#074 Managing your mental health in difficult situations. Figuring it out with blogger Jessica Ward

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week we are helping you figure out…</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How to deal with toxic relationships </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Supporting friends with mental health challenges</span></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Protecting your own head during COVID19.</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charelle and Verity chat to</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">multi-award winning Mental Health Awareness blogger, Jessica Ward. Starting as an online private diary - until it was discovered by a school friend - when she was a young teenager, Jessica recorded her thoughts and feelings as a way to process and reflect on the bullying she was experiencing. From an exercise addiction to depression to deciding to be homeschooled, Jessica discusses the journey she took as a teenager which led her to her positive outlook on life now.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At 16 she got into her first relationship where she experienced mental abuse, leaving that in 2017 to go on to win some great awards for her blog. We discuss how you can get lost within a relationship, having control issues and eating disorders. We delve a little deeper into difficult relationships - both romantically and platonically - and discuss managing our mental health in these situations.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We chat social distancing, physically and digitally, the lessons we learn from each moment in life and accepting how we are feeling and sinking into that. Verity talks with Jessica about attending therapy sessions and the feelings that come up surrounding that. We discuss the danger of making assumptions of people’s lives and how we can try and stop doing this to protect our heads.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is important we know how to support friends who are e