It’s time to look after you!
By Nattie Kate Mason
Photography by HK Photography Perth MENTAL ILLNESS DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE. IT CAN AFFECT ANYONE AND STRIKE AT ANY TIME. 1 IN 5 PEOPLE REPORT EXPERIENCING A MENTAL ILLNESS OR PERIOD OF MENTAL UNWELLNESS, WITH FEMALES REPORTING THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE.
O
ur mental health affects every aspect of our lives. It influences our choices, relationships, how we view our self-worth, and the way we feel, think and behave.
A few years ago, I was going through a particularly hard time in my life and my mental health severely declined. Day-to-day life felt almost impossible. It was then that I realized I needed to choose to fight for myself to regain my mental health. It wasn’t easy, it took great inner-strength and support from my family. But for my daughter, my husband and most importantly for me, I needed to make drastic life changes so that I could be the best mum and person that I
could be. I made my own mental and physical health a priority. It was after re-discovering my passion for writing that I began to see the hope and joy in life again. There is a lot of pressure to be the perfect working mum and to juggle family life effortlessly. But sometimes life isn’t perfect and the best thing we can do for our family, is to care for ourselves. What started as a few words on a page, quickly turned into my first novel. My thoughts and feelings laid bare for the world to read, intertwined amongst a fantasy world of my own making. Escapism at its finest. I often say to people that I wrote my first book to heal my heart, the second book to rediscover myself
and my third book was a labor of love for my newly rediscovered passion. These days whilst I still struggle with anxiety at times, I have learnt ways to adapt and manage my symptoms. When early warning signs pop up and I find myself unable to cope, I have learnt to take a step back, re-group and refocus before diving back into life.
While life seems long, each day is precious, and it is the little moments that make life worth living. 36
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