What Is Jiggsy?

It may be ‘World Mental Health Day,’ but our mental health deserves attention everyday. I’ve learnt that if you neglect your basic needs, then you can end up in a dark place. Look out for yourself and others EVERY day.

What happened to the real you? The one that existed before you created an online version of yourself. Recovery has taught me to accept the ‘me’ that exists in real life. She is a whole lot happier than the one she pretended to be when she was ill.

It’s all to easy to make assumptions about one another, without knowing the full picture. Recovery has helped me to let go of judgements and to be more open, in both heart and mind.

After I left my residential treatment facility, I didn’t just need to reset my relationship with food, but I also had to learn how to exist as a sexual being in the world. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been a wonderful journey of self-discovery.

Recovery from an eating disorder is about leaving what’s safe and comfortable. It is about leaving your child-self where it belongs, and becoming an adult. It’s scary, but so worth it.

Everyone has a story. Actually we all have several stories playing out on any given day, most of which we have little control over. My eating disorder made for a dull and sad tale; I was often stuck on pages, unable to move forward. Life in recovery, I am glad to say is very different, as I explain here in my piece for ‘Storytellhers.’

It’s not easy being reminded of who I was when I was in the grips of anorexia; angry, sad and lost. It still amazes me that these feelings are no longer my everyday experience. So, when I was unexpectedly faced with a mirror image of myself, it was incredibly uncomfortable yet welcomed at the same time.

What’s your purpose? Where do you belong? What are you working towards? Life can be constant race to keep up. How about we just enjoy the ride, right here, right now.

Mental and physical health are still far from being treated equally in the working environment. Where are the CEOs and leaders sharing their experiences? They can’t be immune to experiencing mental ill health. We need them to stand up and inspire others. Employees need to feel confident that by disclosing their mental ill health, their career progression will not be compromised.