'Those of you who are regular readers of Moodscope know that many of my blogs involve an adventure or escapade on a dog walk with my terrible terrier, Ruby.

Today was different. She was not the cause of my angst. On walking back across the meadow, a lovely field in my local park, I saw a young woman, who had already passed me pushing her baby in a pram with her lively little dog, appear to be having an altercation with a young man. It was getting heated and even though the other side of the meadow I walked across. He had taken exception to her small, inoffensive dog jumping up his leg. More sinisterly, it was actually an excuse to have a go at a woman wearing a hijab. I walked off with her, ignoring his taunts and offered to escort her out of the park. She was in tears and scared so I saw her to her car and then walked back across the park only to see him again. Despite his eyeballing me I walked on and left the park to return home for a strong coffee.

Now this wasn't really about me. I wasn't the target and I stuck my size 7 feet in. Although I am writing about it I wasn't massively shaken. I was angry and annoyed.

Another incident happened this week with a neighbour. It wasn't good and I have inadvertently caused offence.

These two things could really topple me but I have to find strategies to deal with the hiccups and challenges along the way. This evening's dog walk was a pensive one but, as regulars know, is one of my coping strategies.

I will need to be more resilient than ever in the next few weeks. I am, for the first time in 20 years, coming off my medication. This is being medically supervised and is not me trying to brave it alone. However, unfortunately some irregular blood tests mean that I have to do this to see if it has any impact.

So this will be a real test of my resilience. Have all those strategies I have advocated here on Moodscope going to be sufficient over the next few weeks?

I am not advocating coming off medication. I would much rather have that comfort blanket. But my physical health is requiring me to change my approach.

So how resilient can I be and do you have any advice on what I can do to deal with the possible darker moments ahead?

Thank you, Moodscope friends.

As ever

BrumMum

A Moodscope member.