The last few weeks have taught me that I am still so very fragile.

Not like a bomb, more like a flower...

That recovery is not one and done.

Instead, it is an acceptance that life is a lifelong journey. One that I have to work on every single day.

A day late
BUT bipolar tends to affect those with it every day; whether taking medication or monitoring mood.
Timely theme, considering I am currently experiencing stigma as a nurse with the condition.
My disorder is just one part of me
#WorldBipolarDay #WBD2025, #LetsEndStigma #BipolarStrong

Today, I completed 10km for
@mindcharity.bsky.social but also for me.

I will never be able to give back what the Basildon Crisis House gave to me 7-14 Feb. But I vow to have fun trying.

Next up: volunteering on the crisis lines! 🤞
#MentalHealth #Recovery #Bipolar #ADHD #BPD

Happy Tuesday x

It seems kind of cheeky to come on asking for donations when I am not the most active on here... but it's a good cause.
I decided to dress as Joy if I got my target. So here she is...
Any more donations ahead of this Sunday appreciated x
mind.enthuse.com/pf/rachel-luby

It's okay to feel happy.
It's also okay to be sad.
It's okay to be proud.
It's also okay to feel shame.
It's okay to go forward.
It's okay to go backwards.

It's okay if the hardest parts to accept are happiness, pride and progress.

It's okay.

Great to see this in the local hospital grounds.

Fundraising started! Rachel Luby has launched a fundraising campaign, show your support with a donation!

To try and give something back to the Crisis House that quite possibly/probay saved my life.

Please do donate if you can.

mind.enthuse.com/pf/rachel-lu...

Vision board ideas for February

This evening I broke creating a vision board down; rather than my vision for the future, I chose to represent my vision for February; past, present, and plans for the next few days.

It feels optimistic but also authentic and achievable.

Realising it wasn't has been hard. Accepting that the best I can hope for is reducing the severity of illness and increasing the duration of wellness all over again. Or perhaps for the first time

BUT still I rise x

Every episode that has resulted in an intervention (up until this time, hospital), had been when I was working from home. I was still me before that, just less unwell. So it made sense that going back into the work place would be the missing piece of the puzzle.

This relapse has been one of the hardes.

The reason.

I have had to have an honest look at the reality of living with #mentalillness. Start to accept that there will be relapse and remittance regardless of what medication I take or how many sessions of therapy I have had.

A #mentalhealth ward vs. a crisis house.
No cameras.
Few restrictions.
Every member of staff wants to be here.
Lots of lived experience and peers on every shift.
Open conversations about taboo subjects that usually get shut down.
Staff to resident ratio.
A chance to breathe, heal, just be me.

Reminder.
Just aim to wake up tomorrow. There is a 100% guarantee that things may be better.
Just hold on. Hold on.

Sometimes, we turn to behaviours that get us into trouble. But are how we learnt to cope and survive.

Sometimes, the behaviour that we choose next can ge5 us out of trouble.

Learning takes a lifetime. The shame of messing up can take away that opportunity to grow and learn. To survive.

There are many reasons why today shouldn't have been a possibility.

So it was a special feeling to walk on to Willow Ward, on my own terms, and show this article to staff that made me want to recover, believe it was a possibility.

...I was en route to training now as their colleague. 😘

I slept well, yet woke up feeling tired.

I can't tell you how relieved that makes me feel.

Something that was normal a few weeks ago, I am incredibly grateful for today.

#Hypomania

I felt kind of sad hearing on the news that people are being asked to attend A&E, alone...

When in a mental health crisis, I have never thought of anything other than being alone (apart from when I am an inpatient!)

I guess sadness is a positive emotion, and I am starting to want more for myself

My cousins boys got all giggly at the nudy women on the wall when they first saw it.

The before. (But slightly different laminate wood)

Have you seen a pic of my bathroom? It's my favourite.

Self harm or thoughts to, suicide attempt or plans has thoughts to?

There may be long waitsn there may be critical incidents being declared at your local hospital.

BUT

YOU have as much right as anyone else to be there. You deserve to be. Don't delay help. The #NHS problem is not yours to fix.

Let's to that! And thank you so much for your kindness. I would love to catch up soon. I can get to Romford, Upminster really easy from here. X

I didn't manage what I wanted to do, thanks to wet sand! (Far more boring than it sounds).

But managed to still shift some endorphins eventually; my previous table and benches vs my new version*

*sticky wallpaper is such a budget friendly way of transforming your living space.

7.1.2024
The multi faith room at the general hospital.

It was another 8 days, a number of further suicide attempts before a mental health bed was found for me. Despite being recommended for detention.

Feeling the trauma of that period today. And every day at the moment. Anniversaries...

The absence of “no” does not mean consent has been given.

Even a “yes” may mean consent isn’t there, if there is coercion and/or power imbalances.

Also, a “yes” at the start does not mean consent cannot be withdrawn.

Lots of people need to be reminded of this, it seems.

Sounds much more realistic than mine... I was living back at my parents and the amazon man gave a free duvet set because he didn't know where to deliver it...

This video shows what behaviour contagion looks like in a team. Want to take the lead and change how you and your team work together in 2025? Join our community, rolling programme: restorativethinking.co.uk/self-guided/ #Medsky #PublicHealth #Nursing #GeneralPractice #Socialcare #Socialwork

Sebastian Oliver The death of Sebastian Oliver, known as ‘Benji’ in Birmingham in November 2023 was an accidental death following significant blood loss and hypothermia after an injury to his left hand …

NEW BLOG - "Sebastian Oliver"

A new PFD about "capacity", leaving Emergency Departments before assessment or treatment and requests to the police for "safe and well" checks.

mentalhealthcop.wordpress.com/2025/01/04/s...