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My name is Amanda Green, I was born and live in England, UK, and I have set up this website and now written my memoir to share with my readers, the story of my issues with mental illness, therapy and recovery.
I have just started up a free newsletter mailing list and when I have enough subscribers I will be sending out an inspirational newsletter with new information. (just press ‘join the MAILING LIST’ on the right hand side of this website to join it). I am hoping that my readers will join in and share their stories with me, either in the comments, or by emailing me for inclusion on the website or in the newsletter – amanda@amandagreenauthor.co.uk I have also added the ability to subscribe to my website and you will receive an email each time I publish a new article to the site, to keep you up to date – just click on the link on the right hand side of this page ‘subscribe to Amanda Green author by email’ to join).
I am also regularly posting many articles, pages and selected links on this website about Borderline Personality disorder, depression, Obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety/panic attacks, thyroid issues, eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia), alcohol and drug abuse, sexual abuse/rape, Quetiapine (Seroquel anti-psychotics) and Citalopram (anti-depressant) medications, therapies such as Cognitive behavioural therapy and paranoia, dissociation and psychosis – all of which I have experienced in one way or another either myself or those I know and I hope that they compliment the story I am sharing in my book as they are more focussed on mental health, whereas my book is a story. There’s information about these disorders, mental health charities, mental health forums, mental health campaigns, about the stigma surrounding mental illness and some of my personal experiences and healing as well as celebrities with mental health issues and living with mental health issues in the family.
I hope you will find these interesting
 Amanda Green pandora box logo You will see that my logo is a locked box and this is because one of the main things I had to do to heal myself was to deal with adverse things that have happened to me in my past and my aim was to put them in a ‘pandoras box’, close the lid on them and lock them away, so that I could forgive and forget the past and concentrate on the future. I realised that holding onto the past was harming me in the present time and it had to stop. Therefore, I decided this would be an apt logo for me to share and be recognised with. Plus green is for ‘go’ (‘go for it’ I thought) and is also my name.
You will see the main feature on my book cover is a keyhole in keeping with the locked away bad memories theme – this portrays that readers can unlock everything for themselves when they read it.
My memoir is a story of my life, showing normality and how mental illness crept into it and tore me apart. But my memoir is not a depressing read, nor is it a slow read, as it has many ups and downs, adventures, exciting events and delves a little into drugs, sex and rock and roll. It is totally real and honest and because of that, I have not taken out sexual references, scenes or abuse or swearing where those things occurred, but this is purely to show reality and not for effect. My story is a written as my journey through life and how I fought my inner demons and past to heal myself. There are real letters, emails, text messages and conversations in this book together with diary excerpts inserted at times throughout the narrative when poignant in my story.
Read more about my book My Alien Self – My Journey Back To Me by CLICKING HERE, It is now published (31st May 2012) on Kindle e-book which is BPD awareness/mental health awareness month. Go to the UK Amazon page by CLICKING HERE and the USA Amazon page by CLICKING HERE First great news is that you can read the first 10% of my book for FREE either on your kindle or directly on the Amazon website on your PC, laptop, MAC, handhelds etc. And the other GREAT news is that you do not need a Kindle reader to read kindle books, everyone can read them, just by downloading the free software from Amazon – you can read kindle on: PC, ipad, iphone, ipod touch, Android phone, Android tablet, MAC, kindle cloud reader, Windows phone 7 and Blackberry! To read more about this and find links to the Amazon pages for the downloads see my page by CLICKING HERE
I have also added a sample of my writing – see it by CLICKING HERE and a small piece from my book about my mum and dad – CLICK HERE
I would love to hear from you all, so please use any of the comments boxes to share your views with everyone else who visits this site. And if you would like to receive my NEWSLETTER SIGN UP HERE
Just a quick update as my life is about to get busier! I have just finished the final edit on my sequel memoir (to ‘My Alien Self: My Journey Back to Me’ and it’s with my editor Debz Hobbs-Wyatt for a last copy edit. I am very excited about this book as it is set out and organised totally by me which I feel is a credit to my writing. I hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it, as it is an upbeat, inspirational memoir and based on journals from the last year.
It will take you into my whirlwind of love, humour, emotion, depression, adventures, music, animals and relationships, as I strive to stay strong and achieve a life really worth living as a childless woman before my fast approaching 40th birthday! There are darker flashbacks, so it is, once again, for adults only.
I also focus on family relationships and talking of which, my dad has his bypass operation in a few days!
As soon as I have the book cover I shall post it, and ‘39’ will be out soon on Amazon Kindle, so …….Continue reading My new sequel ‘39’ will be out soon!…
My big news! Today was the first meeting and filming for a TV show I have agreed to be a part in. I was surprisingly calm, got off to sleep fine last night, and woke looking forward to it. I must say I have done a lot of research, so I know who I am talking to, and what the programme will be about, so that was very enjoyable, since I love research and I felt ‘prepared’ for the day. However, half hour before leaving, an irritable mood swept over me and the panic began. I felt sick, kept gong to the toilet, my stomach hurt and I felt nervous. Chris offered to take me there and pick me up later, so I quickly took him up on his generosity!
The meeting was at 11.15, but I didn’t want to do it, my nerves getting the better of me. I decided that I had to try, so in I went to meet them in a coffee shop. A quick chat and interview, as advised, turned out to be two and half hours of waiting, photo shoot, being filmed walking along, an outdoor filmed interview, and a few indoor interviews, plus a filmed ‘test’ and chat. Each time we did something in front of the camera, whilst being told to ignore it, I felt it became easier and the interviewers were relaxed and in control so it was …….Continue reading My big news! I have overcome my fears and been filmed for a TV programme today!…
Firstly, happy May everyone! Personally, it is one of my favourite months in the year as it’s usually warming up from the cool winter climate, but not too hot!
It’s an exciting month for me as we are now seriously editing my sequel so it won’t be long before it’ll be on the kindle shelves. I am also toying with the idea of getting a kitten or two or a puppy – gosh I know they are very different animals, but it has to be the right decision as I will have them for years! But, since I adopted Titus recently, I have already taken the plunge of responsibility. Not a lot of responsibility you might think, but since I’ve been recovering from BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and depression, it is a lot for me.
I digress! May is BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) awareness month, so I thought I would highlight that fact and hope that some of you guys who know little or nothing about the disorder, will take a look round my site, or any other site for that matter that describes BPD, and learn a little about it  BPD is one of the lesser known mental illnesses, yet it accounts for 20% of psychiatric hospitalisations, 2% of the population have it and out of that 2%, 10% go on to commit suicide. Now that is a disorder we need to know about! It could happen to someone you know, cause great distress and patients can be either in denial or not diagnosed. It always helps if we can look out for symptoms in those we care about.
And, as I always say, think about stigma. Stigma can come in the guise of bullying, but can also be someone not understanding someones else’s mental illness and avoiding them or invalidating them. It comes in so many more forms than that, but whatever way it is delivered, it is always destructive. Think before you act, and learn before you judge. …….Continue reading May 2013 already and it’s BPD Borderline Personality Disorder awareness month!…
I began my mental illness anti-stigma campaign and wrote my first article on mental health 3 years ago on 17th April 2010, so, as a celebration I am giving my memoir ‘My Alien Self: My Journey Back to Me’ away on Wednesday this week! (17th April).
I have really enjoyed writing about my experiences of mental illness, chatting to people with various experiences, and spreading the word of how harmful stigma can be. It is very rewarding, mentally and emotionally, and I will not be stopping!
So, if you’d like to read my memoir, which is for adults only, please go to Amazon through this link and download your kindle book for FREE! It’s available worldwide! viewBook.at/MyAlienSelf
I have just sent my sequel to my editor as well, so I hope you will all enjoy that when it comes out! I will keep you posted.
Enjoy and remember, try not to stigmatize, it’s very harmful!
Take Care,
Amanda
 April Titus cute Please take responsibility for your pets!
I re homed Mittens – my first re homing since starting cat fostering!
I now have a wonderful cat called Titus – he is so cute, and we were getting on like a house on fire, but I wondered about taking a second…
So, I offered to take in a second foster cat, but he is still hiding and hissing/growling at Titus and yet was crying in the night. All Titus wants to do is be friends and he has tried so hard! Still is. Instead of being with me all day, he is near the new cat in the bedroom, and barely comes out. He hasn’t wanted my affection either and seems a little depressed.
So, it is very quiet here. I feel so bad for the little one, as he’s really timid apparently and he is going to have to do this all over again I don’t know how many times before he gets his forever home. I do feel that owners should take responsibility for their animals, and if they …….Continue reading Please take responsibility for your pets! How my RSPCA fostering cats malarkey is going!…
 March 2013 mittens my foster cat I’ll keep this one brief…
For a very long time now I have been saying that old quote ‘The best things come to those who wait’ as in ‘be patient’. Thing is, all along, I have been patiently hoping my dreams would come true and have sought them in the meantime with every bit of patience I could muster. And now, I can honestly say that it has come!
Firstly, I have my foster cat having waited years now until I was in a position to have a cat. She had been in an indoor cattery for over a year and no-one wanted her, so I took her straight away. My life has been dysfunctional, so I particularly befriend those who have also not had a run of the mill life – it seems cats included now LOL. She is beautiful, large, cuddly, affectionate, clean and does little hisses and growls every so often, but having only had her one day already, I am sure she will calm down. She generally spends her time purring and is …….Continue reading The best things come to those who wait and now is my time! Foster cats, moving home, recovery from mental illness and a sequel…
I finally took my dad for his angiogram on Wednesday to get the diagnosis for his angina type pains. It took me over six months to get him to go to the doctor, and many nights sobbing to Chris at how frustrating it was that dad wouldn’t help himself, despite his suffering.
“I don’t want to be mucked about by doctors in hospitals” dad had been saying.
And I was to find out why…
Dad’s angiogram went well. I had taken mum out for lunch while he had the procedure and to try to keep her sweet as she keeps playing up – being more abusive to my dad than ever it seems, as she ages and goes downhill mentally.
I was so pleased to find my dad propped up in bed smiling as we arrived back – he was even joking about being ‘shaved like a sheep’ by one of the nurses, in his usual jovial way. Good, I thought, all is well, he got through the angiogram. But, when the doctor came to see us with dad’s diagnosis, we found out all three arteries are diseased and he needs to have a triple heart bypass!
He took it well, and made comments that told me he knew it was more serious than I had thought, but I am only just getting used to the idea as I felt sure it wasn’t a major problem and was more worried about the angiogram than anything else. So, now I know why he’d put off gong to the doctor for so long – he knew there was something quite wrong!
Although it has been very upsetting, I am so glad I feel a lot stronger to be able to help at this time. I love my Dad very much. Mum, although I haven’t spoken about her since publishing my memoir, is going downhill mentally, and quickly. She is not able to support him …….Continue reading Excitement, joy, illness and sadness = life! But it’s how you deal with it that counts!…
I wrote these especially for lovely Emma Murphy (@Emma4FACS on twitter – see the end of the article for more information on this inspirational mother), who asked me tonight for my top five writing tips… Yes, there are ten, but I just couldn’t stop at five! LOL
1. Just write and keep writing, only edit once you have finished or you will lose your natural rhythm and focus
2. Write when you are in all sorts of moods – it amazes me how my writing changes when I am in different moods – happy, sad, angry…
3. Unplanned writing – Write instead of doing something else that is planned. My writing is often at it’s best as I am not expecting to write and have no set goal as to what I want to write or how much I want to write. Sometimes setting goals around writing can put too much pressure on me and if I don’t set a goal, I write and write and write…
4. Warm up writing. I love to write a journal each day and this is often my warm up to writing some really good narrative – all the babble comes out so I can focus on my words.
5. If planning to publish a piece of writing or a book, get an editor or at least a proofreader! This is essential as no matter how much we read our own stories, we will always miss things …….Continue reading My top ten writing tips, based on my own experience and learning from many other authors……
Just a quick note to say that it is UK National OCD week next week – from 18th to 24th February 2013 – will you be sharing your stories, reading about sufferers, or trying to help in some way?
I am now virtually free of OCD completely – so far removed that it seems odd now that I had such paranoia, thought daily that the impossible was going to happen and lived in fear that my actions were going to hurt others, all with no reason or explanation. That is OCD, and rather than repeat myself I want to share with you all my symptoms, problems and recovery which I …….Continue reading 18-24 Feb 2013 is National UK OCD week – what will you be doing?…
I am actively trying to support as many self published Independent (‘Indie’) authors as possible by reading their books, and this new approach is rewarding me with some fabulous books which are not far short of being as professionally written and edited as those which are taken up by big publishing houses.
‘No one’s daughter’ is one of those books that stands out for me. Written through the eyes of a young Jasmine, I grew with her and viewed the awful abuse she went through, whilst empathising with her unending ability to use her strength of mind to overcome the adversities which were flung at her from all angles. These are not the usual adversities of childhood, these are terrible experiences thrown at her by those who were in the position of being her caregiver.
Although the content is upsetting, I feel that this is a subject that each of us should read about, as it is happening right now to children all over the world. It is brutal, yes, but this is …….Continue reading My 5* book review for ‘No one’s daughter’ by Jasmine Bath based on true events of child abuse and living through adversity…
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