 Trigger warning: Mental health discussions generally can be triggering, but today we're talking about Self-Harm. If this is a triggering topic for you, we recommend skipping this blog post.
Today we're in discussion with Betty, 21 years old, about her experiences with self-harm. Betty has a dog called Billy and a cat called Bruce, and she spends most of her time walking dogs and grooming them too.
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 This week it's Mental Health Awareness Week and we're going to be discussing a different Mental Health topic each day. Take a look below for the schedule:
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date! We'd love as much involvement as possible, so do get in touch, like, comment and share all you can. Hey everyone! We wanted to post a quick message to apologise for the radio silence from Hello Me, it's You recently. For those of you who know about us, you'll know that it's just Jenny and I who run the charity day to day. Recently, we've had lots of changes (jobs, broken bones and new houses!) and are relieved to say we are now living in our very own flat!  This means we'll be able to devote more time to the charity, and I'll be able to run down the hall to knock on Jenny's door at all hours of the night to work on an idea we've had... sorry Jen!
As this is a mental health charity, we hope you'll understand that whilst it's a small charity and we're both going through such big changes we've had to pause our content momentarily. We're pleased to announce though, that we will be resuming our regular content in the New Year! We hope you all have brilliant holidays and thank you so much for your patience. Hannah x Language is powerful, right? This is one of the few things humans seem to universally agree upon. It’s why politicians hire great speechwriters, why a book can move you to tears, and why verbal arguments can swiftly escalate into physical fights. Language is not only how we influence, it’s how we make sense of and interact with the world around us. It’s our labelling mechanism: making known to ourselves and others what is safe and unsafe, our likes and dislikes... The desire to communicate is a natural instinct , and something we learn to do as soon as we’ve mastered sitting and holding our own heads up as babies. However, these labels come with a ton of connotations, and not all of them are helpful or accurate.
On the 24th September HMIY's own Jenny Howard, her mum Angela, sister Katie and friend Jade are going to be running a half marathon to raise money for us at Hello Me, it's You! You may have read Angela's post previously on our blog, now it's Jenny's turn to give a bit of insight into her 'training process' ....  It’s summer! That beautiful time of year when the grass is fluorescent green, and the sun is bright and beaming! It’s the time of year we can let our hair down, and flock overseas for some well-deserved, luxurious relaxation , after working and studying so hard all year long. But, for some of us, travelling overseas can be a nightmarish, difficult task. Travelling with a mental disorder or complicated mental health can be exhausting; for some it can seem almost impossible to achieve. However, I have compiled a list of things to (hopefully) make your journeys that little bit easier this year. Good luck with your travels, and be blessed with the discovery of new, exciting places!  Image: Giphy.com (Also known as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder) Every month, the team at HMIY pick a new disorder to feature in this column. The hope is to raise awareness; unite those affected; and to learn more about mental health. This month, Grace, (HMIY Blog Editor), writes about her diagnosis, Borderline Personality Disorder. When Susanna Kaysen, in Girl, Interrupted, first heard the words “Borderline Personality Disorder”, her initial response was one of questioning: “borderline between what and what?” In the seconds it me took to register this diagnosis, I formulated my own answer to Susanna’s question. Borderline remediable, and irreversibly broken. Borderline sick and yet, somehow, still not quite sick enough. Borderline permissible, and warranting vilification. (It's actually 11... but 10 sounds better)  *Disclaimer* This article features mental health related videos. Due to the nature of mental illness, we advise viewer discretion for anyone sensitive to topics such as suicide, self-harm, and/or abuse. Several videos have been issued with topic-specific trigger warnings, but caution is advised for all. 1) KIERA ROSE | Dermatillomania, Anxiety & Depression. This video discusses Dermatillomania; an impulse-control disorder, in which the skin is repetitively picked, often resulting in wounds. For this reason, we advise viewer discretion, and issue a severe trigger warning to anyone sensitive to topics such as self-harm. When she’s not serving cosy, bohemian visuals, (or giving us serious tattoo envy), Kiera Rose provides an honest and informative insight into her life with Dermatillomania. Not to be confused with Trichotillomania, Kiera knows all too well the stigma and ignorance impulse-control disorders are often met with. Sharing her experiences through chit-chats; get-ready-with-mes; and story-times, she offers her advice and support to 200,000+ subscribers. Kiera, like us, loves a good cosplay, and scores extra points with Grace and Jenny for all the vegan taste-tests!
 Illustration: Matt Taylor Editor’s note: A few months ago, the amazing Jenny (the HMIY brand manager, an incredible best friend and all-round design superstar) messaged me saying that she and her family had planned to do some fundraising for the charity. Not just any fundraising though, they wanted to run a half marathon. As a self-proclaimed couch potato this sounded absolutely terrifying, but they weren’t to be budged! On the 24th of September Jenny, Becca, Katie, Angela and Jade will all be running to raise money for Hello Me, it’s You. I’m blown away by the idea and their commitment and so so thankful. Anything you can do to donate would be a fab motivation for the runners, and an incredible help to the charity. If you’d like to read more or donate, take a look here. As they go through the training process, we’ll have regular updates from the runners themselves, starting with the amazing Angela… "I’m going to run a half marathon" I declared.
"That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard you say" came back the response. "Really? It’s not until four and a half weeks time.” “You’re 51 years old; you cannot train for a half marathon in four and a half weeks.” So I left it there and forgot all about it. Then one day we were walking the dogs when we found ourselves walking the wrong way of the last mile of the half marathon course and making our way past arrow signs, strewn water bottles and a number of bored looking marshals. And the most inspirational thing happened for me, the bored looking marshals became animated and excited spotting a weary straggler half walking, half running but still going and still determined. The sound of happy encouragement, cheering and clapping, it’s addictive, we couldn’t help but join in. That walk along the last mile of the half marathon is what decided me that I would definitely be running this race next year. Those stragglers pushing to the finish after twelve long miles clarified that I would be more than happy to join them in their perseverance and persistence and craziness. Growing up, I didn't have many relationships. I was always “too nice” and, although I had an interest in sex, I never had the confidence to initiate anything. When I was seventeen, I found myself in a very intense relationship.
This relationship lasted for five years and, by the end, we had a mortgage and a house. However, three months after buying the house, she decided to cut ties and move on. I moved in with my parents, whilst she stayed in the house. At first, it was heart-breaking; I couldn't see a future without her. After a while, I began to heal, and realised that she wasn't right for me in the first place. I started to see that things weren’t all that great: there were big cracks, and I was with her for the wrong reasons. I had forgotten about me. |
Hello Me, it's YouWelcome to the Hello Me, it’s You blog! We are launching this blog with weekly content from different contributors, giving their opinions and experiences on all things Mental Health. Archives
May 2018
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