She's Got Views

I just finished Maniac and I'm dying to talk about its portrayal of Mental Illness, don't worry I won't be spoiling it as I feel that its one of those shows that you have to go into with as minimal context as you can, and just go with it. It was created by Cary Joji Fukunaga and Patrick Sommerville and stars both Jonah Hill and Emma Stone as our main characters, they both go through a pharmaceutical drug trial for an exciting new mental health drug. It's filled with so many symptoms of mental illness from addiction, to dissociation, hallucinations and mania to say a few. I will say it is very triggery for someone who has experienced mental illness for most of my life, but the conclusion is worth it. It's helped me release that it's ok to go through stuff, it's ok to be mentally ill and take extra care of my mind. I've laughed with this show, cried with this show, and let go of the deep shame that I have for my illness. I don't have the kno...

I did say last week that I was taken time off to grieve but after watching Frozen at the weekend I couldn't help but look at it from a Mental Illness perspective. I took this as a sign that I was ready to continue writing this series. Is Elsa a metaphor for Anxiety? The disorder that keeps me up at night seems to be prevalent in this film, even Grand Pabbie says it to a young Elsa at the start of the film, "Fear will be your enemy," and we see Elsa lash out at her coronation celebration. The fear she has inside her makes Elsa's powers go haywire, she fears her secret will be revealed to others around her, just as I feel people will find out I have anxiety just by being around me. But fear is not the solution, it ends up hurting the people Elsa loves the most, as she lashes out and pushes them away. She becomes so scared of hurting others that she ends up hurting them. Then when her powers get out of control she runs away and hides inside her own Ice Palac...

Before I go off and talk about Jessica Jones I thought it was important to talk about my own horrible week, but right now I can't seem to get the words to talk about it, and close family has just found out. I hope to talk about it with you when I feel a bit more able to talk about it, so right now you'll just have to settle for the fact that I had a horrible week. Much like Jessica Jones it's easy to try and reach for the bottle to dull my emotions, but unlike her I know exactly where that leads, and it's no help to anyone. Jessica has PTSD from abuse she received at the hands of the Purple Man before the show begins, and right now that is all I can relate too. She receives flashbacks to her past abuse during the first season, these cause her to have a panic attack, and she recites the phrase, "Birch Street, Higgins Drive, Cobalt lane," as a coping technique used to ground her back in reality. This I can fully relate too, I use objects to bring me int...

                                                                                                      Image Source Dementors have haunted me ever since I read The Prisoner of Azkaban way back in 1999. I was a Pre-Teen who was pretty much unaware of the depression that was just around the corner, in a way this book prepared me for what was to come, and after multiple reads, it became my go-to reference when explaining my depression. First off let's give a brief outline of Dementors, these magical wraith-like creatures can generally be found guarding Azkaban Prison, sucking the happiness, hope, and peace out of everyone around them. If you have had a horrible life marked by loss and abuse (just like Harry) you are much more affecte...

                                                                                      Image Source As some of you may know I myself suffer from mental illness, it can be hard trying to explain how exactly I feel the way I do, or how my illness affects me. This is why Television and Film can be so great, I can point straight to them and use them to educate others about my illness. Mental Illness does come with a ton of stereotyping, even today some writers get it wrong, or just stick with the broad symptoms that can fit any illness. I want to talk about those films and shows that get it right, and the ones which have helped me during my own turbulent time. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend                         ...

A few months ago I joined  The Wizarding World Book Club , ignorant of the fact most Potter related goodness comes throughout the year and not just the 31st of July I have now found myself rather behind. Typically I know I can catch up, but I thought I'd share my own review for each theme as I work my way through it, because why not. I think it's safe to say that I love all Potter related things, as I write I' m currently sandwiched between three potter related pillows and a Hogwarts blanket. I've read all the books too many times to count, I have even stood in line at midnight for some of them, and stayed up all night to read; not because I wanted to finish quickly to find out what happens, but because I couldn't put them down. I've cried with these books at weird places, I've even cried for Lord Voldemort after I cried for Sirius' death, I cried for his lack of empathy, love, and friendship. I have also felt safe, obsessed, and rather ecst...