Its officially Spooctober, and while we wait a few weeks for our chance to crack out our slutty cat costumes, we have the joy of Oktoberfest which brings all the Lager, Lederhosen and....um...sausages?...you can shake a culturally inaccurate stick at.
New traditions are a magical thing. This weekend saw the second annual Oktoberfest gathering in our dinky flat in Bournemouth, with several of our favourite people making the journey down from Bristol to get knee-deep in the rich cultural heritage that none of us are actually part of.
Besides the excuse for some very photogenic moments (see above), having a busy house for the weekend is one of mine and Rosie's favourite things. Each one of our guest brings a new energy into our house.
Thanks in part to Spotify's questionable German music collection and also the move from beer to hard spirits, the evening went incredibly well. However, this was one of the first times for several months I've experienced my mood shifting dramatically from high to low in an incredibly short period of time. Two months ago I was signed off work with anxiety and depression. Since then I have been working with my GP to medicate the symptoms with some hit and miss moments along the way.
On the weekend, I could see myself almost from outside my body becoming tired, agitated, irritable and low. The worst part was that I could only feel self-conscious that I was affecting my friends with this behaviour that I always feel it is out of my control. It's times like this that Rosie shines. She has lived with me for over 8 years and knows when I am not myself and brings me right back into the room. As it was late in the evening I decided the best option was to remove myself from the situation and I went to bed while Rosie made sure our guests were happy and comfortable.
Today is Mental Health Awareness day and it's incredibly important to to help people understand and relate to issues that 1 in 4 people in the world are impacted by. It's times like this past weekend where I am surrounded by people I care deeply about that I am reminded that I am not alone. I have family and friends who suffer from anxiety, depression, ADHD, Bipolar, eating disorders, OCD and many other life altering conditions that have an influence on their lives. Next time you are with a group of friends or family, look around you. Is one of them struggling?
Most importantly, how are you? Do you need help? If you do, speaking from experience, the most important thing you can do is reach out to someone, whether that is a friend, family member or your GP. It was the most uncomfortable thing I have ever done, making a GP's appointment and coming to terms with the issues I was having with a seemingly total stranger in a white coat. In hindsight, I would do it a thousand times over so as not to feel the way I was feeling before.
Finally, I'd like to dedicate this weeks post to my Grandad, James Snaddon, who sadly passed away this weekend after a long battle with dementia. He was incredible man who I know would have had a good time this weekend if he had had the opportunity to join us. Tonight's homework for you all: make sure you tell someone in your life you love them.
Until next time...
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