Narcolepsy & Mental Illness ~ An Introduction of Jess Is A Mess

Forward by Suzanne ~ FibroMomBlog

Hi all, I would like to introduce you to Jessica. She has opened up about her struggles with her mental health and her physical chronic illness, narcolepsy. As I talk about in Fibromyalgia & Mental Health it is hard to talk about mental health struggles. The connection between our mental health and physical health is something that should not be overlooked. Please welcome Jessica and visit her blog, connect with her and let her know she isn’t alone.

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Hello! I’m Jess, the “mess” behind Jess Is a Mess, and I’d like to share a little about myself and my blog.

My Background With Mental Illness

I’ve spent most of my life surrounded by and struggling with mental health and mental illness. My mom has Bipolar disorder and PTSD, and I have quite a few other family members who have mental health struggles. I have also struggled for most of my life with anxiety and depression. I was also diagnosed with narcolepsy in my early 30’s, which honestly explained a lot for me.

Anxiety and depression are already energy drainers, but having narcolepsy has probably been the most difficult. There’s not really much I can do about it, and it’s something I will always live with. I had wondered for so many years why I always felt so tired all the time, why I would sometimes fall asleep uncontrollably during the day. For the longest time, I thought it was my mental health and my busy life.

It’s definitely been an uphill battle, but I was determined to fight back. I’ve put in a lot of time and hard work to get better, and I’ve come a long way from where I used to be. I refused to let any of it get the best of me. I was not going to let anxiety and depression win.

Recovering from Mental Illness

The biggest factor in my recovery has honestly been my counselor. I could not have gotten this far without her help. She helped me with the most difficult part – taking a good hard look at myself, and being honest with myself regarding my own recovery.

She is the true inspiration behind the idea to start a blog. I decided to take my experiences and what I’ve learned on my journey to recovery and share them to help others who struggle, like she helped me. I’m nowhere near as good as she is at it, but I still wanted to do my best to try.

My Goals With Mental Illness & My Blog

Just like that, Jess Is a Mess was born, and I’ve been blogging to help others for almost a year now. I share my story, struggles, tips and information relating to mental health, wellness, and life. There is so much I’ve learned about these topics, and I want to share this knowledge with everyone. If it helps even one person, it’s totally worth it!

I still have my ups and downs, and I think that’s pretty normal. Life can be difficult to navigate sometimes, for all of us. We just have to pick ourselves up, and keep moving forward! I continue to learn more every day, and I’m extremely grateful to be able to share it with others.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me, and allowing me to share my blog with you!
~ Jess

You can follow Jessica below on the following social media outlets and of course her blog. Please show her support as her work is extremely important in decreasing the mental illness stigma and providing support for those that need it.

• Facebook – facebook.com/anxietygirljess 
• Pinterest – pinterest.com/jessisamess030506
• Twitter – twitter.com/jessisamess79
• Blog – https://jessisamess.com/

If you have a physical chronic illness and a mental illness I want to hear your story. You can help decrease stigma and help others too! Let’s hear your tips on how you get through “flares” and “breakdowns” or better~ how you prevent them. Please contact me suzanne@fibromomblog.com to be included in this series.

Gentle Hugs to all from FibroMomBlog