Mindfulness for Wellness

by AnnaBelle

A little bit about me - by AnnaBelle

22 Apr 2023 19:33

I wanted to share some information about myself to help you understand who I am and what you will find on this page. My name, of course, is Anna Belle. And yes, that is a capital B; it was not a typo. I am a teen in high school who is very interested in psychology. I am particularly interested in child psychology and how a child's environment can influence how their mind works, and I hope to one day work as a child psychologist or therapist. I am interested in psychology because it is what I grew up with. I have had many struggles in the past, so I decided to do some research to figure out why I was feeling the way I was. For a while, I functioned as my own therapist.

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Validation. - by AnnaBelle

22 Apr 2023 15:32

Validation: (from Oxford Languages:)

 

  • the action of checking or proving the validity or accuracy of something.
    "the technique requires validation in controlled trials"
    • the action of making or declaring something legally or officially acceptable.
      "new courses, subject to validation, include an MSc in Urban Forestry"
    • recognition or affirmation that a person or their feelings or opinions are valid or worthwhile.
      "they have exaggerated needs for acceptance and validation"

 

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Through my eyes - by AnnaBelle

22 Apr 2023 15:16

As a child who grew up with a brother with neurodiverse conditions, I have a unique perspective on the world. My lived experiences have taught me to be more accepting, understanding, and kind, while also making me more paranoid and distrustful. I have no grudges or resentments because, in the end, we all did our best, and it was never my sibling's fault. Trauma, as well as these conditions, alter how your brain functions. I have been listening to the book "The Body Keeps the Score," and I remember hearing about how trauma affects and rewires the brain. This was something I discovered while researching at home because I wanted to understand why I felt so much pain and anxiety when I was away from certain people, which turned out to be attachment anxiety. That is also what my therapist told me when I told her about my problems. 

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Siblings who are affected aren't alone - by AnnaBelle

22 Apr 2023 15:35

I am not sure where to start with this. My head is a mess of incomplete thoughts that I want to write, however, I'm not sure how to even complete them.  

Most kids who have siblings with different types of neurodiverse conditions probably feel alone or neglected. I have 4 (now 5!!!) siblings, and I think we have all felt this way at least once. Many kids, might feel completely alone. 

The effects of having mental health aren't something that's talked about very much, so it's hard to talk to friends or family about this. And the combination of all of this can make someone feel like they are alone and that no one understands them. 

But that isn't the case. The truth is that most people won't understand, but there still are people out there who do. And that's why I'm writing this. 

When I first was asked if I wanted to join the journey of this blog, I was nervous and unsure. I used to enjoy writing, but I haven't sat down and written something in a while (besides journaling, but that is usually a mess of my thoughts that I don't really try to write well). But I want to help others out there that may feel alone, to tell them that they aren't. 

So I'm writing this as a start to my part of the blog. I am the sister of Mr. I, and my experience is different from most, so I decided to write about it. I want to provide a new perspective on this and talk about my own situations with my sibling, neurodiversity, and mental health in general.

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