Me and My Brain

CW: This episode of the podcast has a content warning for descriptions of acute mental distress and suicidal ideationMy original plan for this episode was to talk about what recovery looks and feels like. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that in order to do the subject of recovery justice, I needed to dive deep into what I've been recovering from.I remembered that I had some diaries from one of the periods when I was most unwell. I'd had good intentions of documenting what I was experiencing because it felt strange and alien; I was undergoing several changes to my medication and the effects (and side-effects) were at times alarming.So this, shorter, episode mostly comprises some entries from diaries from July to December, 2016. Nearly two years down the road it's extremely gratifying to see that I went through that and came out the other side. It was a long and tough slog, for sure, but here I am: newly discharged from Community Mental Health Team care and celebrating the fact that this little podcast has had over 1200 downloads to date!As I mentioned above, this episode has a content warning due to the extreme levels of distress I was experiencing. It's honest and raw and I understand that it won't be for everyone; that's fine - but please stay tuned for Part Two which will focus on what I did (and didn't do) to move from that dark and desperate place to where I am today.If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, or need to talk to someone, here is a list of international crisis support lines. I've linked to the Wiki page in the hope that this resource remains as current and relevant as possible.As always, thank you for your support of Me and My Brain (did I mention there have been over 1200 downloads so far?!) It's good to know that someone somewhere is finding my little podcast useful, helpful and possibly even entertaining at times. Thank you.If you've enjoyed the podcast and would like to help me in running it, you can buy me a coffee by clicking right here. I don't currently use advertising revenue to support my work, and I'm entirely self-funded. Again, thank you.

This time I'm talking about how fear and anxiety can feel like uninvited guests in your brain, and the havoc they wreak while they outstay their welcome.Fear and anxiety aren't the same things at all, but they do share some common characteristics and can have similar effects. I spent much of last year totally marooned by the shoddy state of my mental health, to the point that I felt like my social skills, sense of adventure, and capacity for fun had dissolved into the ether. In this episode, I'm talking about how I tried (and initially failed) to turn things around, and how some rashly-made decisions turned out to have wide-reaching positive effects.A few things I talk about in this episode:Iris Prize OutreachZipworld Caverns, Bounce Below, and the Fforest CoasterCompassionate Mental Health GatheringAs always, thank you so much for supporting Me and My Brain - if you've enjoyed listening to it then don't forget to subscribe, and if you feel moved to leave a review, well, that would be magnificent!

It's time for episode two! This one focuses on anxiety, and in it, I talk to wonderful Leo all about how she lives with it. We also talk a little about how she lives with me, because (spoiler alert!) Leo's my partner in life and love (but not crime, to be quite clear!)We discuss how anxiety entered her life at a relatively tender age, and how she's learned to manage it over the years. Everyone's experience of mental illness is inevitably subjective, but Leo explains how having an understanding of the physiological processes involved in anxiety have helped her to use logic and science to reassure herself when it strikes.It's not all serious stuff, though - we also have time to discuss the surprising - but highly entertaining - ways anxiety can affect your daily (or should we say, nightly) life, and mostly manage to stay on topic.Anxiety and my brain (and body) with Leonie DoranEmma LloydIf you'd like more information about anxiety, here are a few resources:Mind: Anxiety & panic attacksNo Panic: Anxiety resourcesYou might also like these:Meditation for people who can't sit stillMiddle Eastern recipesAs always, thank you for your support of Me and My Brain. You can listen right here on the page, or via your favourite podcast player. Don't forget to subscribe, and if you feel moved to leave a review on iTunes, I'll be super grateful. If you have any comments or feedback, then please shoot me a message.Thanks for listening!

Me and My Brain is a podcast all about mental health and mental illness, hosted by Emma Lloyd. Emma has over twenty years' personal and professional experience of living and working with mental illness, and in this podcast she'll be exploring mental illness in conversation with a diverse group of guests, aiming to challenge misconceptions about living with mental illness and remove stigma. If you have a story about living with mental illness that you'd like to share, please get in touch at emma@emmalloyd.co. Full details and show notes available at http://emmalloyd.co Thanks for listening!

Launching my very own podcast has been a dream of mine for a while. And when I say a while , what I mean is over a year: my son actually bought me my microphone for Christmas 2016, and it's languished unused until now.I'll be officially launching at the end ofMarch, 2018 - just in time for World Bipolar Day and my birthday, but in the meantime, I've recorded a brief introduction with a very special invitation to take part in the podcast.I already have some great guests lined up, but if you'd like to participate, I'd love to hear from you.I'd love to interview you if you're comfortable talking about your experiences and/oryou live with mental illness (preferably professionally diagnosed) ORyou're a mental health professional with experience of mental illness ORyou care for someone with mental illness ORyour approach to mental illness falls outside traditional Western medical treatment ORyou have a story about your own experiences of mental ill-health that might be of interest to othersIf you'd like to discuss things further, and find out what participation would involve, then please do get in touch. You can email me at emma@emmalloyd.co or use this contact form.