15 May Guest blog – Finding Happiness after the Gloom (with Karen Tyrrell)
Finding Happiness after the Gloom … Karen Tyrrell
I’d like to introduce Karen Tyrrell to my website today, author of ME & HER: a Memoir of Madness. When Karen was a teacher, parents at her school harassed her to breaking point and beyond. She became severely stressed, anxious and sleep deprived. She spent an extended time in a psychiatric hospital with severe bouts of bipolar mania and psychosis.
Now she’s recovered and published ME & HER: a Memoir of Madness. She shares her positive mental health strategies with everyone.
1. What was your first step in your recovery?
When I finally admitted my illness, my journey to recovery truly began. I sought treatment and attended therapy sessions with one goal in mind, to become well.
2. What was the key to finding your happiness?
I survived those bad days by taking up writing, scribbling down what was happening to me, trying to make sense of my intense confusion. Writing became a necessary outlet to express myself, to get in touch with my emotions and seek answers.
3. What daily strategies do you use to empower yourself to stay well?
I have a repertoire of coping strategies including visualisation techniques to enable me to ward off future episodes. Self-knowledge and self-awareness arms me with defensive weapons, fighting against chances of future outbreaks of Bipolar.
Each day I maintain a healthy lifestyle by walking briskly, by eating a healthy diet, minimizing stress, and taking time out to relax. I keep a calm night routine to receive my full quota of restful sleep.
Today I have found my true Happiness. Writing is my passion and creative outlet, a way to share my recovery story with others. My doctor tells his patients about my recovery from Bipolar Disorder to offer hope.
ANNOUNCING … ME & HER eBook
To find out more about Karen Tyrrell and where to purchase ME & HER: A Memoir of Madness, please check out her website. Please go to http://www.karentyrrell.com and click on BUY BOOK to purchase an eBook!
I hope you've found this short interview with Karen interesting and more so, useful. Have you learned anything? If so, please comment about this story on The Happiness Institute's Facebook page HERE