James Ballantyne

anxiety

  • Breakfast with my Shadow.

    Men Fawn Too. (Extra Travel Bonus Piece) I wasnt alone for my breakfast this morning. When I woke up the voice was still inside my head. I got up, showered and then went down to the lobby for breakfast.  Im… Continue reading

    Breakfast with my Shadow.

  • Hello darkness……friend….not monster.

    Hello darkness, my old friend.  I wrote in the first line of my journal this morning, as if I was channelling the ghost of Simon and Garfunkel and trying desperately not to rewrite the song as the outpouring of what… Continue reading

    Hello darkness……friend….not monster.

  • Breaking the Silence: Men’s Mental Health Matters

    As men, we’ve been conditioned for generations to believe that strength means suppressing our emotions. We’re told that being tough, stoic, and unshakable is the ideal. We’re encouraged to “man up,” to push through pain, to avoid vulnerability, and to… Continue reading

  • Life with c-PTSD

    I did something this week that I’ve never done before.  I googled, no, I read the wikipedia article on c-ptsd.  Here it is:  c-PTSD Because, not for the first time in my last few years, it has been something that my… Continue reading

  • Choosing a Life Beyond the News Cycle

    I was raised to believe that it was important to watch the news and stay informed. When my friends were watching the Simpsons, or fresh prince, or some other thing when they ate their tea in front of the TV.… Continue reading

  • Loving discomfort

    I used to suppress everything, so I didn’t feel anything Get through it Survive it Bounce Close off my heart, live a shrouded life. Any discomfort was barely even felt Or felt in silence, private and… then pushed through, and… Continue reading