An Unexpected Hiatus

As you can see from the site, I’ve have taken a little break from blogging. Actually, I took a little break from a lot of things. It would be easy to blame it on the current lack of internet connection (currently using the BT Open Wi-Fi) and while it doesn’t help matters it’s certainly not the reason for the current QLF blog blackout.

There are a few different reasons for not writing anything and it’s certainly not for the lack of things to write about. I already have a couple of posts that are almost finished, drafts galore and ideas aplenty. My kid is thriving, changing every day, learning new stuff and teaching me even more stuff.

It’s hard to know where to start, but a lot of it is down to depression. And a lot of the depression is, well it’s lifelong, but exacerbated by various events and it doesn’t seem to be shifting sometimes despite the fact things are settling down again. It might take a while though, for my mental health to catch up. It’s always a little behind. It gives me this false sense that I can cope with bad things happening when really all that’s happened is my mind just takes time to realise that I can’t cope. Now there is little to cope with and my mind is yet to catch up on that fact.

So, what’s been going on?

Work

This guy gives me a reason to fight.

I left my job at the pharmacy. Partly because they cut my hours and, well, it’s hard to pay the bills on part-time work. I loved my job and most of my colleagues and the work I did. I even liked my customers and I built up some very good relationships there with people and professional relationships too. I  was very good at my job.

I was also being bullied by my manager.

I wasn’t the only one and I took it for months. But when she made a homophobic comment and then cut my pay (by accident apparently), I couldn’t let her continue with it and made a formal complaint. Then I left. The complaint was never really resolved to be honest and part of me didn’t expect it to be either. I’d already gotten another job by the time they’d even really addressed it.

I got a job at a supermarket that I had high hopes for but having been wrung out already at the pharmacy, the stress and the long hours at the new job made me very ill. Very depressed. I went back on my medication and was let go from the supermarket.

I am working again, for a Domestic Abuse Charity – as an admin and monitoring officer. It’s a three-month contract that I’m hoping will become permanent. I really like the work, the people (my boss is a lesbian too) and it’s good work. Even when I’m just doing the admin I like knowing I’m helping people in someway. In this case, helping keep the place running so the support workers can do their thing and the boss can keep the money coming in.

Mental Health

So despite the insanely hard effort I made to get off my medication, I went back on them a few weeks ago after speaking to my doctor. I’m not on my previous dose but a lower dose. I came off them with the view to trying something else and this feels like a bit of a setback. Everyone told me it was a bad time to come off the meds, with everything that was going on, but if they only keep me stable when things are okay and do nothing when things are bad what’s the point.

I’ve been on them a decade, they were no longer fit for purpose. They still aren’t as far as I’m concerned but now I’m on them again until things calm down. The thing is as well is that I am always worse in the winter. The winter is a worse time to try and come off medication as far as I’m concerned.

So I’m looking for spring now as a time frame for trying something new. Hopefully, things will be fully settled down by then.

The Blog and Writing

So part of the whole depression meant that I’ve had no interest or enthusiasm to write the blog over the past couple of months. And the blog is mine, for me, so if I don’t want to write it, be part of it, make it, it’s hard to find the energy to do so. Especially when I have had so little energy or enthusiasm for anything lately.

I have written some poetry, I’m doing OctPoWriMo again, though I’m a few days behind. As usual. I’ve written a lot of fanfiction. I find it very satisfying, in a quick fix kind of way and it makes me feel better. There are worse coping mechanisms. I don’t drink or smoke. I write femslash fanfiction. It’s not the end of the world.

The Return

I’m not saying this is the end of the hiatus, at least it’s the end of the blog silence. I don’t know what the posting schedule will be like from here on out. I don’t actually have proper internet right now and BT screwed me over, so I’m waiting for my new service with another provider to start and that isn’t for another…nine days.

There’s still lots to say but I think it will be a little slow to start. We’ll get back into the swing of things and if you ever have ideas or questions or whatever, just send me an email or a comment, or fill in my handy one box form at the end of the post.

11 Replies to “An Unexpected Hiatus

  1. I’m sorry to hear about all the work stress you’ve had but I’m glad you’re happy in your new job. I think we all need a break from social media from time to time as it can be so consuming. I hope you manage to take as much time away from your blog as you need and focus on some self care. #KCACOLS

  2. I’ve had enough unhappy jobs in my time to know how absolutely sapping it can be, so can’t begin to imagine the impact on someone who already struggles with depression. Here’s hoping you’ve turned a corner. #KCACOLS

  3. Welcome back! I want to applaud you on listening to yourself and taking the break. So many people push and push and it is not healthy. Take care of yourself so that you can take care of your family. Plus what I have learned with my personal blog is writing is suppose to be fun, so I don’t want to make it too stressful. I wish you the best of luck.

  4. Thank you for sharing your journey. I also have battled depression and anxiety for many years…my whole life really. One thing that I have changed is the way I think about my medication. I hope I am not overstepping to share it with you.

    If I were a diabetic, I would take my medications without question. They would make my body function better. I wouldn’t think about coming off of them because my body needs them.

    I take my medication for depression because my body needs them. There is a chemical imbalance and my body functions better with them than without them.

    My brain has trouble regulating the chemicals that my body needs. It is very much the same as the Pancreas having trouble producing enough insulin. The only difference is how the world perceives it. Both types of medications regulate something that my body needs to function properly.

    That way of thinking has really helped how I look at my medications. The medications are not 100% effective (insulin isn’t either, that is why diabetics have to check their blood every day). Some days will be good and others not so much.

    I hope this helps and I hope that you start to feel stronger!

  5. Sorry to hear about your idiot of a manager. Words fail me! But I hope you continue to do what’s right for you and I love that you don’t feel any pressure to blog if you don’t want to. #kcacols

  6. Thank you so much for sharing this. I find at times I just cut down on everything.. only the absolutely essential stuff happens as everything else is just too much for me and I feel like the tiniest thing will just send me over the edge.. like I simply won’t get out of bed or move from the floor. Blogging is one of the things I drop to, but it does come back again. Thanks again for sharing with #kcacols and hope to see you back again when you are ready to be.

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