Dear Gossips, 

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day, the world’s biggest conversation about mental health. Bell Let’s Talk aims to raise awareness about mental health and over the last ten years has raised over $113 million for mental health initiatives – much of it through the interactions that happen on Bell Let’s Talk Day. Today Bell will donate more towards mental health initiatives in Canada by contributing 5¢ for every applicable text, call, tweet, social media video view and use of their Facebook frame or Snapchat filter. Here’s the video, starring Michael Bublé – watch on repeat!

 

As you know, the pandemic has had a serious impact on our collective mental health. On top of the stress related to safety concerns, job security, childcare, home schooling, and general uncertainty about the future, in lockdown we are apart, some people are isolated, and that lack of connection is exacerbating depression and other mental health issues. For me personally, I’ve always had compulsive behaviours, especially related to schedules and planning. My life is governed by alarms and reminders. COVID hasn’t helped and I’m now even more anxious when that 17 minutes I was supposed to spend reading up on whatever has been shortened because a meeting is running long or when I take too much time writing the open it cuts into the next block in the schedule. I’ve become obsessive about meal planning – every Saturday I decide on exactly what we’re having for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks through the week. If for whatever reason, I can’t make one entry on that plan, I react badly. For example, last weekend I wanted to make chia cookies and had been saving two ripe bananas. That morning I came downstairs and found only one ripe banana because Jacek had eaten the other. Obviously this is not his fault, he can eat whatever he wants – it’s about me not being able to manage my obsession with plan-adherence and how rigid I am about it. This resulted in a rash all over my neck and shoulders. I scratched myself so hard there were small surface cuts and broken blood vessels all over. I scratch so hard in the night while I’m asleep it wakes up Jacek who has to nudge me to stop. 

If you’re out there and you experience similar, please know you’re not alone, it’s OK to talk about it, and there are resources for help, when and if you are ready.

Yours in gossip,

Lainey