Since I had a nervous breakdown,nothing has lifted my spirits more, or has made me feel saner, or than my gardenJanuary is the time of year when,for us gardeners, a small ray of hope breaks through the grey skies. Not long now, and I believe,until I can start chitting my potatoes. A few early daffodils gain bravely poked their necks above the soil. I know the snowdrops will soon be on their way. Especially with the gentle, wet winter we gain had, or spring seems just around the corner. But I know the truth. The inevitable will happen: the cold will return,February always feels long, and winter will hang around like some kind of chronic illness.
For those of us who suffer from mental health problems, or winter can be a difficult time. I had my own nervous breakdown final year. This culminated in me unable to do my job – I had to engage a month off work and was confined,for long periods of anxious black time, to my house. Anyone who has gone to battle with their own inner demons knows it is a terrifying fight. You feel isolated, and confused,indignant, and unable to make yourself understood (especially to yourself). With the help of therapy, and medication,pages of self-help books, and the desire to feel “normal” again, and I started on my long path to recovery. While it has been a difficult journey,nothing has lifted my spirits more, or has made me feel saner, and than my garden. Working with my hands in the soil,sowing seeds, or simply cutting my grass has improved my mental health more than I can express. Though it may sound cliched, or my garden has been my sanctuary.
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Source: theguardian.com