A Northern Irish GP has used the experiences of working with patients and her own personal struggles to create a new book in order to help others with their mental health.
DrBláthnaid Carlin has written 'Reset, Maintain, Grow' that aims to give readers tools and strategies to improve their mental health and wellbeing which have been developed from her own battles with postnatal depression and OCD as well as her 15 years as a health care professional working closely with patients.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Dr Carlin said she hoped she could help at least one person with her self-published book and that she aims to open up a wider discussion around mental health and break down some of the stigmas that still surround it.
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She said: "As a GP I see the impact mental health has on people every single day, while I have also had my own personal battles with postnatal depression and OCD so I know the importance of looking after yourself and ensuring you take positive steps in life to do this.
"I have used these experiences to write 'Reset, Maintain, Grow' which I hope will be able to help others understand their own mental health and the strategies that we can use to improve it in our day to day lives.
"We need to recognise that our brain is an organ just like any other in the body and we need to look after it, whether this is through daily affirmations or using positive language in our brains and looking for ways to boost our mental hormones. I have tried to keep things as simple as possible in the book and my aim is that it can be used as a resource that people can turn to.
Dr Carlin says that since publishing the book at the end of last year she has been overwhelmed with the response from readers saying: "When I started putting the book together with my husband my aim was to help at least one person and it has been quite overwhelming to see the response that I have had from readers, some of whom have been my patients.
"Without our mental health we have nothing and I just hope that I have been able to help in some way and give others the tools they need to look after themselves."
If you would like to purchase a copy of 'Reset, Maintain, Grow' you can do so via this link.
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