There's Always Light at the End of the Tunnel

College, a big scary intimidating, confusing yet fun and exciting place.  This time last year I was preparing to go into first year in NUI Maynnoth ( I think it might be called Maynooth University now) and I was terrified. I was scared, I had no idea what to expect but I was excited, looking forward to beginning a new chapter in my life. When I woke up for my first day of college I was terrified, where was I to go? Who was going to show me around the college? What would I do if I got lost? What if I signed up or registered for the wrong course? I had a million different questions going through my mind as I am sure many of you who are going into first year have but the best bit of advice I can give you is to sleep!! Nope I'm not going to say relax, I'm noting go tell you to take deep breaths, I'm going to tell you to have a good night sleep before your first day of orientation because you will need your energy!! You will be pointed this way and that way, you wi...

I recently found out that one of my blog posts has been nominated into the category for the best blog post in the Blog Awards Ireland this year. This is a huge honour especially because the post which has been nominated is one which focuses on self-harm and the devastating effects it can have on a persons life, have a read of it here . In order to get your blog post into the top ten for the final you must secure the most votes you can possibly secure. I'm currently at 160 votes as a a result of bombarding people on social media sites to vote for me but its not that I just want to get into the final, its much more than that for me, its much more important that just a few clicks here and there, it is this post which has the power to create a better understand of self-harm, encourage theses who engage in self-harm to speak out and it also focuses on a topic which is still very much a taboo in Irish society. Getting people to vote for my blog allows them to read the post, encouraging ...

Last month I had one of my regular routine appointments with my orthodontist, these appointments have become something, which I no longer fear yet become anxious about. I don't like going to the dentist nor do I like the different tools etc. which they have and I do have certain anxieties regarding any dental treatment as a result of a previous incident so while I was anxious about my last dental appointment I was somewhat more anxious then usual about this one. This appointment was due to be a positive appointment, get a brace put back on, my elastic changed, new wires put in and to be told I am ready to meet with the surgeon to plan my jaw operation but as you might have guessed things didn't go according to plan. I arrived at the dentist with my dad and this time I was excited because I was almost certain I was ready for surgery, my wounds from my wisdom teeth removal had healed, the gap between my bottom and top jaw had increased as planned and my teeth are ...

Your one good adult, the one person who you truly trust, who you truly feel comfortable talking to and the one person who you know will not judge you and do whatever possible to help and support you.   In transition year I found my one good adult, I found the person who I could trust and I found the person who   knew would support me through my darkest days. In transition year I found Mrs L, my transition year co-ordination,   a woman who could bring a smile to anybodies face, who made herself available to have chats about everything and anything and someone who I told about my self-harm. Mrs L treated me with respect, she guided me, supported me and helped me to get professional help. Despite not taking her advice at times she stuck by me, helped keep me on the right track and was there with me every step of the way even during the summer holidays!!   I never expected Mrs L to be the person I opened up to but she was. Her friendly smile, her fun lov...

The word relapse is one which is often associated with medical conditions and from my experience of hearing the term being used it is often used in relation to a person suffering from cancer. While that has been my experience for many years when I was diagnosed with mental health issues I learned that such a term can be used for a mental illness as well as a physical illness. Many people may not be aware that for people suffering with a mental illness the prospect of having a relapse is just as scary as for a person suffering from a physical illness and just like having a physical illness a relapse can happen and cause devastating effects for those with mental health issues. Over the past 2-4 weeks I had begun to feel both mentally and physically ill and to be honest I didn’t really think much of it and why would i? Things had appeared to be going great for me, my med reduction was going according to plan, I was developing new relationships with family members something which I...

There’s always light at the end of the tunnel, 9 small simple words that have the power to brighten up my day, give me strength to get out of the bed on my darkest days and that give me the courage I need to keep living my life! These 9 little words describe my blog, a place where I have written about some of the hardest things in my life, a place where I have begun documenting my journey to gain the perfect bit and a place despite being virtual that I can be myself and feel comfortable. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel is more than just a blog to me, its more than just a space for me to write things down, There’s always light at the end of the tunnel is my chance to make a difference, share my story and most importantly show people that no matter how bad things are they can and do get better. I recently got told about an opportunity to take part in a therapy programme to help me deal with my borderline personality disorder, a programme which requires commitment and...

Have you ever noticed that only people with physical illnesses are seen as survivors? Have you ever noticed that if you survive a serious operation which could potentially end your life you are considered a survivor or if you are in a near fatal accident and live to tell the tale you are a survivor or if you have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness and defy all the odds and survive you are view by society as a survivor? Being viewed as a survivor symbolizes strength, courage, bravery and determination. Surviving something as life threatening as cancer or a rare heart condition gives you the title of a survivor, a courageous and brave warrior that never gave up fighting. It allows the people around you to become inspired, honor you and see you as a role model, all because society has given you the title of a survivor. It takes some strength to defy all the odds and become a survivor of a serious illness such as cancer, believe me I know the strength which ...