Worryingly Brilliant!

Mental health. Community. Peer support.

This is a photo of me. A selfie, taken during my stay on the psychiatric ward of my local hospital.

When you are neurodivergent or struggle with your mental health, social situations can be overwhelming in a way that can be difficult to explain to people whose heads are not wired-up like ours.

Worryingly Brilliant is an attempt to create a safe-space for people like us, where we can explore our creativity, find peer-support, low-key socialise in a structured and non-threatening way and informally engage with mental health professionals,

Taking the form of a creative peer-support group, Worryingly Brilliant would be a monthly art workshop that would focus on a different form of creative practice each time. They would be facilitated by experienced artists and workshop leaders.

The sessions would also be attended by a mental healthcare professional, such as a Community Psychiatric Nurse.

We are currently seeking support and funding to make it a reality. And provide tea and biscuits..

I have a history of mental health struggles and something I have found though the course of this journey is that it is often easier to be open about your feelings and experiences when in the company of other people who have had similar struggles. 

I have found a sense of kinship with the other patients I have met in my care journey that has been a valuable source of connection and strength for me.

I have also found creative activity to be of great help to me in dealing with my illness. I would like to create something that combines these two elements to help people who are in a similar situation toe.

I am also aware, through personal experience, that chronic mild mental health issues have the potential to explode into something serious if not recognised and managed. In my case by the time I sought professional help, I was past helping. I had crossed the event horizon and disaster was probably inevitable. I think that something like Worryingly Brilliant would help people to engage with mental health professionals in a informal, risk-free way.

If this is an idea that interests you or that you feel you could help support, ping me an email. I’d love to chat it over.