Positive negativity

When I started this blog I hoped that it might provide some reflective catharsis for me and some encouragement and support to fellow mental health sufferers. The latter of those two aspirations arose out of my personal conviction that as so many people (with mental health issues) suffer in silence, not least because of the huge social stigma that still shrouds such issues, that simply to read of someone else's experiences brings a reassurance that one isn't alone.

Having said that, I quickly became very self-conscious that whilst what I had written was honest much of it seemed to me, on reading back, quite negative; true, it had been cathartic but had it, I wondered been helpful to others? That question, and the psychological discomfort it engendered, caused me to doubt that the personal catharsis and the outward focus towards supporting others were necessarily aligned on the days I felt the worse.

As a result my instinct was then to blog less often and I justified that instinct using the premise that people will quickly tire of reading such material. Ironically I have been helped to realise that the opposite is true and that my original instinct to share even the negative might prove helpful to fellow sufferers has proved correct; put another way, that the inward and the outward strands are comfortable bed-fellows!

A close friend (whom I met in hospital and with whom I have been privileged to remain in regular contact) has helped me to see that it is on those very days when I feel worst, and therefore the writing is innately negative, are the blogs which most help fellow sufferers; this is particularly true of the isolationism felt by mental health sufferers.

Therefore, my blog today is simply a reminder of my original intention and a thank you for the reminder of a close friend who has helped me to see that when I feel most negative it is helpful to others to record the sentiment so that some of them might feel a little less alone.

Thank you to those of you who continue to share this journey and a very special thought to all mental health sufferers 'out there' who still feel isolated from those around them because of their illness. Please do add a comment if you find it helpful, it would certainly help me to feel less isolated - you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours! Stay strong!