There I am—looking slightly moody but pretty focused. In truth? I’m just a bloke living with the joy that is OCD and anxiety. When it hits, intrusive thoughts and hyperawareness are life: every flicker of light, every twitch in my mind and body, dialled all the way up. I’ve been known to check things on repeat, spiral into loops, and feel like Spiderman—heightened senses, high alert, heart racing. Don’t judge a book by its cover, though. I’m like a swan: calm AF on the surface, slowly going Mental (ISH) underneath.
So, Why Mental-(Ish)?
‘‘Nobody should ever want to end their life, especially, due to a lack of understanding of mental health’’.
Before you read, please note, my words may be triggering and contain a lot of swearing. (oops)
I’ve struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) sensory issues, and more recently, general anxiety disorder (GAD). The joy of my brain.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve had intrusive thoughts—some so bad that, since childhood, I’ve felt… well, insane. This was paired with so-called ‘habits,’ like endless blinking, raising my voice mid-conversation, and cleaning, washing, and scrubbing until my hands would bleed.
Even though I was diagnosed with OCD at a young age, I didn’t truly deal with it until my 30s, when a breakdown hit.
During the pandemic, I started writing, which led to a few publications and, most importantly, a new coping strategy! Not bad for a dyslexic man who left school at 14.
My words are memories from the past and some from the present. Some have been incredibly tough to revisit, but when I read them back, they make me laugh out loud!
The power of writing... who knew?
Let’s talk about our Mental(Ish) openly, honestly, and with humour.