Carol Townend
Bio
Fiction, Horror, Sex, Love, Mental Health, Children's fiction and more. You'll find many stories in my profile. I don't believe in sticking with one Niche! I write, but I also read a lot too.
Stories (485/0)
Mindfulness in Nature
I was first taught mindfulness techniques when I was doing a course on Dialectal Behavioural Therapy (DBT) to treat a mental health problem. It creates a sense of inner peace in our minds, quietens loud thoughts, and also can help us to concentrate better. Many children at school are now taught mindfulness because it has been proven to help them to relax, concentrate, and deal with stress better. Mindfulness can be achieved in many different ways: listening to music, walking through a park, reading, exercise, looking at a book, and others. It uses sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste, which are our five senses. These techniques when used properly can increase our mental well-being. In this article, I am going to talk about the benefits of doing mindfulness in nature.
By Carol Townend5 years ago in Longevity
Dental Phobia
Dental phobia is more than just a fear of the dentist. I know, because I have to deal with it. I'm not talking about the mild anxiety that some feels when sitting in a hall to face an exam either. I'm talking about the awful panic, nervousness, sweats, feeling sick and extreme fear which can start even before you step through the door of a dental surgery.
By Carol Townend5 years ago in Psyche
How I Made Positive Changes to My Mental Health
When I was young, I spent all my time putting myself down, battling my thoughts and feelings, not giving self-confidence a second thought, and feeling I was not worth anything. This was a result of the emotional and physical abuse I had endured in my childhood and early adulthood. As I got older and became a parent, I developed a very long struggle with my mental health, and I realized that something had to change or I would continue to lose everything.
By Carol Townend5 years ago in Psyche
Childhood Bullying
I remember those lonely, hard school days. Nobody would have believed how sad I really was because I always tried to fake a smile and pretend that everything was alright. I would dedicate myself to my schoolwork, even though I struggled, talk to other children, and try to engage in all aspects of school life.
By Carol Townend5 years ago in Families
We Must Stop Stigmatizing Mental Health
"She's mentally ill, therefore she is violent." Time and time again through my own long experience of mental health problems, and as a mental health champion, have I heard this. Yes, it is true, there are some mental health problems that can be violent at times, but it is THE 'mental health problem,' not the person, who is violent.
By Carol Townend5 years ago in Psyche
In My Eyes with PTSD
I am walking down the road, and there are a lot of cars about. I want to cross over, but my body shakes and my feet do not move. I stand by the road as everything from the car crash, the sounds of an ambulance, fire brigade, police go through my head. Visions form of the one I love laying in the front seat not moving, and then I hear the echo's from my past, me screaming and then being told "We are so sorry for your loss.'" Suddenly it stops, and I am back in my own reality, I am disoriented, shaking, distressed and sweating. People ask me what is wrong with me, and I cannot tell them, because that means "lifting the mask" and they will see what is beneath it.
By Carol Townend5 years ago in Psyche
When I Became Homeless
Scarborough 1998, is a place I never will forget. I originally lived in Leeds, but I lost my family and my home due to violence from the community. I moved to Scarborough with the hopes of trying to find some grounding in my life and having a fresh start. It didn't start that way, and my journey was very painful.
By Carol Townend6 years ago in Psyche
How Music Helps Me Stay Mentally Stable
I love music. In fact there is not one genre of music I don't like. I can listen to anything, party, dance, rock, pop, blues, country, and the list goes on... Music has a good impact on my mental health; however, what I choose to listen to depends on the mood I am in during the day, and if my mood changes, what I listen to does too. For example, if I am in an angry mood, then I usually listen to heavy rock. The reason why is because much of it is explosive (like my anger) and as a result, it helps me to get those angry emotions out without harming myself or others. If I am in a good mood, then it's dance and this is brilliant, because I tend to do a lot of housework, and I often end up dancing to it.
By Carol Townend6 years ago in Psyche
Coping With Loneliness
Some days, I wake up and the clock just ticks on. Time goes by so slow and drags on, or so fast leaving me just how productive I really was during that day. My husband works and my daughter is out most of the time, so I am essentially home alone alot of the time.
By Carol Townend6 years ago in Psyche
The Stigma Attached to EUPD and PTSD
When I tell people that I have Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, they look at me as if I am crazy and often avoid me like the plague. They assume that I am violent or dangerous to be around. This conception is just two of the stigmas attached to my illness. It also gets mistaken for Emotionally Unstable Borderline Personality Disorder, which is the same thing but a different type of illness.
By Carol Townend6 years ago in Psyche
My Experience of Parenting with Mental Illness
Being a parent is a huge responsibility, but for someone with mental illness, it can be very difficult. I became a parent at just eighteen years old, it wasn't planned and I had no idea I was pregnant. I had never been taught about pregnancy, contraception or child birth, so as you can imagine, I was in shock.
By Carol Townend6 years ago in Psyche
