I have chosen Support in Mind Scotland because my Mum has been diagnosed with Mixed Personality Disorder, Autism, Chronic Fatigue syndrome, Fybromyalgia and Severe Anxiety, and has been supported by them for the past year.

This massively impacts our whole family, but we plod along and we smile our way through the bad days.  My Mum has been ill for the past 14 years, and hadn’t heard of Support in Mind Scotland, and hadn’t been referred to them until last year.   Those years were full of struggle and fears for the future.  

My Mum used to work in Boots, she had a driving licence, she’d get the weekly shop and take us on trips to places like Nairn!  Then everything changed.  She was unable to leave the 4 walls of our home.  She was terrified of everything outside.  Numerous medications have been trialled and most come with a host of side-effects!  However, fresh air and exercise is the one thing that makes everything better even though it’s a struggle.  She has had help from my granny over the past years and just recently her support worker, Sharyn, who is incredible at what she’s doing!  The illnesses combined are completely debilitating, and impacts how my Mum functions day to day.  One minute my Mum’s body could be running 1 million miles an hour and then she crashes and is unable to lift her head from the pillow in chronic pain.  Some days she can get past the front door and other days she just can’t do it not matter how hard she tries. My Mum’s short term memory is horrendous, she forgets what she’s been told 5 minutes previous. Everything needs written down and needs constant reminders. She has a lot of bad days so seizes the good days when they happen!

We don’t go on holidays and we don’t get many trips away as a family, purely because it is so hard on my Mum and it’s added stress she doesn’t need.  It’s the simplest things my family appreciate, and we make sure to bring the best out of everything we come across.  

We got our wee dog Breagha in 2018 and she changed my Mum’s life massively!  For the better too!  Since getting Breagha my Mum can now get out on a walk regularly with us as a family,  which we never done before. So our wee Breagha has been a saviour for my Mum’s mental health. Recently she also got an e-bike to hopefully encourage her to come out with the family. Because she tires easily the e-bike is a great help!

Our world really did change when my Mum was getting diagnosed over the past few years but we learnt to adapt and get on with it. Our Mum has taught us that she can defy the odds, even through the worst of days!  So as special thank you from the bottom of my hear to Support in Mind Scotland for helping my Mum over the past year, you’s have been incredible. Now I hope I can raise awareness and money for all you amazing people.