My dermatophagia is not something I have spoken about before. It's still something I am coming to terms with. But I know that many people struggle with it and I want to be encouragement that it's possible to overcome. So, what is Dermatophagia? It is an obsessive compulsive disorder that makes one rip their skin apart, namely around the fingers and inside of the mouth. These people (me included) are known as 'wolf biters'. It is also sometimes accompanied by anxiety. I have been highly ashamed of this for years. It's only recently that I discovered that I have a disorder. As I have previously discussed, however, I see this more as something to overcome than live with. I became so obsessed with my hands. I would hide them in any way possible, and refused to shake someone's hand or pass objects to them. I would also use this as a form of self harm (although I fully believe that Dermatophagia is not a self harm disorder!). But I also started praying a lot. I ful...

I got asked an interesting question today, and felt the need to share the answer: 'What's it like, living with a mental disorder everyday'? This question took me rather by surprise. See, I don't see myself as having disorders. I see them as battles to win and overcome, not live with. Nevertheless, I am going to try to answer this question, speaking personally of course, with as much simplicity as I can. This, for me, has a 3 part answer. I will discuss a new part over the next 3 days. 1. Depression What's it like? It's like dying alive. It's like living out of habit rather than want. It's not being able to wash your hair, get out of bed, get dressed or eat without feeling weak and despondent. It's hating being alone, hating being with people...hating being you. It's feeling lonely, hated and forgotten all the time, and fearing being judged and ridiculed. It's craving death and fearing life. But it's also strength: it's fighting ...

A little girl bought a ragdoll one day. The sweetest doll you ever saw, with bright red wooly hair, a wide stitched smile and floral dress. They did everything together and formed a strong bond. But one day the little girl turned into a teenager, and didn't play with her ragdoll anymore. So she put her in a big box with many other forgotten objects and left it at the side of the road for someone else to find. All the doll's companions were soon taken, but no one had a use for a little doll. Her hair quickly faded, her smile pulled loose and her dress tore. She was all alone, left behind. Everyone around her was moving forward, but she was forgotten. I feel like this doll a lot. Like everyone around me is progressing and doing amazing things: travelling, excelling, getting into relationships...And here I am. Doing nothing new, sitting alone day after day and never truly getting anywhere. Nothing is getting better. But the doll soon got picked up by another little girl who alw...

We all wear masks, whether we admit it or not. Masks of shame, pain, fear, embarrassment...the list is endless. Masks are powerful concealers and dangerous friends. We get so comfortable behind them, it feels impossible to take them off, no matter who we are with. They turn us into things we consider beautiful and make us feel empowered. But they are not the real us, they are designed to manipulate and deceive others. And after a while, they deceive us, too. But behind your mask is a warrior. Someone who fearlessly walks with scars as weapons slung on his/her back. There is a king and queen, with the power to control his/her enemies which are in the mind. There is a child. Someone who loves adventure and daringly seeks out a new one every day. There is an inspiration and story of willpower and strength. There is a griffin, with fearless power and dangerous strength... There is you. I challenge you not to live behind your mask, but without it. To be yourself because you are good enou...

Today I climbed off the tracks. I've been standing there for a long time, waiting for a train that didn't seem to be coming. But today it came. And although I'm still far away from my destination, I'm on my way, and that's what matters. Today I climbed on a train. I don't know where it's going. I don't know who is on it with me. I can see many faces still standing by the tracks, unable to climb on. They look frightened, and I don't blame them. I used to be one of them. Today I started breathing again. Although my lungs still hurt from the smoke of the train...It passed by many times before I finally got on. But I can breathe. I can see ahead, and not just see it, but move towards it. Today I smiled. I havnt done that in a long time. My face hurts when I do it, which makes me smile more. I laugh. I don't recognise the sound but I like it. It feels good. Today I decided to live. I am not on the tracks of my disorders anymore but on my train to ...

Why me? Everyone else seems so happy, like they have it all together. So why must I be different..Why me? I've asked this too many times to count. I didn't do anything, so why should I be punished? I felt like there was something wrong with me...that I was weak and worthless. That I had no strength or will to live through it. But I wasn't being punished, I was being prepared. Looking back, if I hadn't gone through what I did, and still am, I wouldn't be the person I am today. And I'm damn proud of her because I fought hard to be her! Don't see your circumstances as punishment. It is tough to look at a happy side to pain, but imagine what you will be capable of in the future. I've had the tremendous privilege to sit down with people and help them through their battles, something I wouldn't be able to do without my 'disorders'. I wouldn't be able to write this without them! When you are feeling worthless, punished and forgotten, try to t...

"It would be too easy to say that I feel invisible. Instead, I feel painfully visible and entirely ignored." This is a quote that I recently stumbled upon, and it's incredibly accurate. It's  something I have struggled with for a long time. Being a bit reserved, I find myself shoved to the side, totally seen but completely ignored. The painful truth is, though, that sometimes this isn't true at all. We tend to think the world is against us and that we are simply not worth being loved. But the world isn't against you, they are for themselves. We live in a very self-centred world. It's sad but true. People would rather focus on their own lives than look up and notice yours. And, being honest, I've fallen into this trap too, focusing so much on my life and my problems that I seem to forget those around me. When you feel ignored, forgotten and shoved aside, please remember that it isn't always you. It's not because you are a terrible person or b...

I spent a long time trying to find a source of power in my life. It felt like the more I tried, the more people would take that power from me. They would destroy my wings and give me scars. I felt weak and not worth fighting for. Powerless. But you see, people can be cruel because they don't understand. Or maybe because they do understand, and their pain is shown through cruelty. But all those people who were breaking my wings forgot one important fact...I have claws too. When I spent all that time searching for power, I didn't realise that I already had it. Power comes from brokenness. Truly powerful people know pain. Understandably it's not the ideal place to gain power. But that power is so unimaginably strong that no one can come against it. It's the power that comes from small things that others overlook: getting up in the morning, going out the house, washing your hair, choosing to live in the midst of your war. That's power! That's strength! The miscon...

I have recently been inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi - fixing with gold. When objects are broken, they are not thrown away. Instead, they are repaired using gold. The object's cracks then become its art and beauty. Take strength in this artwork, in these broken objects. It's ok to feel broken. I have, and sometimes still do. But it's that brokenness that becomes your strength, if you let it. Jesus does not abandon you at the first sign of weakness. He does not simply throw you away. He turns you into a beautiful kintsugi art piece. He fixes your wounds with gold so that your scars become your strength. He sees beauty where others see weakness. Make those others see the beauty too... Do not ever throw yourself away. Do not give up. You are a work of art in progress. A masterpiece. After all, that's the beauty of something broken, it can be made to shine. Xx

I am not here to hide. In fact, I'm done hiding. It's exhausting. I am here to be honest, to be sincere, and to be a voice. 5 years ago I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety. It felt like I was drowning, like everything and everyone was against me...that I wasn't good enough to even live or breathe. I didn't have the strength. If it wasn't for Jesus, the only strength and hope I had left, I would not be here today. He was, is, and always will be my light. A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with Dermatophagia. It is not a well known disorder, although many people suffer from it. At first I was ashamed, I felt that I had to hide and fear myself. Like I was a monster.. But I'm not. I'm not perfect, but that's ok. I may be on the road to recovery, and there are days that I feel like all hope is lost, but I am strong. I'm a fighter. Everyone is. There is a warrior inside everyone, no matter your gender, age, circumstances or mental or physi...