I have learnt to use visuals and images to express myself especially when I'm depressed. I sat with my spouse discussing my current episode of depression. As I reflected, I saw the state of my mood like a tyre puncture. Some punctures are slow; you can feel the weight of the car tipping to one side. This gives you time to pull over, investigate the damage, change the tyre and continue the journey. Others are sudden; you have to hold tight to the steering wheel to control the vehicle. All these you often have to fix with a little help. In the last six months I have had both slow punctures and sudden ones sending my mood in a tail spin.

My spouse, an ardent Formula 1 fan, had an interesting perspective. It's a Pit Stop, he said, or many pit stops. Like every car on the race track, a pit stop is inevitable. It's a given, you have to refuel and the tyres have to be changed. But sometimes you are going to need something fixed. Maybe you clipped your wings or nose. The engine might be faulty or some other driver was just mean and ran you off the track and in the process you damaged your car. Sometimes it is all the above at different times of the race.

The thing is, the Pit Stop is important, all the resources to "fix the car are in the Pit Stop" You just need to drive the car in there.

This is my Pit Stop. I will be back on the race track.

Peggs

A Moodscope member.