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Depression: The Darker Side of Chronic Illness

depression, suicide, suicidal thoughts

Trigger Warning: Descriptions of Depression, Suicide and Suicidal Thoughts I love losing myself in a story. I especially love doing so when experiencing adversity and setbacks in my health. It allows me the opportunity to escape from my life dictated by illness. Instead, I can experience excitement and adventure, albeit in my vivid imagination. With a clear beginning, middle and end, stories feel predictable and reassuringly safe with their linear narrative. Because living with a chronic illness is terrifyingly unpredictable,...

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5 Ways to Find Light In The Darkness

5 Ways to Help Find The Light In The Darkness

During recent times it has often felt that I have become trapped inside a revolving door of misery. The symptoms I live with; symptoms that are already constant have become even more severe and relentless. Unsurprisingly, this has had a knock-on effect on my mental health; becoming depressed and anxious as the present flare refuses to abate. The result of which only exacerbates the already oppressive physical symptoms, which only makes me even more depressed and anxious....

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Chronic Illness: A Battle of Mental Health

Chronic Illness: A Battle of Mental Health

In my last blog post, I recited a famous quote from the Shakespeare play, As You Like It. All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players." But if I indeed am the player or actor than what role would chronic illness assume? After much thought, I concluded that chronic illness surely would assume the position of a director. A director, the person in charge and assumes all responsibility for every facet of a film or...

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Self-Care & Happy Distractions

Living with a long-term health condition is hard.  Every day seems the same with juggling the ordinary daily tasks of life with the many symptoms and other effects that chronic illness imposes on our body.  There are so many demands on our bodies, which is why self-care is so critical to our overall well-being. Self -care can take many forms.  Relaxing, participating in a favourite activity or hobby or just taking time out to enjoy a luxurious bubble bath are some ways...

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The Soundtrack of a Chronic Life

There's not much in this life, especially in this modern age, which connects us all, but the music is one of them.  After all, it has been used as a means of expression and entertainment in all times and cultures.  Music, it is said is a powerful tool as a means of expressing emotions such as love, hope, joy, and regret as well as being a device for sharing our individual stories. Everyone may not share the same taste in genres...

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