Mental health and self-care are two topics that are very close to my heart.  I like writing about these topics for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, sometimes it’s cathartic to write about your own experiences.  It helps to bring clarity to your mind.  Secondly, I like helping people.  I like to be able to share my experiences and suggest ways that I’ve used to cope with difficult times.  Not only does this give practical advice to people in need, but it helps me to feel like I’m not alone.  When you’re suffering from mental illness, it can be easy to feel as though you’re the only person in the world who feels this way.  It can sometimes seem as though everyone else is swimming through life happily, while you’re struggling to even get out of bed in the morning.  Reading about other people’s experiences can shine a light in your heart and make you realise that you’re not alone.

I’ve been through plenty of tough times.  I’m currently struggling with depression, anxiety and emetophobia.  In the past, I’ve also dealt with an eating disorder and other rough things like breakups, death of family members and homesickness.  Although I write about these experiences (and you can read my own mental health posts here)  I don’t have the answers to everything. In fact, nobody does.  But sometimes other people put things more eloquently than I can.  Sometimes others offer amazing advice that I’d never thought of.  Sometimes other bloggers are able to share unique experiences that I don’t have.  So I’ve decided to compile a list of some of my favourite mental health and self-care posts.  I’ll add to it over time, so this will eventually become a collection of great posts and resources about mental health.

– Miss Fairchild writes about depression and looking after yourself.  There are some great pieces of practical advice here as well as an awesome list of resources.

– Natalie of XL as Life did this post which talks very frankly about her history with mental illness and the difficulties with diagnosis.

-Jess of The Militant Baker works in the healthcare industry and talks about the misconceptions about mental illness.

-Another post from The Militant Baker.  This is all about putting together an emotional first aid kit. There is some excellent practical advice in here about self-care.

–Kinds of Blue is an amazing collection of stories about depression told through comics.  If you or someone close to you is suffering from depression, this is a really great read.

– This post from Hyperbole and a Half floored me the first time I read it.  I’ve never read a more accurate description of what it feels like to have depression (for me, anyway, everyone is different).

– If you’re dealing with loneliness, have just moved to a new city or are struggling to feel comfortable in your own company, this video, called How To Be Alone is brilliant.

-These tips for making your home a healthy, safe space are brilliant. There is a lot of information here, but if you’re struggling, you might find one or two practical changes you could make to your environment that will have a big impact.

• This post regarding mental health and the elderly is a really important read.  Older people are at risk of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety but often don’t receive help due to shame, stigma, and lack of recognition.

So far, this is all that I’ve got, but I’d really like to grow this list of links.  If you’ve written or read a great post about mental illness or self care please leave me a link in the comments.