When the Pandora’s Box of mental illness opened, for me, it has been impossible to
close the box, firmly lock the box, and dispose of the key. What I experience, through it be counselling, group therapy, mindfulness, Pandora’s Box remains ajar.
When I experience an event, be it a trigger event or intense physical pain, the Pandora’s Box of mental illness springs open, with devastating effects.
In these circumstances it takes an age to return to some sort of normal for me.
During this time I do my upmost to stay safe.
Stay safe: this can mean different things to different people.
To me, stay safe means not doing harm to me, and avoiding doing emotional upset to others.
To me Safe Means:
Safe: Quiet negative thoughts
Safe: move away from danger
Safe: shift physical position and breath
Safe: Avoid temptation to harm myself
Safe: Speak to someone, breath, be brave, acceptance
(this is a challenge to me)
Safe: Have a hot bath
Safe: Turn off social media
Safe: Avoid negative people
Safe: Do something Positive, no matter how small
Safe: Remember to Love
Safe: Walk in nature
Safe: Cuddle my spaniel
Pandora’s Box, I am tired, I am weary, I am in pain.
Pandora’s Box, trying to close Pandora’s Box: applying Mindfulness, physio, physical medical appointments, mental illness medical appointments, avoidance, acceptance, sleep.
Still Pandora’s Box of Mental Illness is Open.
My Challenges of which there are many:
Challenge: This is the one life I have, I have to make the most of it, it has to be
enough
Challenge: I must speak to someone, try to be brave, try to accept
Challenge: I must rise above the constant pain
Challenge: my tiredness, constant fatigue
Challenge: for me, time moves slowly
Challenge: my feelings of constant guilt, knowing I should do more, but I can’t
Challenge: I am surviving, I know I need to do more than just exist
I wish I could close Pandora’s Box, and start to thrive, to enjoy this one life,
the only life I have.
To listen to an audio version, please click this link:
https://youtu.be/CmEP5Kp8hrA
York Ending Stigma
To find out more about our work and to join us to end mental health stigma in York, please refer to our website https://yorkcvs.org.uk/york-ending-stigma/ or email us on yes@yorkCVS.org.uk