to OCD and endometriosis My wedding dress is the most amazing dress I’ve ever owned. It’s the retired ‘Zoey’ gown from Maggie Sottero with customisation of silk lining and modesty panels around the bodice and gems added over the lace bodice. …Family4 min readFamily4 min read
Published inMad On Writing·Nov 23, 2022There’s No ‘Just’ About Writing YAI write young adult books. I’ve always written young adult books. But when I began the final year of my MFA, I felt like I needed to write something more – namely, an adult book. I felt like this was what I should be writing to be taken as a…Writing6 min readWriting6 min read
Nov 11, 2022Member-onlyHello, World, AgainThis is weird. It’s been over two and a half years since I wrote anything for Medium. But I’ve found myself recently remembering how it felt to be a Medium writer. How it felt writing out my hopes and fears, refining my writing, creating craft-improvement articles. …Starting Again2 min readStarting Again2 min read
Apr 27, 2020Member-onlyI Have Contamination OCD, but the Pandemic Doesn’t Scare Me in the Obvious WayI have talked a lot in the last few days about how I’m coping amid this pandemic, given I have contamination OCD. I’ve talked of how I’m constantly scared, and how it’s impossible to escape people talking about the pandemic. I’ve talked about how my mental health is worsening because…This Happened To Me3 min readThis Happened To Me3 min read
Apr 26, 2020Member-onlyI am Scared to Wash my HandsContamination OCD Amid a Pandemic The one thing that the UK government has been constantly telling us since the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic is to wash our hands. Wash your hands. Sing Happy Birthday twice while washing your hands. Wash your hands more than you normally would. Use antibacterial…Contamination Ocd3 min readContamination Ocd3 min read
Published inThe Break Down Wake Up Journal·Apr 25, 2020Member-onlyWhat Coronavirus Fear is like When You Have Contamination OCDBeing scared is what my OCD wants — Wherever you look, you see the words “coronavirus” and “Covid-19.” These words are everywhere. Articles about the pandemic. Reports of deaths. Posts on social media telling you what you should do to avoid it. News clips drilling into you the seriousness of this pandemic. I have OCD, and my OCD…Mental Health4 min readMental Health4 min read
Apr 25, 2020Member-onlyBeing in Lockdown with Poor Mental HealthI am so scared again — I make no secret of the fact that I have poor mental health. This wasn’t always the course. Until my early-to-mid twenties, I’d never really had any mental health problems. But then I developed brain inflammation, namely in the basal ganglia region of the brain. …Mental Health4 min readMental Health4 min read
Feb 28, 2020Member-only10 Things Parents Want You to Know about PANS/PANDASYou’re not alone — This is the second article in my 10 Things series about PANS/PANDAS. While my first article was from my own perspective, as a sufferer of PANS, this article is all about the things that parents of children with PANS/PANDAS want you to know. But, firstly, what is PANS/PANDAS? Well, these…Health3 min readHealth3 min read
Feb 27, 2020Member-onlyThe Different Types of Rest DaysAs told by a chronically ill person — “Oh, it must be so nice to rest all the time.” This has been said to me by many a well-meaning person, and every time it annoys me. I’m chronically ill and need more rest than an average person. I am only able to work part-time, and even then, I…Rest5 min readRest5 min read
Feb 26, 2020Member-onlyReaching Out Is DifficultThe Struggles of Mental Illness — Talking to someone when you are struggling with mental health issues is known to be a good thing to do, whether it’s a family member, friend, or medical professional. …Mental Health3 min readMental Health3 min read
