Introduction

Hey there! Before I started posting "real" blog posts, I wanted to do a little introduction and give you a sense of what to expect from my posts.

So I'm Carley, which you can (if I did this blog thing right) see above. You should also be able to see my handful of degrees above, but please don't get intimidated! I promise, I am actually an idiot. If you ever have the pleasure of talking to me in real life, you'll quickly figure that out. I can (sometimes) make myself sound very intelligent when I have the time to write my thoughts out. I've always done really well in school because of this, but when I am speaking aloud I often trip and stumble over my words. I say a lot of stupid things. My brain seems to work much faster than my mouth does, maybe that's because of the ADHD.

That brings me nicely to what these blog posts will be about! One of the reasons I have studied psychology, neuroscience and mental health so extensively is because it's something I am closely connected to. Like many of you, I have personally been affected by mental health issues, as have many people I care deeply about. So these blog posts will be a combination of stories from my own personal experience mixed with the knowledge I have gained through my degrees. 

I want to strike a balance between science and personal honesty. Too often there is a disconnect between what the fancy, smarty-pants scientists find and real, raw personal experiences. I want to try to bridge that gap. I might make mistakes, so please do not treat anything I say as medical advice, but I promise to do my best to not spread false information. 

I also promise to be honest and open. I think its important to show multiple sides of ourselves. In a world where social media is plastered with idealistic representations of make-believe people, there's something really comforting about seeing people be real. So yes, I have a lot of degrees. But I also still struggle with my own mental health. I hope that through this blog, you can follow the stories and thoughts of someone who is both relatable and has some good information to share. 

I am so happy to have a place to put my thoughts, and to hear the thoughts of the rest of the Just Say Hey team. As per the mandate of Just Say Hey, I completely believe that communication is everything. So if anything I say in these blogs inspires, confuses, infuriates, or encourages you, I would love to hear from you as well!