I AM CHARLOTTE, OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE, DJ, MUM, PLANT LOVER AND OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST... (and

anxious person!)

I have completed 2 courses of CBT over the last 12 years and have completed courses that have increased my awareness of mental health which has helped a lot, not only to understand my own mental health but to understand others too! In the past my anxiety has caused me to need to take time away from my work and I stopped socialising I didn’t like that as my job and my friends are a big part of my wellbeing Through speaking out and telling people how I was feeling, I was able to access support Years down the line, I am now able to manage my anxiety levels myself and with a little help from my fantastic support network on those extra tricky days

I am a mum to a young child and a fur baby (cat)! I love spending time with my little family, drinking tea, going to gigs with my partner and friends, spending time outside and going camping I have moved around to several different cities and have spent most of my career working for one of the countries largest charities supporting people with learning disabilities

Most people probably don’t know that I have lived experience of living with anxiety

I am able to do all the things I enjoy, and I am able to do them well! I am confident, fun and like to make people laugh I am able to tell stories without forgetting my words and I like to go out and socialise

I didn’t used to realise that I was anxious until afterwards, but as my awareness has increased, I now know that I am anxious when I start to feel like I am worrying about things that usually don’t concern me as much I find it hard to regulate my body temperature and find that I am cold a lot and may loose my appetite I also tense my muscles and find it difficult to relax my body

I may be quieter than usual I will keep lists to make sure I don’t forget things and I may find it hard to maintain eye contact and will get my words muddled up I may seek reassurance or find I am double checking my emails before sending more than usual I may ask people the same question more than once

In an ideal world, it would be really helpful if everybody had a basic understanding of all mental health conditions Most people don’t want special treatment, just for people to be kind, patient and understanding For example, if I forget my words or repeat myself, just be patient and hear me out I’m very lucky to work for an organisation that’s so supportive of its staff’s mental health and wellbeing Equality and inclusiveness are at the heart of everything we do My manager has a good awareness of my stress signatures and shows an interest in my mental health as well as my physical health I love my job, for me it ’ s a protective factor and a big part of my wellbeing and being able to bring my whole self to work and be open during times when I am feeling anxious means I am able to thrive and do my job well, which gives me a huge sense of achievement