East Durham Counselling

01/04/2026

27/03/2026

Commonly prescribed medication for ADHD could lower the risk of developing serious psychotic disorders later in life, new research suggests. Tap the link in comments to get the full story ⬇️

Experts from the Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research found that children treated with methylphenidate before the age of 13 were less likely to go on to develop conditions such as schizophrenia in adulthood.

The findings challenge long-standing concerns that stimulant medications may increase the risk of psychosis, researchers say.

19/03/2026

If you've got hypermobility or EDS and you've struggled with anxiety, I want you to know something. It's not in your head. Well, technically it is, but not in the way you've probably been told.

Research has found that those with joint hypermobility were around 17 times more likely to have panic disorder or agoraphobia compared to those without. Not slightly more likely. Around seventeen times. And multiple studies have consistently found this kind of association, so it's not a one-off finding.

But, here's where it gets really interesting. Brain imaging research has shown that those with hypermobility tend to have larger amygdalas, the part of your brain responsible for processing fear. A 2012 MRI study of 72 healthy volunteers (none of whom had clinical anxiety) found a significant difference in amygdala volume between those with and without joint hypermobility, with an effect size of around 0.8, which is large by any standard. So your brain's threat detection system is literally built differently.

Now, that's not the whole picture. Your nervous system is also involved. If you've got POTS or dysautonomia alongside your hypermobility, your heart can spike by 30 or more beats per minute just from standing up. That adrenaline surge mimics the exact symptoms of a panic attack, racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness. It's not surprising that a lot of people with hypermobility end up in mental health services being treated for panic disorder when the root cause is actually cardiovascular.

And then there's the gut connection. Around 90 to 95% of your body's serotonin is produced in the gut, not the brain. When you consider that gut disorders are more common in those with hEDS compared to the general population, it starts to make sense why anxiety can feel so physical and so persistent.

A 2022 systematic review looking across 23 studies found anxiety prevalence of up to 51.2% in some EDS cohorts. That figure comes from the higher end of the range, but even the lower estimates are well above what you'd expect in the general population.

So if you've been told it's "just anxiety" or to "try and relax", know that there are real, measurable, structural reasons why your body is wired this way. You're not weak. You're not making it up. Your biology is genuinely different.

We go into a lot more detail on the mechanisms, the research, and what actually helps in our full blog post (link in comments).

Have you experienced anxiety alongside your hypermobility? Did anyone ever explain the connection to you, or were you told it was "just stress"? Drop a comment, we'd love to hear your experience.

19/03/2026

13/03/2026

26/01/2026

20/01/2026

09/01/2026

30/12/2025

I hit 3,000 counselling hours yesterday… Thousands of hours listening, noticing patterns, sitting with complexity, and learning what actually helps - not just what looks good on paper.

Experience doesn’t mean having all the answers, but it does mean bringing more patience, depth, and understanding into the room.

As always, I’m feeling really grateful to do this work, and to the people who’ve trusted me with their stories.

Let’s make 2026 matter.

21/12/2025

I wanted to share a brief update about my health - you’re a caring bunch and updating you here means you don’t need to eat into your own sessions asking how I am 😊

Over the past year or so, I’ve been dealing with what can be at times at times, incredibly debilitating fatigue and pain. This has meant I’ve had to cancel some sessions at short notice, which I know can be disruptive, and I really appreciate your patience around that. I’ve also experience quite a bit of brain fog - I’ve muddled up session times and lost my train of thought a lot.

I’m now much closer to understanding what’s been going on. I’m currently being assessed for POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome).

In simple terms:
• POTS can involve symptoms like dizziness, a racing heart, fatigue, brain fog, and feeling disproportionately exhausted after things that used to feel manageable (including exercise).

• MCAS can involve widespread pain, GI issues, headaches, flushing, allergic-type reactions, and feeling unwell without an obvious cause.

These conditions often develop after long periods of stress on the body, illness, trauma, or ongoing nervous system overload. They’re also more common in neurodivergent people, which many of you may already recognise from your own experiences.

A big part of managing both conditions is pacing — learning to stop before the crash rather than after it, resting proactively, and letting go of the idea that pushing through is helpful or sustainable. That can be challenging in a world (and many nervous systems) that are used to overriding limits.

This has also affected my ability to exercise, which is an important part of how I usually support my own mental wellbeing, so I’m currently adapting and finding gentler ways to care for myself while my body stabilises.

I’m moving forward with assessment and management, and my aim is to work in a way that’s as consistent and sustainable as possible. Thank you for your understanding and care.

19/12/2025

POTS shows up differently for everyone. 🩵

Whether your symptoms are visible or not, they matter.
We see you, we understand, and you’re not alone in this journey.

18/12/2025

🔥 Anger isn’t usually the first thing people think of with ADHD—but it’s one of the most overlooked struggles. Emotional outbursts aren’t about “bad behavior”—they’re tied to how the ADHD brain processes emotions. Once you understand the brain link, you can approach it with more compassion and better strategies.