I fancied myself as a female Dexter and wanted the famous laboratory to go with it (my brother could be DeeDee). This natural curiosity pervaded my teenage years and led me to completing an undergraduate Masters in Physics, progressing to a doctoral programme scholarship in medical device engineering. The loneliness I felt at this point scared me. I’m a people person. I love to talk, to create, to play music and horse around. It was easier to stay home but being imprisoned by my own brain was frustrating. I needed an outlet. That outlet was creative writing. I was introduced to a creative writing group, ‘Write to Recovery’, each week discussing a different theme. At the beginning of my recovery, I was super sceptical about mindfulness, talking therapies and all that ‘hippie stuff’. Over the weeks, seeing the amount of people within the group that felt how I did surprised me. Here, we were not isolated. We shared our experience, our thoughts, in a raw, honest way. We were all equal. Within those four walls, we could share advice and experience. We no longer would be silent and lonely. Creative writing gave us back our voices. I now use mine to let other people know they aren’t alone – even if you feel like you are. I take part in helping lead this writing group now, and I still reap the benefits of being able to pour my heart out in little ten-minute shots. Since my diagnosis, I’ve become more involved in mental health recovery, with the aim of helping people reconnect when they feel lonely. I am always so grateful to those who share their stories. If I can even help one person by sharing mine, then I’ll be happy. There are many ways to begin protecting your mental health and recovering; for me, writing is just one of them. If you are concerned for your mental health or require support you can visit or call Breathing Space, and The Samaritans (tel. 116 123), whose helplines are open 24/7.
