I am so excited to be starting a blog where I can talk about mental health and everything under that scope! Mental health is so stigmatized and it seems taboo to talk about it—which is why it's so important to discuss! If you struggle with your mental health, you have a disorder like ADHD, or you're not quite sure what is going on in that head of yours, this is a safe space to learn, question, and be encouraged.
Let's start with an introduction to me. My mind never shuts up, it is always making up stories, overthinking (everything!), asking "what if's", handing me thoughts that I don't want nor would I ever act on them (intrusive much?), etc. I have ADHD (I got diagnosed pretty recently, so I'm still learning all about it). I also struggle with anxiety (GAD and social anxiety), depression, and constant intrusive thoughts. Honestly, I thought I was crazy for a while. And so, just like most people questioning their mental health, I went to college and got a Bachelor's degree in Social Work (lots of psychology classes). I understand mental health better now than I ever had before. School prompted me to research everything I could about mental health (and sexual abuse, which will come into play later), and now I'd like to share what I've learned.
I thought for this first post I'd introduce myself. There's a little bit about me and my blog website on the About page, but here I can go a little more in-depth. My name is Brittany. I am twenty-four years old and living in America—Michigan, to be exact. I don't really love the winter months—too cold and scary to drive in for me, but I love how beautiful Michigan is in every season, including winter.
My favorite season is Autumn. The colors changing, the leaves being bright and beautiful, the weather—love it! Pumpkin spice, carving pumpkins, Halloween, etc. I seriously love everything about it. And of course, I'm obsessed with Christmas. I love the atmosphere surrounding it. I'm the one who starts listening to Christmas music and decorating my room a month or more before December. Christmas food is the best too—that's when we really get all the treats and goodies, like peanut butter balls and salted toffee, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Honestly, my mental health seems to get slightly worse through the colder, darker months, so Christmas and all the pretty lights, family, and delicious food is a light in the dark for me.
I live with my parents (super dependent of me, I know). We're a pretty close family and have been through some hard times that, I believe, have brought us closer together. Life can be rough and we've definitely had that proven to us. We are Christians and that helps hold us from falling apart. God gives us the strength to keep going and when we feel like we can't take it anymore, we pray to Him with all our souls. Sometimes, it's hard to see the good in things even though we know the Bible says that God works all things for the good of His people (Romans 8:28, KJV). My family needs to remind each other about that every once in a while. My little brother is especially good at this, but I'll get into that in a different post.
I am a Type 1 Diabetic—handling it well, I'd say. It can get tedious, though. I am also living with anxiety, depression, and ADHD, which is why mental health is such an important topic to me.
I really enjoy writing and reading—makes sense since I'm starting a blog, right? My favorite thing to write (and read) is fiction, specifically fantasy. Give me anything with fae and powers and I'm sure to love it! (But if the main character loses her powers to save the world, that's a real bummer). I have also dabbled in writing poetry and I've written a creative nonfiction piece. I hope to be a published author someday (a big enough one to do that full-time, but I know that doesn't happen for most authors)!
Reading is basically my life, I spend way too much time reading fiction books. Do I use it as a form of escapism? Yes. Will I continue to do it? Yessir! I love watching TV shows and movies as well. Although, I have many different TV shows at the same time. I can never stick to just one because one day my mind will just decide "Nope, I'm sick of this. Time for a new one" and then a few months later I'll find that show again and be obsessed for a month. It's a strange cycle. The one I'm obsessed with right now is The Mentalist. Patrick Jane is just *chef's kiss*. I also really love Criminal Minds—you can never go wrong with some Babygirl and Dark Chocolate Thunder. In case you couldn't tell from those two shows, I love listening to true crime. It's a passion.
New Girl is my comfort show—I have finished it (rather quickly for me actually) and started re-watching it. Nick and Jess are my favorites (but I think Nick might be a little higher on the list than Jess). I can relate to both of them. I have also finished the series Rizzoli and Isles. If you haven't seen it, trust me, it's a must-watch! So, so good. I love the main characters in that show and it's a police show with lots of drama (but not the cheesy drama). I laughed and cried a lot. Of course, I laugh and cry at everything, I'm a very emotional person.
I also enjoy photography, especially pictures that tell a story. I love, love, love animals and we used to have a dog and now we have two cats. My parents say I can't get my own dog until I move out—sad :(. Another thing I love is spending time with my friends and family. My friend group is big - we're a group of nine girls and when we get together things get loud. We are almost always laughing (and eating lol).
I went to college and graduated with a BSW. Did not like my internship and felt like I wasted a lot of money on a college career. I did, however, learn a lot that I am very glad to have learned, and the people I met at school, fellow students and professors alike, were all very kind and the classes were fun. Overall, it was a good experience even if I'm not using my degree right now.
Alright, I think that's enough of an introduction to me. I'm ready to get into the real blog posts, aren't you? If you've made it this far - thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!
For the suicide and crisis lifeline, dial 988.
— Live well and laugh often, Ravens. Signing off for now, Hyperactive Raven <3
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