Anyone who knows me or even anything much about me has some sort of idea that mental illness has been a big part of my life. I’m not good enough to words to do justice quite what mental illness is like, what it does to you. I spent the majority of my teenage life destroying myself, and my life. I was a revolving door inpatient, I was the girl no one had any hope for. And, I still can’t fathom quite how I did it. But I now have a life. I’ve fought he impossible to get to where I am. But this is still something I battle on a daily basis. 

Battling your own mind 24/7 is exhausting, and still now and into my future I have to fight harder than some to make sure I’m ok. But it’s worth it. It’s worth it to laugh, it’s worth it to genuinely smile, it worth it to enjoy a real moment without an intrusive thought shutting it down.

I want to help others find their light, their inner strength, and help them believe in something more than the evil inside our heads. Early prevention, help without criteria is something I really believe in. 

I can garuntee you know someone with a mental illness. So many of us are fighting an internal battle everyday. And our nhs can’t cope alone. Which is why I am writing this, and why I am going to be running the derby 10k with Charlie. To raise money for first steps which is a local eating disorder charity in derby. A charity that doesn’t have rules to reinforce your illness to get help. Whatever your struggles you deserve help. You deserve more than this illness lets you believe. I would be ever so grateful if you reading this could donate to help change people’s lives. To help people live not just survive. Because I may have an eating disorder, but my eating disorder doesn’t have me.