2016 To Date.

                                        2016 so far at University...

Good evening! I hope your day has been good, for me I have had a day of slowing down and doing nothing. It was spent in the garden sunbathing... little to my knowledge I was burning... I am now red and just why do I never tan?!?!?! struggles. Anyway, I wanted to share a bit about my year of 2016 being a student mental health nurse.

The year started of being on placement, which I absolutely loved. This was a complete new experience for me as I had never worked on a mental health elderly ward before. I absolutely loved it, I learnt so so so much, more than I thought I would have done. I was tired and exhausted from the long hours but the work and progress I was making, and seeing others make progress makes it all worth it.

I then went back to university for a little while where I sat through numerous lectures wishing I was back out on placement. I did enjoy uni, it was good to catch up with everyone and see how far people had come. My anxiety had settled down a lot by then and only had a few set back in some sessions that were mentally and emotionally challenging for me. However with support from both lectures and peers I managed to get through them.

A few weeks after Easter I then went back onto placement. This was the big one, a real eye opener for me. I was on a mental health acute ward. (Currently still on this ward) I absolutely love it, I know I said that about my first one but this one is so much more challenging and fast paced its unreal. Being a student mental health nurse is challenging within itself. Being able to build a wall and develop strategies and ways of coping with the stress and sometimes verbal abuse is a hard thing to do. I have certainly struggled with it to this date, but over the next three years I'm sure that this will soon come to me. If anyone else out there is a nurse, its one of the most rewarding jobs, agree? Seeing patients getting better and being discharged by some of the work you do... its an amazing feeling.

During the time at placement I handed in an assignment and did an exam so in a month or so I should get the results back and boy am I nervous! My first year of university is almost over (6 more weeks!)

To anyone else there out in university doing exams or waiting for the results... good luck! You will do absolutely fine, if you've put the work in those grades will come to you... believe in yourself!

I know that this was a really quick summary of my 2016 start based around university. If you would like a more depth post on mental health nursing from a students point of view let me know, also anything about mental health (I will do my best to answer), please leave you comments and questions below because I feel like its important to talk about!

Thank you all for reading, see you all very soon.

Love
Chloe x 

Mental Health Awareness Day...

 Hello!
Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!

World mental health day falls every year on October 10th. The stigma around mental health is still around which is such a shame, and educating and making people aware about mental health issues is so important... which is why I am making this post today and why this day exists. This year they are focusing on dignity for people who have mental health problems (right training, make sure they have human rights and respect and informed consent).

A little bit of background from me, I have suffered with mental health issues, mainly revolving around anxiety and panic attacks. It has had such an impact on my life that raising awareness has become important to me. So many people are unaware and don't understand the complex needs of people with mental health issues. My future career path will be in mental health nursing too, helping and supporting people with these difficulties.

Mental health:
Around 1 in 4 people have a mental health condition. So many people suffer yet so many people don't understand. They are no different to us, they are still human beings they just have barriers facing them in their every day life that they cannot control and they shouldn't be treated any differently to any other person going about their everyday life. Mental health is just as important as physical health. even though you cant see it, it's still there and exists and needs just as much attention and care as a physical problem.

I once had a discussion/argument with someone. They stated that someone with a mental health condition isn't as bad as physical health condition. This is what we need to decrease. For example he stated that you would give up your seat on a bus with someone with a broken leg but you wouldn't with a person suffering from a mental health condition. Yes it's true because they have specific needs... however... someone with mental health conditions might not be able to get on that bus. They have different problems that needs looking at differently. But everyone is equal human beings. I eventually gave up arguing against this person because they were so ignorant and couldn't see the importance of mental health and how they were equal everyone else. People like this need educating and need to understand that everyone is the same and is the reason why there are mental health awareness days.

There is so much stigma around mental health... once you are diagnosed you are stuck with a label that society puts you under... for example 'schizophrenic' 'bipolar', they are seen differently but they shouldn't be. People automatically see you as someone different, someone who is dangerous, but we are not. This is what needs reducing because people will become afraid to come to terms with their conditions because of society and being placed under a label. its just not right.

Mental health matters.

Just raising a small amount of awareness can help everyone, it allows people to become more aware of mental health conditions and reduce the stigma that is attached with it.

If you know anyone suffering, or if you yourself are suffering please seek out for help. It's the best decision you will ever make. Trust me. There are so many people you can talk to, for example professionals (like GP, counsellor) or parents or teachers or friends.
There is also helplines that can help you - here is a link to NHS which gives you a huge list of organisations that can help: click here.

Remember you are not alone. Speak to you all very soon.

Love
Chloe x