The interwebs can cheer us up!

' Gee whiz, now I've got these inspiring blogs to read I can cut down on the barbiturates  and unsavoury menfolk!' 

We interrupt this most fascinating of all fascinating blog streams about gallstones to bring you news of inspirational, anxiety-busting blogs and websites elsewhere in the world.

Firstly: XO Jane. Have I mentioned this one before? Sorry gents, it's definitely a ladies only one, this. Ladies - listen up. I've just discovered it - full of hilarious, sassy (I really hate that word, so why would I use it?), feisty (if anything I hate this even more than sassy, grrrr) and strident (ah, forget it) articles written by clever, funny women.  

Okay, so I've just somehow managed to make it sound really terrible (remind me not to write a review of your book if you ever publish one), so just go there and see. It's not remotely all about mental health, but there are some bits and pieces that are really pertinent to us worry-warts: Anxiety hero Sara Benincasa has written a great article on there about panic attacks, there's this one  and this one about depression, and even one about GALLSTONES, who'd-a-thunk-it?! 

Use the search bar - it's your friend. If you're in the UK it will probably try to steer you to the new UK version, but I personally prefer the US one (which still features a lot of the UK articles).

Nextly: The Big Scary C Word. It's actually a breast cancer blog that popped up on Huffington Post UK, but is such an inspiring and brave account of a young woman coping (well, hell, she more than copes) that it deserves inclusion in the push-up bra (uplifting, see what I did there) section.

 I initially internally shrieked with self-hatred after seeing how phenomenally well she was dealing with something infinitely more terrifying than anything I worry about, but then I realised - she doesn't have an anxiety condition! Or depression! Her boatload of shit is very different to our boatload of shit, but you can certainly draw a hell of a lot of inspiration from this woman's sunny outlook - I certainly have.

Nextly nextly: Panic about Anxiety. Summer Beretsky blogs at Psych Central about her agoraphobia and panic attacks. Loads of great, clear, honest (she doesn't hide behind anonymity, hmmm) articles there about anxiety in all its gnarly forms.

Question: Is an anxiety blogger blogging about other great anxiety blogs a little like a woman telling her boyfriend how gorgeous other women are and then giving him their numbers? Guys, guys - where are you all going...hang on, can I just.....guyyyyyys...? 

V x

Blogs: for when life feels like a metaphorical budgie is crapping on your metaphorical head

What's new pussycat? Whoah-a-oh...oh.

  

Hilarious. Read 'em and weep! http://anxietycat.tumblr.com

Some websites for your anxious monkey mind...

No more panic

The online bible of panic and anxiety. Chatroom, huge forum and tons and tons of resources. You will find references to every single bizarre fear you've ever entertained, every side-effect of every medication, every strange sensation that's been plagueing you, and you will learn that you are certainly far from alone. BUT, there's a health warning attached to this. You can easily sink into an obsessive research spiral, where you plunge deeper and deeper into the forum and discover more and more awful possible symptoms, and can develop new worries you had hitherto not even been creative enough to imagine (i.e. wow - some people have trouble swallowing and get anxious about that. Wow, if I stop to think about it, that is quite anxiety-making. Shit)

So. Check it out, look up the things that relate to you, check out what joy people have had with various supplements and medications, and maybe see if there's a support group in your area. But don't spend hours on it, or you'll make yourself feel much worse. There's something to be said for leaving all this crap alone and getting some fresh air too.

Monkey Mind Chronicles

Created to tie in with the launch of Daniel Smith's new book, this is a very funny, very neurotic look at a man GADing about (you see what I've done there?!). There's even an anxiety jukebox. His tweets are great too.

The Reality of Anxiety

A really lovely blog written by a really lovely woman.  There are some religious posts, but don't be put off (if that's the kind of thing that puts you off) - Aimee certainly doesn't push anything, and only uses it to explain how faith has helped her overcome anxiety etc. Especially good if you're a parent - there are some really inspiring entries on here about Aimee's balancing of family life with anxiety etc.

The Mayo Clinic

Superb on medication info. Why has my libido died in the ass after taking Prozac? What other cocktail of drugs can I force into my body to breathe life back into the old dog? Will I get addicted to tranquilisers and end up homeless and eventually dead? Again - don't spend hours on here - just search if you've been put on a specific medication, and want to know more than your disinterested GP will tell you. But DON'T get hung up on side effects - just because they're listed does not mean you will get them...