Chasing wellness

1 minute read time.

A cancer diagnosis can have a devastating & debilitating effect on your mental health, plunging you into a darkness that only you can see.

I'm not crazy but I've spent a lifetime, since childhood, struggling with extreme depression, anxiety & panic attacks which believe me, at times, makes you feel crazy. Its extremely difficult for someone who has never experienced mental illness to truly understand it & it is equally as difficult for a person with a mental illness to fully describe the daily struggle.

For me it's as if my mind was trying to die whilst my body was fighting to live, so when I received a cancer diagnosis, it was as if my body had also given up on me and had joined my mind to conspire against me. My first feeling was devastation followed by a roller coaster of emotions, feelings, thoughts & experiences.

So, I thought,  maybe,  if I shared some of my experiences in a blog then someone may benefit In someway; even if just reading my blog distracts you for a while from your own turmoil. 

All I ask is not to be judged as I'm not a martyr, I'm not looking for sympathy & I'm not feeling sorry for myself; I simply decided to share part of my journey with you & hope that my honesty may help someone somewhere.

I'm not crazy but my mental illness is!

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember
    <p>Dear peaceful, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences as this is a subject close to my heart as I am currently trying to get more support introduced for my fellow blood cancer patients where the emotional side of things is somewhat sidelined. I think there is starting to be a recognition by doctors and patients that the emotional &nbsp;welfare is as important in the treatment plan as the medication they give you. So you can be part of this conversation by writing your blog.</p> <p>best wishes</p> <p>jane</p>
  • <p>Thank you Jane, I am far from a writer and have never written a blog before but do know that mental illness is on a par with physical illness so will do my best to highlight some of the factors.&nbsp;</p> <p>Wishing everyone wellness</p>