Breaking the silence

Is mental illness funny?

A THOUGHT-provoking video - do you think it makes a valid point?

The hidden costs of bulimia

By Lyn Jenkins

OFTEN, those who haven't had bulimia, or cared for someone who has, (and frankly some who have) think that this disease is all about appearance.

Bulimia: A vicious and dangerous cycle, by Insomniac Mummy

DIETS -- we love to hate them, but for many women, they can be a trigger for much deeper issues, writes InsomniacMummy.

During my late teens and early 20s  I suffered with bulimia.

The details aren’t pretty.

I was a slave to a starve, binge and purge cycle. I’d starve for days on end then binge eat until I had to make myself physically sick. Often eating in private as I didn’t want to be seen eating. Then came the release of the purge. The false feeling of control and power it gave me kept me locked in the perpetual cycle.

Wanted: Mental health blogs

IN the far right column of this blog, scroll down a bit and you will see a pretty sparse list of mental health blogs.

Here are some blogs, however recently I discovered them, that have drawn me back:

Pole to Polar: Secret Life of a Manic Depressive

Cage without a key

Reluctant Memsahib

Schizophrenia, a carer's journal

Mental Nurse

But I want to update the list in the hope of helping find more.

Please leave the name of your blog, if you would like to be included, or any others that you would like to recommend in the comments on this post.

Thank you.

Teen lobbies for better mental health education through You Tube

Kayla Murphy, 19, from Minnesota, submitted the above video to a hearing of her local state politicians to encourage them to approve a bill requiring better mental health education in schools.

To find out more, read an article in Kayla's local media, Postbulletin.com

Overcoming binge eating, a personal account

I WROTE this last year and it appeared in a newspaper. I thought I would share it here too as people have got in touch and asked if we could please include eating disorders. I hope my frank account may be of interest.

MY fingers tremble as I unwrap the KitKat. It’s my fourth in two minutes and it won’t be my last.
Two bites and it’s gone. It doesn’t touch the sides. I devour the chocolate like there’s no tomorrow.
My mind is gripped with shame, but the compulsion to keep on chomping is stronger. I feel a bit giddy, verging on ill. I’m light headed, almost in a trance.
But still this feels right, it’s what I’m used to. Stood in my kitchen in my three-bed semi, I’m Mrs Average, tucking into an ‘average’ binge at 7 o clock on a Monday night. Up until now today has been a ‘good day’ - three light meals and a couple of snacks - fresh fruit, wholemeal toast for breakfast - wasn’t I good? Then Ryvita for lunch and stir-fry for tea.
Perhaps I have deprived myself too much.