World Mental Health Day

     So, it's World Mental Health Day today. I feel like it's important to talk about psychosis, as it doesn't get discussed as much as depression and anxiety. As many as 3 in 100 people will experience some form of psychosis at some point in their lives.  Psychosis can be a symptom of things like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression, but it can also be caused by things like lack of sleep, certain medical conditions, or drug use.

    So what exactly is psychosis? There are 3 main components to a psychotic episode: hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised thinking. Hallucinations effect the senses. You might see, hear, or even taste, smell, or feel something that isn't there. Delusions are fixed beliefs that aren't true, but feel very real to the person experiencing them. There are different types of delusions, for example you might think you are someone very important (grandeur), that there is a conspiracy against you (persecutory) or that there are hidden messages in newscasts or licence plates (reference). These are just examples, and there are many different types. Disorganised thinking consists of racing thoughts and flight of ideas. Your thoughts might move so fast that they seem overwhelming, and you make connections between things that aren't connected at all. 

    If all of this sounds a bit scary, that's because it may very well be for the person experiencing it. Some people experience pleasant hallucinations, but in my personal experience they are few and far between. Psychosis is different for everyone, though. You can't really know what one person's experience of it will be unless they tell you. 

    Psychosis is usually treated with antipsychotic medications and talking therapy or cbt. 

    There is a lot of stigma surrounding psychosis, and portrayals in the media of us as violent killers does not help. The majority of people with psychosis do not become violent. Hopefully better representation in the media and things like World Mental Health Day can help people to understand us a little better. 

    I will leave you all here with this. Hydrate, get enough rest, take your meds and be kind to each other.

Numbtember

     It's that time of year when I go emotionally numb and dragging my meat suit around feels like a struggle. We call these the robot times, just going through the motions, hoping the next day will feel like something. I like summer, and I love fall, but this in between place really feels like a bit of a void. I'm sure self care is essential, but nothing seems comforting, or worth doing. So I do the essentials and I wait for the lack of feeling to pass. Today I will walk the dog, do some laundry, wash some dishes, and cook some dinner. Other than that, I will try to keep my mind occupied as best I can. How do YOU get through the in between times?

Updates

     Well, it's been an exciting couple of months for me. Big "THANK YOU" to everyone who has read my short stories, and an extra shout out to all of you who left me a review. I'm really grateful for all the feedback, and so happy I sat down and did it. Putting these private bits of my life out there for anyone to read is a strange, and frankly, satisfying experience. Thanks to all of you who came on the ride with me.

    So what have I been up to? Lock down has eased up a bit, but we've been sticking pretty close to home most of the time. It's been unreasonably hot here in sunny Southend, but the heat has eased off the last couple of days, which suits me just fine. I'm ready for autumn. When the kids go back to school I'll get back to writing, but for now I'm enjoying this last bit of peace and having them home with me. It's been a weird year and it's so strange to think that summer is almost over already. Mostly I've been listening to music and scrolling social media. This week I'll start going through everyone's clothes and seeing what new school bits they need and preparing to switch out the summer clothes for warmer stuff. 

    Next month I'm off on a weekend trip to Scotland. It'll be my first time going there, so I'm quite excited for that. Still not entirely sure what we'll be doing when we get there, but we'll be near Edinburgh, so I'm sure there will be lots to do and see. If you've got any suggestions, drop them in the comments! 

    Hope you're all keeping cool and comfortable wherever you are. 

Getting Back Up

            My new short story ebook is now available on Amazon! US link and UK link. It's the follow up to We All Fall Down. Please give it a read and let me know what you think. It's free on Kindle Unlimited.

July 2020

            Well, it's July. The weather here is grey and rainy and generally rubbish. Social media has been getting me down lately. So, I've been staying away from it, for the most part. I've been working hard on the follow up to We All Fall Down. It's done now, and ready to publish, I'm just dithering about the cover artwork. Hopefully I'll come up with something soon. Expect the ebook to be available within the next week. 

            The feedback on We All Fall Down has been really great. I want to thank everyone who took the time out to read it, chat with me about it, and/or leave a review. You've warmed my cold little heart and lit a fire under me. I really hope you all enjoy the rest of Maggie's story.

            So, July. July is usually my favourite month. My biggest kid is usually here visiting and the little ones are usually in school, so we have lots of time alone together to catch up. Obviously the 'Rona has screwed that all up royally. My younger ones are home, my biggest one is thousands of miles away. Not an ideal state of affairs, but so it goes. Things could be much, much worse, and I'm grateful for how little this pandemic has effected my life so far. I hope you're all keeping well and staying safe. 

             

June showers

    Well, we've just ordered the first paperback copy of my short story, so that's exciting. I've been sticking to my 1000 word minimum for 3 days so far, so my next story is coming along nicely. McDonald's is open again and delivering, so Friday night dinner is sorted. If the sun would just make an appearance, things would be perfect.

    Perfection would be boring, though, let's face it. Nobody really wants that.

    So I've been listening to lots of music lately. Always a good sign when I can enjoy music without getting delusional. My painting supplies won't be getting here until July, so I had to do a coloured pencil sketch for my book cover. I'm still planning on painting this concept when the paints come in, with a few little tweaks. 

    That's really all the news I have to share at the moment. Hope you're all doing well out there. Buy my ebook on Amazon! We All Fall Down, by Shannon Humphreys. It's free on Kindle unlimited!

My eBook!

    So, I published a short story. It is available here in the US and there in the U.K. Please do give it a look!