Bronagh Loughlin

The Covid-19 pandemic was when my agoraphobia became very real, and I started to recognise my avoidance as a barrier and challenge

External validation becomes dangerous when we solely rely on other people to determine our self-worth

Early insecurities and pressure to fit in can leave you uneasy with the theory and practice of friendly bonds

Deleting most of my social media accounts encouraged me to live in the present and work on my confidence and self-esteem

Having a good self-esteem is the starting point for ensuring you appropriately look after and take care of yourself

If I am not coping well, my mental health starts to manifest and become physical as well as emotional

We can all overthink a situation, but thinking too much on a frequent basis is when it becomes a problem

Overthinking is like taking part in a mind Olympics; you try to protect yourself but in the end you are exhausted

While some content serves an important purpose in educating people, a lot of it encourages self-diagnosis, which can be harmful

It’s important for sufferers to be able to vent their feelings. Don’t dismiss their fears

Trauma is called trauma for a reason – because it leaves scars, bruises and stunts our growth

I was told a week before my last appointment that they were going to end

Whenever I heard this, it would translate in my mind to ‘they think you’re stupid, do it’

Negative thoughts about the environment overwhelm me, I worry I’m not doing enough

Although my eating disorder may look like an issue of vanity on the outside, on the inside, I hated myself