People like opposites. Right or wrong. Pass or fail. Leave or remain.
It’s how I often think about my mental health. I am well or ill. Recovered or relapsed. Coping or not coping.
Three years into my recovery from anorexia, I’m learning to admit that my mental health is not black or white. I’m learning how to talk about not being 100%.
As a man who loves both musical theatre and rugby, I am not anyone’s model of traditional masculinity. Fun for me is found in the shades of grey. In disagreement and debate. In diversity.
Eating Disorders Awareness Week is incredibly close to my heart. Firstly, because it’s so important to raise awareness surrounding eating disorders, but also because this time three years ago was the first time I publicly ‘came out’ on social media as somebody who had struggled with eating disorders in the past.
When my therapist told me that I might be experiencing something called OCD, I nearly fell off my chair. Isn't OCD all about washing your hands 100 times a day?
I couldn't believe how much I didn't know about it. My therapist was amazing and took me through everything, then gave me a leaflet to go home and have a read through.
Depression and anxiety, what do they mean to you? There is a lot of coverage on these topics at the moment and, in my opinion, rightly so. Mental health is something that has been affecting so many people, for such a long time, and only now does it feel acceptable to talk about and open each other’s eyes to the struggles people face daily.
