Pink and orange clouds
OCD, Anxiety and Everything Else

Six Years On: The Ups and Downs (but Mainly the Downs) of OCD Recovery

Rewritten from 17 March 2019 - formerly 2 Years On 17 March 2017, I had my final session of high-intensity CBT after previously being diagnosed with OCD. My OCD was largely contamination based, but I also experienced intrusive thoughts around harming others, as well as health-anxiety related compulsions (long story short, I had major health… Continue reading Six Years On: The Ups and Downs (but Mainly the Downs) of OCD Recovery

Close up of hands resting on a notebook and holding a pen
OCD, Anxiety and Everything Else

3 Lessons I’ve Learned in My OCD Recovery

March 2022 will mark five years since I was discharged from the mental health service after undergoing high-intensity CBT for OCD. A lot has changed in those five years - I’ve bought a house, I’ve changed jobs, I’ve gotten tattoos, I’ve spent two years living through a pandemic - you know, usual life stuff. I… Continue reading 3 Lessons I’ve Learned in My OCD Recovery

Plastic brain sat on top of four surgical masks against a blue flatlay
Mental Health Awareness

Seven Mental Health Lessons I’ve Learned Since My Diagnosis | Time to Talk Day 2022

I’ve suffered with some form of anxiety my entire life. Emetophobia (the fear of vomit) hit me in my early childhood, gradually turning into a severe phobia of germs that, over time, destroyed my hands, my bank balance, a friendship, and worst of all, my personality. Eventually, I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)… Continue reading Seven Mental Health Lessons I’ve Learned Since My Diagnosis | Time to Talk Day 2022

Clorox, Lysol wipes and hand sanitiser
OCD, Anxiety and Everything Else

Lessons I’ve Learned From Having Contamination OCD

Today, I’m talking about the things I’ve learned since getting diagnosed with OCD. Of course, I realise now that I’ve suffered with OCD for way longer than I realised, but these are things that I’ve learned over the years since getting my diagnosis in 2016, and more importantly, since the start of the pandemic. I… Continue reading Lessons I’ve Learned From Having Contamination OCD

OCD spelt out on a white background with multicoloured letters surrounding it
OCD, Anxiety and Everything Else

Things OCD Has Genuinely Made Me Think

Anyone who’s followed my blog for a while will know I have OCD, but for those who are new followers, here's a little back story. I have OCD. It’s largely based around contamination fears (obvs bags of fun being in a pandemic), but I also struggle with compulsive checking and intrusive thoughts. I believe my… Continue reading Things OCD Has Genuinely Made Me Think

Cranky Octopus Toys
Mental Health Awareness

Mental Health Update: I’ve Started CBT Again

Apologies for my lack of post last week, and also for my delay in the one before that. It’s been a busy couple of weeks and a lot has happened. I’m attempting to get my shit back together though - although, I think I’ve done pretty well considering I’ve stayed consistent with two posts a… Continue reading Mental Health Update: I’ve Started CBT Again

Running
Mental Health Awareness

I’ve Started Running. Again.

In an attempt to combat my recently diagnosed depression (I’ll get to that in another post), I’ve started running again. For some reason, I couldn’t get back into my Blogilates workouts after we moved - I think in part it was also due to my IBS starting to flare up again - so I ended… Continue reading I’ve Started Running. Again.

Time to Talk Day 2021
Mental Health Awareness

A Mental Health Check In | Time to Talk Day 2021

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that I always try and post for Time to Talk Day, an annual initiative run by Time to Change. Time to Change is a mental health campaign lead by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and aims to tackle mental health discrimination, while Time to… Continue reading A Mental Health Check In | Time to Talk Day 2021

The Therapy Diaries

The Therapy Diaries 7 | High Intensity CBT

It’s hard to believe I’m on part seven of my Therapy Diaries series. Take from that what you will - I’ve had A LOT of therapy. Anyway, at the present time, this is going to be the last in the series! During my last instalment, we actually rewound a few years and went back to… Continue reading The Therapy Diaries 7 | High Intensity CBT

Hand Washing
Mental Health Awareness

Anxious Ramblings 6 | Contamination OCD & the Coronavirus Pandemic 3: Surely It Should Be Over By Now?

It’s been a while since I did an OCD-covid related check-in, so I thought with it being OCD Awareness Week this week, it would be an idea to post one. A lot has happened since my last OCD update - I’ve been getting out a lot more, I’ve seen a few more friends and fam,… Continue reading Anxious Ramblings 6 | Contamination OCD & the Coronavirus Pandemic 3: Surely It Should Be Over By Now?