I'm Going Slightly Mad...

Book of the Week: The Virgin’s Lover by Philippa Gregory

Not posted for a while though a lot has happened. It’s all been too much to take in, all at once too intense and private and emotionally draining to put into words, and I can only hope and pray, and pray. I don’t seem to be able to concentrate – not being overly dramatic here, but I feel increasingly distracted, and my mind drifts even when I try to concentrate. The last month has come with particularly heavy burdens.

Which might explain why I’m reading fluff at the moment. But right before this I completed The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, by G W Dahlquist – a rollicking, bodice-ripping, erotically charged adventure, if I remember the reviews correctly. A bit confusing at times and I found it quite hard-going at first trying to see the scenes unfolding (not for want of description – maybe I’m just not imaginative enough). And I read another book before that but I can’t remember what it is now.

Which brings me to today’s topic – mental health. I can’t remember as well as I used to, and I’m terrified I may one day be struck down by Alzheimer’s. As it is I feel I have a brain tumour at times. I used to be able to remember whole chapters verbatim (the only way I passed psychology in second year), these days I can’t even remember what I did last weekend. I seem to have aphasia on an hourly basis. It could be that the days and dates just blur into one, but maybe I have oligodendroglioma or something. So when I saw this, my heart leapt – there is hope! I still can’t do Sudoku, but at least my brain’s getting a workout with the daily occasional crossword clues.

The five tasks a day that could protect your mental wellbeing are…
Connecting with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours;
Being active – sports, hobbies, gardening, dancing or just a daily stroll;
Being curious, noting the beauty of everyday moments as well as the unusual;
Learning something – fixing a bike or playing a musical instrument;
Giving to others you meet around you.

I can do that. Here’s to my sanity. (Apparently, there’s a strong link between mental health and debt – half the people in Britain who are in debt have a mental disorder. So that’s reason to celebrate. I’m very sane by that account.)

Factoids of the Week:
More word fun. Have to learn something every day, what. Cool words, these. Today’s theme is phobias, and there are a few odd ones going around…

Allodoxaphobia – Fear of opinions.

Catagelophobia – Fear of being ridiculed.

Cenophobia or Centophobia – Fear of new things or ideas.

Cynophobia – Fear of dogs. (Now that’s just stupid. Dogs are the best!)

Eleutherophobia – Fear of freedom. (Exclusive to Malaysian government…)

Enissophobia – Fear of criticism. (Ditto.)

Epistemophobia – Fear of knowledge. (See above.)

Hypegiaphobia – Fear of responsibility. (Repeat…)

Ideophobia – Fear of ideas. (And again…)

Melophobia – Fear or hatred of music. (Now for a short intermission…)

Metathesiophobia – Fear of changes. (And we’re back to the Malaysian government!)

Methyphobia – Fear of alcohol. (Rare in Scotland.)

Metrophobia – Fear or hatred of poetry.

Neophobia – Fear of anything new. (See Malaysian government.)

Peccatophobia - Fear of sinning or imaginary crimes.

Philophobia – Fear of falling in love or being in love.

Prosophobia – Fear of progress. (Malaysian government again.)

Staurophobia – Fear of crosses or the crucifix.

Stygiophobia or stigiophobia – Fear of hell.

Theophobia – Fear of gods or religion other than your own.

Wiccaphobia – Fear of witches and witchcraft.