Mental Health (Page 3)

baby loss awareness week

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In: Health, Mental Health

Grief is all the feelings you have when someone close to you dies. You may find it hard to believe that your baby died. You may want to shout or scream or cry. You may want to blame someone. Or you may want to hide under the covers and never come out. At times, your feelings may seem more than you can handle. You may feel sad, depressed, angry or guilty. You may get sick easily with colds and stomach aches and have trouble concentrating. All of these are part of grief. When your baby dies from miscarriage, stillbirth or at or after birth, your hope of being aRead More…

mental health awareness

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In: Health, Mental Health

World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on the 10th of October, and unlike previous years, where I try to write prior to this day to create mental health awareness, I wanted to do something different. World Mental Health Day this year has now passed, and I have to say I only saw two Instagram stories about it. Nothing else. This, in my opinion, shows that there is still not enough acknowledgment about it. And I understand – with all that is currently going on, who would choose to give importance to this day? Being frank, I did not, either. Considering that around 970Read More…

depression

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In: Health, Mental Health

I have been wanting to write this article for a while now, but fear of being called ‘overdramatic’ or inappropriate won over me. I also wanted to wait for the right time – a time where I can say that I am clinically diagnosed with depression, something that for some might not seem ‘huge’ or ‘important’. The term depression is used loosely on several occasions, including to explain how sad we are at the moment and how stressed we feel. In the past academic year, a lecturer actually pointed out to us students that by not knowing the answer to her question we would beRead More…

world suicide prevention day

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In: Health, Mental Health

The 10th of September is known as World Suicide Prevention Day – some may also look at the month of September as a month of awareness for such a matter. This day or month, depending on what way you’d like to see it, not only increases awareness, but also helps in diminishing the detrimental idea that talking to each other about mental health issues as well as suicide, is some sort of taboo. When speaking about such an important and life-threatening issue we helps in reducing the stigma and feelings of shame and at the same time reducing the risk. Communication is a very importantRead More…

mental illness

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In: Health, Mental Health

It is no secret that in Malta, public discussion about mental health (like many other topics that concern the well-being and fair treatment of others and our environment) is left wanting. Whilst there has been a general improvement in the discussion, and there have been an increasing number of educational campaigns occurring by non-profits such as the Richmond Foundation and media houses such as FreeHour, this is only the start. There is still a sense of shame and insensitivity that surrounds the topic of mental health and mental illness, and they need to be addressed as root causes of mental health stigma. One event displayingRead More…

walk and talk

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In: Health, Mental Health

I launched Walk and Talk one year ago in wanting to use my own personal experience and survival from severe Mental Health illness to prevent others from enduring this or help those who are. I had been fundraising for charities in the UK and then in Malta when I moved here in 2018 – The Samaritans UK, Dar Kenn Ghal Sahhtek and The Richmond Foundation. When my best friend who I fought beside in hospital lost her battle to mental health, I realised how lucky I was to survive and that I must use this pure understanding to create a support network for the communityRead More…

hypomania

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In: Health, Mental Health

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 2 at thirteen, after losing a good friend of ours tragically at school. I had taken it upon myself to listen to doctors and my family, to continue having a relatively normal life with friends and family. Not going to lie, it was no easy task at first; however, with time, balance came. That’s how I learned that structure and routine were a vital part of this. Later in life, at nineteen, I moved to London solo, to better myself after losing a dear, close family member— it had destroyed me. My emotions ran wild. This is it part of a maniaRead More…

perinatal mental health

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In: Health, Mental Health

Perinatal mental health problems occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child. It affects up to 20% of new and expectant mothers and covers a wide range of conditions. Here is everything you need to know about perinatal mental health… The perinatal period refers to the time when a woman is pregnant and the first year following the birth of the baby. The personal journey a woman takes during pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood is unique to her. This period can be the most challenging or rewarding experience in a woman’s life and during this time it is commonRead More…

dealing with mental health

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In: Health, Mental Health

Dealing with mental illness as a single mother can be tough, especially when your biggest fear is that of having your kids taken away from you if you attempt to seek psychological or psychiatric help… My marriage was a complete wreck, I had to walk out. When I finally found enough courage to leave with my four kids, I had to face new challenges. Broken as I was, I had to find a place to call home. Family and friends helped me out to find a place with low rent, they also helped me out with buying basic needs for the new home. I hadRead More…

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In: Health, Lived Experiences, Mental Health

I can’t breathe … That is the primary thought that races through my mind every time that I suffer an anxiety attack due to an anxiety disorder. Then my chest tightens, my heart starts racing, my body starts trembling, I have trouble focusing and I am filled with the most awful feeling of dread ever. At that moment in time, the world stops. Then I remember to breathe … slow breaths whilst holding myself tight … and my focus starts to come back. I open my tear-filled eyes and I can see the world again. Slowly, it all starts getting better again and I manageRead More…