​Self love has always been hard for me, I never truly understood how one can try to love themselves when they have faced so much pain in their lives from such a young age. Just recently, I realized over on this journey of mine from 2015 until now that is doesn’t need to start right away from love but acceptance. Not everything in life is everyone’s decision, sometimes we are living out other’s expectations of us. So today, I make changes to live more of my life in the present rather than in the past. 
(I joined some more online communities for support)! Sometimes we need to create our healthy environment full of acceptance and love. So much love to you all! Andrea ♥️

​In the month of December I will be giving away a “YES YOU” charm to one lucky person who is showing up for themselves and striving to live  a better quality of life and leaving behind their “unhealthy” lifestyle! Whether that would be free from alcohol, drugs and or food. It’s time to start kicking the unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms and celebrating the victories! 💎♥️

Sept 9, 1906 Alphonse Comeau was born, he was my great grandfather and was born in a very small French town in Canada. Sept 9, 2022 (his birthday) I learn that my great grandfather tried to take his own life in 1952 to later live with his self inflicted injuries in the Mental Health Ward of the hospital. He was there for almost 30 years, during that journey he attempted to take his life multiple times but was unsuccessful before passing away in 1980 at the age of 74. Yesterday I had no idea it was my great grandfather’s birthday and I had no idea of his life’s struggles and pressures, he was a father of 9. Today is September 10th which is suicide prevention day and I believe there was a reason I was told all of this yesterday. Back in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s even in the 2000’s Mental Health wasn’t something we talked about, not enough education, heavily stigmatized, “people would talk/judge” because no one is talking. I hope if anything I can help change this by speaking up, advocating more and sharing resources, Oh btw I also wanted to share this website I came across it has amazing resources, they are helping to prevent suicide and our Stop The Silence campaign donations for September will be donated to their organization, please check out their website below ⬇️  

​https://suicideprevention.ca 

Please remember you are worthy, you matter, you are loved and if you are not feeling well please reach out for help.
In Canada 🇨🇦 1-833-456-4566
kids help phone 1-800-668-6868
In US 🇺🇸 dial 988 or 
​1-800-273-8255

Here is a fun free little print out I made for you to hang up or screenshot for later whenever you may need it to practice!

​Often when we are experiencing low mood, if you can try and incorporate any of these 5 senses listed above or even a combination of them it can help significantly increase your  mood. Usually when I am feeling down/low mood, walking outside on a warm summer day can really help give me a boost. I am able to use all 4 of these senses cause let’s face it fresh cut grass it smells nice but I don’t think I want to taste that! 

There is also a grounding technique you can practice when you are feeling overwhelmed; low mood. You can do this while at home or as I like to do out in nature! Here is the list below, I also made a fun little free print out sheet which is for you to keep & hang up or screen shot for whenever you need a reminder to use this great technique! Much love Andrea ♥️

• 5 things you see (butterfly, tree, mug, sign, lamp) 
• 4 things you feel (water, grass, tissue, clothes) 
• 3 things you hear (cars, birds, TV)
• 2 things you smell (coffee, muffins) 
• 1 thing you taste (ice cream)​

Alcohol and mental health are closely linked. Drinking too much can affect your wellbeing. Some people may drink to try to relieve the symptoms of mental ill-health.
People drink for a wide range of reasons: to celebrate, socialise, commiserate or drown our sorrows. We may drink to try and change our mood: to feel more relaxed, courageous or confident. However, the effect of alcohol is only temporary. As it wears off, we often feel worse because of how alcohol withdrawal affects our brain and body.
You may feel like alcohol is your coping mechanism: a way to deal with depression, stress, anxiety or other difficult feelings. You might be nervous about what life would be like if you stopped drinking or cut back. But relying on alcohol to manage your mental wellbeing can become a problem in itself. There’s no shame in asking for help and exploring what a new relationship with alcohol could look like.

​How alcohol affects your brain.
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in your brain and affect your feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so after a drink or two, you may feel relaxed, less anxious and more confident. But these effects quickly wear off. The chemical changes in your brain can soon lead to more negative feelings such as anger, depression or anxiety taking over – regardless of the mood you’re in.
Alcohol also slows down how your brain processes information, making it harder to work out what you’re really feeling and the possible consequences of your actions.
In the long-term, alcohol uses up and reduces the amount of neurotransmitters in our brains, but we need a certain level to ward off anxiety and depression. This can make you want to drink more to relieve these difficult feelings – which can start a cycle of dependence.

​https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/alcohol-and-mental-health
​

These days we are often encouraged to write in journals, to unpack our minds, to put down our heavy thoughts, to unload from our day. There are many benefits to writing in a journal.

Journaling can help you gain healthier control over your emotions, it can help you track your progress and growth, as well as help you to achieve goals and even spark inspiration!

Once your Journal is complete, have you ever thought about all these thoughts, emotions, expression, end of day unfiltered thinking for all to see. 

I happened to have come across my mothers journal which had me feeling full of mixed emotions. So much so, that these last 2 months has had almost frozen. This journal was written from 1997-1999 she later passed away from cancer in 2001. I have no idea if she meant for me to read this journal or if it was just amongst her things that I as suppose to receive after her passing.

The reason I decided to write and share this here today is to bring awareness around our thoughts, our words and if you haven’t already please have instructions for your Journals. These should be a part of your Will, a burn before this date, or a do not read until this date or whatever you feel is suitable for these precious words. Please help to protect and take care of your thoughts and words. 

Much Love Andrea 
the freedom speaker
​♥️

WHAT IS BPD???

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a condition characterized by difficulties regulating emotion. This means that people who experience BPD feel emotions intensely and for extended periods of time, and it is harder for them to return to a stable baseline after an emotionally triggering event.
This difficulty can lead to impulsivity, poor self-image, stormy relationships and intense emotional responses to stressors. Struggling with self-regulation can also result in dangerous behaviors such as self-harm (e.g. cutting).
It’s estimated that 1.4% of the adult U.S. population experiences BPD. Nearly 75% of people diagnosed with BPD are women. Recent research suggests that men may be equally affected by BPD, but are commonly misdiagnosed with PTSD or depression. 

https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Borderline-Personality-Disorder

WHAT IS ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition that can cause unusual levels of hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. People with ADHD may also have trouble focusing their attention on a single task or sitting still for long periods of time.
Many people experience inattention and changes in energy levels. For a person with ADHD, this happens more often and to a greater extent compared with people who don’t have the condition. It can have a significant effect on their studies, work, and home life.
Both adults and children can have ADHD. It’s a diagnosis recognized by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Learn about types of ADHD and symptoms in both children and adults.

​https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd

Free Services within Canada  🇨🇦

*Canada Suicide Prevention Service (24/7) 1-833-456-4566
*Kids Help Phone 24 hrs (ages 5-29)

Resource links for Canada 🇨🇦 and United States 🇺🇸

https://cmha.ca/ (Canadian Mental Health Association)

https://www.nami.org/Home (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

https://iapmd.org/about-pmdd (The International Association For Premenstrual Disorders)

https://www.healthline.com/
​