July is Disability Pride Month š So I wanted to end this important month by sharing a poem I wrote. I feel it ties in nicely with the sentiment.
For anyone who is living with a disability, visible or invisible – you matter and deserve to feel connected to the world and everyone in it. I see you xx
I prepare for a daily battle, Against something that cannot be seen. The chance of attack is quite certain, From a foe, relentless and mean. I try not to show how Iām feeling. Knowing my fightās just begun. It is hard to carry such pain all alone, The shame of a war never won. On bad days I want to surrender. It all feels too much to bear. Yet something inside me just keeps pushing on, I know that I must persevere. This invisible force is tyrannic and cruel. In its wake leaves massive destruction. Compassion and hope will lead the defence, Against this satanic affliction. Be kind to others as you walk through your pain. For you have no idea of theirs. Together our force is unyielding, Its powered by all that we share.
We are encouraged now more than ever to talk about our feelings. To reach out to those closest to us when we are faced with struggles. We may need supporting through a serious life crisis or it could just be a vent about day to day issues. Either way the message is everywhere; from social media to TV campaigns and mental health charities – don’t suffer in silence, keep talking.
Expressing our feelings is a way of releasing the burden. Even if our confidant can’t actually solve the problem, simply feeling heard and validated can be incredibly uplifting. A problem shared and all that!
Yet what happens when talking actually makes us feel worse?
How many of us have reached out for support only to be met with the following responses?
“You just need to think positive”
“You should be grateful for what you do have.”
“Never mind, it could be worse.”
Did these pearls of wisdom ever make anyone feel better. I would say – absolutely NOT. In fact, the recipient is more likely to feel guilty or ashamed for having what are actually completely normal and appropriate human emotions.
Toxic positivity….
Is the belief that no matter how awful or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset.
Of course there is no denying that having a generally optimistic outlook is good for our wellbeing. Re-framing difficult situations can often supply a more compassionate and balanced perspective.
However, when positivity becomes overzealous and rigid it is not only unhelpful, itās toxic. This attitude doesn’t just stress the importance of optimism, it minimises and denies any trace of human emotion.
In a nutshell – we shouldn’t have to pretend everything is OK when it isn’t.
What if it’s not only acceptable for us to feel all the emotions that accompany the bad stuff – but it’s beneficial? By providing opportunities to process, feel and accept we are able to move forward in a healthy way.
Difficult as it may be, undesirable emotions are best met with open arms. Dismissing pain and forcing positivity is a false economy. The negative energy will eventually find a way out – it has to. And it is unlikely to be released in a healthy way.
Facing all emotions, good, bad and ugly is all part of the authentic human experience. My feeling is that even the unpleasant aspects of life are integral to living fully. As such they should be embraced and shared.
The pressure to appear ‘OK’ invalidates the range of emotions we all experience. It can give the impression that you are defective when you feel distress, which can be internalised in a core belief that you are inadequate or weak.
As cited in Scully (2020)
Symptoms of toxic positivity
Hiding/masking your true feelings.
Trying to just ‘power through’ a situation by dismissing emotions.
Experiencing guilt or shame for feeling what you feel.
Minimising other people’s sad experiences with ‘feel good’ quotes/statements.
Trying to offer a different perspective instead of validating their emotional experience.
Shaming or berating others for expressing frustration or anything other than positivity.
Can lead to depression, self-doubt and denial.
Cherry (2021)
So what is the alternative to smothering someone with a blanket of positivity?
Acknowledging that we all have a myriad of complex emotions is a good starting point. For example, you can be grateful to the NHS for treatment you receive but still feel resentful of the fact you need treatment in the first place.
Empowering people to recognise and accept their thoughts and feelings is ironically more positive than following the urge to ‘buck them up’ using toxic positivity.
Our minds are busy places. It can be difficult to manage our daily lives, let alone our emotions and mental well-being. Yet just as we can compose a to-do list for chores and appointments, writing things down can also help us to stay on top of our psychological housekeeping.
Journaling has grown in popularity for many reasons. It may be as simple as organising all the thoughts swimming around in our heads. Getting them out and seeing them written down often brings a clearer perspective. Our brains are particularly good at clinging on to worrying thoughts and playing them on a loop. This can be agonising and pointless because while they are stuck on repeat, problem solving becomes virtually impossible.
Diaries have always been viewed as private and only for the eyes of the author. This alone is incredibly freeing. You can write exactly how you are feeling, no holds barred. It can also be quite useful if you are unsure what it is you are feeling. Writing things down can reveal the emotions hiding behind the masks of anger or irritation. Once we are aware exactly what is happening for us, we can take steps to return to a more balanced emotional ground. It could be that we are burnt out from taking care of everyone except ourselves. We may be unaware of how much we have been neglecting our own needs until we see it in black and white.
Make it a habit.
Journaling is something that works best when done regularly. The real insight comes from writing down the good, the bad and the horrendous! So try to write when you feel OK, when you feel fantastic and when you feel distressed or exhausted. This is all valuable information to look back on. Sometimes when struggling to cope it can really help to know that we have survived these feelings before. It can also help us to identify what has helped us to overcome difficulties in the past. A bit like having a personal manual for fixing (or at least easing) difficult emotions.
Track those moods.
Another useful aspect of journaling is the mood tracker. By logging your mood for the day, be it happy, sad, stressed, angry can help us identify any patterns or triggers. This information is a great way of managing our mental state and eliminating or preparing for things that may have a negative effect. You can make it fun by using certain colours or emojis for different moods. If you find you are tracking a sad mood, it may be worth stepping back and looking at what is going on for you at this time. Are you feeling lonely or missing someone? Do you need human interaction and what steps can you take to achieve that? Naming our emotions gives us the opportunity to take action which is both healthy and empowering.
How else can writing help?
Worry time.
If you find yourself ruminating about certain things or have worries constantly popping into your head, then worry time might offer relief. Firstly, allocate yourself a specific time, every day to sit and focus solely on your worries. It doesnāt need to be longer than 30 minutes. Then when a worry sneaks up on you, simply jot it down and tell yourself you will look at it during worry time. This allows you to call the worries up in a controlled and calm way. Much better than a sudden intrusion of anxiety. There is less panic, and the worries often feel less overwhelming and easier to problem solve. You may even wonder why you were worried at all!
Random writing
This is exactly as it sounds. Just sit and write. It doesnāt even have to make sense, just dump all of your thoughts and feelings down on paper. Get them out of your head and lighten the load.
Write a letter you would never send.
This sounds odd but it works! If you are struggling with bad feelings towards someone who has treated you badly ā tell them in a letter. Write down everything you wouldlike to say to them and donāt hold back. You can rant and rave all you like because they will never see it. Once you are done, rip it up into tiny pieces. This exercise is incredibly cathartic and a fantastic way of letting go of pain and anger.
Creative Writing
Self-expression is a great way if dealing with past traumas and difficult emotions. You could make up a story or write a poem. Or perhaps you could write about your own life experiences. Everyone has a tale to tell, and you may discover a hidden flair for writing!
Flashcards
Write some positive mantras on brightly coloured card. Words like āI am enough” or āI can cope with this” are examples but choose whatever speaks to you personally. You can carry them with you and look at them when you need reassurance or a boost. A fantastic tool for calming nerves before a big event such as a job interview.
No matter the form, writing is an excellent therapy tool. Whether you treat yourself to a top of the range journal, use a smartphone or simply scribble your thoughts on a notepad, the results will be the same. It doesnāt have to be perfect or clever (unless you want it to be). Our worries tend to look and feel quite different when written down. So take a few minutes, pick up a pen and let the ink work its magic.
I will admit I am a novice at the whole blog writing thing. In typical āJen styleā Iām a little late to the party. Still, those who are first to arrive often leave early too; so despite my tardiness I promise to be the life and soul of this shindig! You may be wondering why I have decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon now. So, lets dive in!
I was diagnosed with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease at the age of 12, after which life quickly unravelled. The years of treatment and surgery that followed were, to say the least, devastating. Unfortunately, other than being handed a leaflet of relaxation exercises, I was not offered any mental health support. It is difficult to ascertain why and entirely possible I simply slipped through the net. So it was a case of ājust getting on with things,ā a task I had neither the emotional capacity or maturity to manage. The lack of emotional support inevitably had consequences. My adult life has been tainted by severe mental health problems. While I am grateful to be alive, there have been many times (and may be many more) when this was not the case.
Soā¦ā¦ā¦mental health.
It gives me āthe feeling.ā You know the one? When something is so fascinating it draws you in and takes over. Learning about it, talking about it never gets old, even on the days my brain is fit to burst. My work as a Well-Being Practitioner, coupled with my own personal therapy has changed me in ways I didnāt know possible. Ironically, the very focus of my pain and grief now feeds my soul. Itās pure fascination, an insatiable urge to know more. Thatās āthe feeling,ā and I want to share it.
Working in mental health is grounding. The human condition means that no one is immune. If you havenāt been personally affected, then I have no doubt that you know someone who has. Mental health services in the UK are stretched beyond breaking point. The net I slipped through as a child is now riddled with holes; so getting appropriate support when in crisis is exceedingly difficult, if not virtually impossible.
I have created this public blog simply because mental health cannot be overdone. Everyoneās experiences are unique and should always be taken seriously. Great strides have been made in getting people talking and removing the stigma. We need to keep up the momentum, now more than ever.
So what can you expect from this blog?
A safe, non-judgemental and informative space.
Although (hopefully) uplifting, inspiring and motivational, it will also be realistic. Sometimes, life is bloody hard. It is expected and OK to have bad days and difficult emotions. This is where self-compassion comes in!
To emphasize how much value we all have as individuals. Everyone deserves to feel heard, valued and included. To this end, I welcome comments and suggestions. Please feel free to use the provided comment box or reach out via email. I just ask you are respectful of differing views/ideas.
Humour ā we all know the adage āif I donāt laugh, Iāll cry! A good bout of either is a fabulous release of oxytocin and endorphins.
Signposting to resources ā this is a biggie! There is a wealth of untapped resources and online support out there. This blog aims to highlight as many of these as possible. Anything from simple breathing exercises to peer reviewed research is potential blog fodder!
Finally I will share my own experiences/helpful tips. This blog certainly isnāt an altruistic endeavour. Writing is my armour, my relief. It distracts my brain and is my go-to when things are rough. I will share my published writing here and there, but my focus is primarily to share information and avenues of support.
I will end my introduction with a poem I wrote for the charity Mind on World Kindness Day 2020. Please remember, the greatest kindness is that which you show yourself.
Someone
Someone noticed me today They smiled and said hello Just a small thing really Yet it gave me such a glow
Someone held my hand today When I was feeling sad Suddenly I was less alone Things were not so bad
Someone made me laugh today We shared a joke together The world seemed brighter for a while A moment I will treasure
Someone gave me time today There is no greater gift Iād like to do the same for them Should they ever feel adrift
Someone gave me hope today A simple act of kindness A smile, a hand, a laugh, just time These little things are priceless
Jennifer Dodd 