My mum used to say 'you only get one crack at life'. Following my cerebral palsy diagnosis at 46, I took up writing and 'took a crack at it'. I talk about mental health on my blog and in my books Cerebral Palsy: 'A Story,' Spirituality, Healing and Me and Survival: The Covid Years.

Mental Health issues change our DNA

But mental health isn't just something I deal with, most of us in our adult lives, will have to grapple with mental health issues. No one is free of carrying mental health issues. If not dealt with, mental issues can take a hold, mental issues can change your DNA and can kill. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there and it doesn't mean you won't fall foul to disease.

Mental Illness is silent and it kills

Mental illness is a silent disease and killer. It’s an illness we deal with that others can’t always see or understand, but mental health is something we all get to deal with. Mental illness is real, it's important to check in on you, to check in on you.

Mental illness starts small and then increases, but it can spiral quickly, and change your cells without warning, until you begin to start feeling ill. I have lost three family members to cancer.

Mental Health doesn't discriminate

For many, health issues are kept at bay, until they lose the mental ability to cope. Mental health doesn’t discriminate, it affects men, women and children. You should open-up, you should talk about how you feel. In Society, mental health still needs to be normalised. Through talking about mental health on The CP Diary, I normalise it. I have for 12 years.

In the pandemic, mental health has become anything but normal. We’re talking about things, less than we ever have. We’re seeing more people struggle with mental health.

The following text are from celebrities, who are choosing to normalise mental health and who deal with mental health issues:

Elton John…

“You are not alone, and you are loved. This has been an unprecedented year, but I want you to know that it is okay to admit you are struggling and need some help. We need to talk about mental health to normalise the conversation, especially with men.
“I am thinking of you if you are struggling and hope you find healing love and support.”

Andy Murray…

“I know it’s a saying that gets used a lot, but it’s absolutely ok, not to be ok. Mental health is something we all need to take care of, it’s as important as our physical health and is the driving force behind our motivations so don’t be afraid to talk to someone you trust.

One thing I’ve found over the years is that it is completely normal to find things hard sometimes and that quite often the bravest thing you can do isn’t to bottle things or sweep them under the carpet - but it’s actually having the courage to ask for help.”

Romesh Ranganathan…

“Many men still have issues opening up. But it’s getting better. Male suicide and other factors are becoming more known, and men are getting better at talking to each other. But, you need to ask somebody how they are twice.” (Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk)

So what are you waiting for? You have the opportunity to deal with your mental health. By shining a light on your own mental health, I make it easy for you to understand. I walk you through the experience.

If you're interested in grabbing copies of my books, you can order Kindle or paperback copies on Amazon, and through the following link https://linktr.ee/Ilana_Estelle