This inspired me to put together an some of the photos I took during hospital admissions.
Admission 1 - October - December 2021.
#TW #Suicide #mentalhealth #MentalHealthAwareness https://t.co/uevUK1xRuh

https://twitter.com/Mental_Elf/status/1676244304845520897

Behind some of the pictures... #TriggerWarning
1.
This is the pic I sent to my relatives to tell them what had happened & where I was. At this point about 40 hrs in to medical treatment it was clear that I was going to survive, the damage was reversible.
It was time to tell them.

#MentalHealth #MentalIllness #TW #Suicide
A desire to pick myself up, 'carry on', focus on future goals; balanced/contrasted with the need to stop the denial; accept the reality of just how serious things have been. ARE. STILL.
My discharge letter uses the words 'fatal'.
1/17 2 Mental Health Act Assessments in 7 days.
4 nights in an acute general hospital. For treatment.
*They* can't all be wrong. Exaggerating. Coercive. Risk averse.
*I* have to take responsibility for causing concern.
Responsibility but not blame.
*I* have had to revisit my
2/17

Everyone has a slightly different attitude to books.
Some give them the white glove treatment.
Others break the spine.
Or use book marks.
Write in the margins.
Or have 'post it notes'.
I am a corner turner. Top of the page for something to read again. Bottom for an 'extra' important passage.

The amount of angles in this one is a reflection of how important a read it is.

As someone who had a loved one who also had a fondness for hats, and in later years kaftans, it was an opportunity to learn about a fellow wonderful, colourful man who was loved

There were a large number of things that contributed to me becoming unwell.
One I haven't spoken about was being told that legal advice was being taken for plagerising something I had never set eyes on.
It took 7 months to find out that was not the case.
In that time I quit the ISVA training I was doing. I'd completed the paper work but couldn't bring myself to submit it.
I stopped my masters.
I stopped all involvement in anything sexual health or sexual safety related.
No one noticed*. That's okay. I never mentioned it on here because I was ashamed

#LifeOffOfThePsychWard
As mentioned earlier, this a 10 point thread about #SelfHarm and #Suicide.

It comes with a #TriggerWarning.

I will be using my own experience to TRY and educate and encourage reflection, particularly in those who work in #mentalhealth or encounter
1/14 individuals who may self harm.

Those with lived experience may find it unhelpful and may want to not to read it.

So here goes...

1) Self harm can take many forms; and one person can use multiple across their life span. I have engaged in at least 7 different behaviours
2/14

Today is 100 days since I was first admitted to hospital after taking a mixed overdose. I won't elaborate further.
Since then I have had 3 admissions; 2 to general wards and 1 to a #mentalhealth unit. I spent time as an informal patient and also detained under Section 3 1/21 I was under #Crisis services until last week...
Today is also the first night in 99 that I am spending alone, so to occupy myself and acknowledge the 'milestone', I thought I would reflect on 10 things that I have learnt in that time...
This comes with trigger warnings 2/21

#LifeOffOfThePsychWard
2 days, 2 colouring ins.

I've started adding gems just so the novelty doesn't wear off.

The anchor one has most meaning.
First because I ordered myself one as a bracelet with the word 'hope' a few days before my hospital admission. I haven't worn it yet. Second, because I have been trying to think of a way that I can visualise 'protective factors'. The best I have thought of so far, is as anchors; things that help hold me down and help give me stabiliy through the storm.

Work/my identity as a #nurse is one of my biggest anchors