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Articles by Rachael Nixon
Functional neurological disorder in children and adolescents
Keywords Functional motor disorder functional neurological disorder functional seizures Get full text access Log in, subscribe or purchase for full access. References 1. Hallett, M. ∙ Aybek, A ∙ Dworetzky, B ... Functional neurological disorder: new subtypes and shared mechanisms Lancet Neurol. 2022; 21:537-550 2. Baizabal-Carvallo, J.F. ∙ Hallett, M. ∙ Jankovic, J. Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of functional (psychogenic) movement disorders Neurobiol Dis. 2019; 127:32-44 3. Aybek, S.
Why the 90s & early 2000s Nostalgia Craze feels like a Generational Security Blanket.
I find myself lost in a daze of melancholic, nostalgic yearning, soundtracked by the Goo Goo Dolls. The 90s and 00s are playing out on every channel I am unconsciously tuned into. I am watching " Dawson's Creek " on TV. My kids are dressing in 90s sportswear. I am obsessing over Carolyn Bessette's clean-line dressing. Even The Body Shop has revived the pungent classic Dewberry to complete the overdose of nostalgia across all my senses.
Wardrobe Woes of a Thirty-something
Photo by EVG Kowalievska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/clothes-hanger-hanged-on-clothes-rack-1148960/ The swish, swish, swish sound of my clothing being swung across the weighed-down curvature of the supporting wardrobe pole was what the psychologically informed today would call a 'trigger' for me.
Meeting Yourself along the Way: the Art of Solo Travel.
*Ahoy, salty language ahead. “Ahh, you travel alone,” he proclaimed glancing at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes were smiling and his tone gentle. It was not an accusatory statement, more a curious questioning. The coral-colored rosary beads hanging from the arm of the mirror catching my eye as he spoke, attached to a picture of a family, his family I presumed. Perhaps it was this symbolism of God or family that eased me in this moment.
Safe Space or Trauma bonded? Dissecting Questionable Friendships.
View this post on Instagram I slam the phone down in a fury—having just completed another round of verbal open fire with one of my closest friends. Whilst I was not the cause of her seething anger, I was always the one she peppered with her anger bullets whenever she was in a situation where she could not for one reason or another, fire them at the intended target. Me, being the blunt, defensive b*tch that I am, usually give back as good as I get, and then—boom—it explodes.
“Let it Go” is Bullsh*t advice: Don’t be That Friend.
*Slightly salty language ahead. ~ I gently blow over the top of my steaming coffee cup, my friend sits opposite watching me intently. Our eyes meet, mine slightly watery, a remnant of an intense conversation we have just had for the umpteenth time, the one where I explain how despite the time passed, my pain still lingers.
The Evil Stepmother: How this Fairy-tale cliché Hurts Women in Real Life.
It’s a tale as old as time…and it’s a grim one (and a “Grimm” one). That of the evil stepmother, the abandoned child, and the fight between good and evil.
F*ck your Single-Shaming—I am Doing just Fine! | elephant journal
View this post on Instagram Smile and nod, smile and nod, I repeat to myself silently—but I know what’s coming. My friend’s mother looks at me with her piercing blue eyes, her gaze sad, and thoughtful. I brace myself for the incoming “wisdom.” My knuckles whiten as I grip tighter onto the arms of the garden bench that I am uneasily positioned on.
Escaping RejectionVille: 6 Ways to Soothe & Learn from “Rejection.”
View this post on Instagram As we lay bound by fear on the dusty tracks of destination “Rejectionville,” the flashes and replays that go through our head are our only companion. Why me? Why wasn’t I good enough? But I loved them. I gave so much; why doesn’t anything work for me? Who did they choose instead? Maybe my work wasn’t good enough; what am I lacking? I am unlovable. I am ugly. I am undeserving.
“Sex/Life” on Netflix: the Modern-day Madonna-Whore Complex?
“Sex/Life,” brought to us by Netflix, is an exploration of one woman’s sexual experiences in her current married life versus her premarital existence.
“Finalists for the First Time in 55 Years”—England’s Historic Victory & the Healing Power of Sport. | elephant journal
The Healing Power of Sport On Christmas day in 1914, against a backdrop of war-torn Europe during a series of intermittent ceasefires across the frontlines, German and British soldiers put down their arms and joined each other for a game of football. While still in fierce conflict, both sides used sport as a common ground of shared love and significance.
Social Media vs. Reality: The Utterly F*cking Damaging Side of Filters.
Scrolling through Instagram, my feed is awash with perfectly contoured faces and sculpted bodies, blemish free—almost to the point of being cartoon-like. Big lash framed eyes of iridescent colors, perfectly thick laminated brows, winter tans, dewy glows, high luxury length ponytails, and teeth whiter than Ross Geller’s after his famous bleaching disaster. I instantly feel disgusting. If I said I’d never used a filter I’d be an all-out liar.
The Post Heartbreak Gift we all need to Receive.
*Warning: f-bombs ahead! ~ I once wrote an article for this platform about the unfuckening, a made up word but one which packed a sucker punch to the gut, one that was threaded with feels and accurately befitted the situation. The “Unfuckening,” for those that haven’t read it, summed up the process that we go through between heartbreak and healing. Until finally, we are, well…unfucked.
The Stigma Single Mothers Carry.
I write the line, “mom of two” into my profile on another round of “let’s try dating apps again.” Somewhere between loneliness and renewed self-respect, I keep finding myself redownloading, resetting, and deleting them again and again—rinse and repeat. This is the point at which I often get stuck—the dreaded bio—to mention the kids or not. The fact I have kids is a non-issue to me.
The Antidote to Disappointment.
View this post on Instagram If you would have asked 20-year-old me, heck, even 30-year-old me what the one key ingredient I look for in another human was—be that friend or partner—I would have reeled off a list of traits that included loyalty, kindness, steadfastness, and honesty. But, authenticity is something that I didn’t really pay much time to. Being authentic, was a given—right? Naivety is a great thing; it’s also a blind spot for me.
Join the Conversation: we are not alone in Feeling Lonely.
“Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine.” ~ Honoré de Balzac ~ It’s a tough gig living alone. It’s also the best gig of my life. I am constantly torn between embracing solitude and grieving limited connection. Between feeling lonely and being free.
The Truth about “Mad Women” & Why the Labels Need to Stop.
View this post on Instagram “Every time you call me crazy. I get more crazy. What about that?” ~ As I tend to the dirty dishes in the sink with the radio playing in the background, I hear a song that stops me in my tracks, the lyrics instantly speak to me. The soapy dishes get bypassed as I turn my attention to the volume button. The words are so powerful, so apt, and so bloody timely that I instantly search for the song on my Spotify, and play it repeatedly.
Parental Burnout: a Silent Pandemic.
The rain is beating down on my car window as I wait for my sons to leave school. I have a meeting in half an hour, but my maternal instinct overrode my common sense and I decided to pick my teenage boys up instead of making them walk home in the rain. Neither had the sense to pack a coat—despite it being greyer than an elephant’s arse when we left this morning and despite my recommending they take a coat.
Don’t Settle for Being Tolerated.
View this post on Instagram Strong female voices. I love them. We are not short of them on this platform and each voice plays in its distinct key. The power of kindred minds coming together is one that is for the most part unstoppable, unflappable, and drives a silent but deadly revolution in its wake. For every strong female voice that dares to speak their truth, another glass ceiling gets shattered. Another person is awoken to their potential.
10 Healing Quotes on Unrequited Love.
“I’m not in love with you.” These words pierce the skin and puncture the heart. The pain is visceral, overwhelming, malignant. Whilst there are no outer signs of trauma, you are bleeding internally as you gasp for air and your mind fogs over. You are free-falling—darkness takes hold and part of you feels as if it has died. In an instant, everything has changed. That is the power of unrequited love. The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return…right?
Ghosting’s Ugly Stepsister: 9 Signs you’re being Stonewalled.
View this post on Instagram Read more: Ghosting, Icing & Simmering: the Relationship Trends that are Hurting Us. I am a texter, an explainer, a solid “let’s dissect this” kinda girl. I am the queen of writing out my feelings. If we fall out, you are getting a paragraph, hell, multiple paragraphs—you may even get a f*cking book.
Why our Brain always Takes us to the Worst-Case Scenarios.
View this post on Instagram Here’s the scene. You have just been on an amazing date: great person, loads of chemistry, signs are right. You get home, send a text…okay, so no immediate reply, that’s okay. An hour later…maybe he’s just busy. Three hours later…it’s me, I’m so unlovable, he’s fooled me, he must of thought I was disgusting, maybe I was too much, why am I so stupid. Sound familiar?
My Day with Agatha Christie: 10 Inspiring Quotes from a Literary Hero.
As I sat on the mossy, stone wall of a creaky boathouse on the banks of the River Dart, I watched the glistening white sails of the small fiberglass and wooden vessels meandering down the river, their occupants enjoying the early June sunshine. Medium-sized pleasure vessels passed them by, and I smiled as I watched the smooth, sparkling currents of the Dart subside into foamy waves lapping gently against the wall that I was sat upon.
An Enduring Love Story: The Duke & his Queen.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh were married for 73 years. Their wedding was in 1947. He has died at the age of 99. ? #morningjoe #RIPPrincePhilip pic.twitter.com/dESzfCz1mh — ClockOutWars (@clockoutwars) April 9, 2021 A love story of endurance. A love story spanning generations. A love story of 70 years. A love story in the public eye. A love story that touched a nation.
Dolce Far Niente: The Sweetness of Doing Nothing.
“Eat Pray Love” fans will remember the scene, but for those who have not seen the film or read the book, I will paint you a picture. Our American heroine is sitting in an Italian barbershop talking to the locals about how she has done nothing productive since she arrived in Italy except learning a few words in Italian and eating. She talks with a look of disdain toward herself for this and her delivery is edged with guilt—for not being more productive.
“It Shouldn’t Be this Hard”: Some Tough Love for anyone Struggling to Walk Away (& Stay Away).
This time it’s different. They will grow to love me. One day he will realise. I’m sure if I hold on a little longer it will change; surely, they will come to their senses—it’s just a matter of time. If you’ve heard yourself say this inwardly, or outwardly, then you need to stop, right now. Baby girl, you’re setting yourself up to fail. Maybe it’s a desperate hope or even a clinging fantasy—either way, it’s a false narrative and this b*tch of a cycle needs breaking.
Peter Pan: Great Book, Terrible Boyfriend.
* Warning: well-deserved naughty language below! ~ The late-30s dating scene is a weird place to be. It’s not one I visit often—especially of late. It’s one I dabble with when my evenings feel a little lonely. By dating scene, I obviously mean dating apps. As a single mom of two working full time, even without the backdrop of a worldwide pandemic, dating for me nowadays, like many people, is digital.
Lockdown Loco: how we can prepare to Get Off the COVID-19 Crazy Train.
In a few weeks, it will be 12 months since life as we know it stopped. Twelve months of being parted from our loved ones, 12 months with no social interactions, 12 months of watching the news religiously, 12 months of anxiety and fear. As a lone parent, I have also had 12 months of being with my children 24/7—they have been at home more than at school. I have become head teacher, fitness instructor, friend, counsellor, head chef, chief referee, and the queen of COVID-19 prevention.
Worry is Bullsh*t-10 Eckhart Tolle Quotes to Uncage Us.
*Warning: some naughty language ahead! ~ Whenever times get dark, my path gets windy, my momentum breaks, or I am desperately looking for some resolution, I turn to books. My hunger for knowledge and my determination to break cycles usually sends me straight to the self-help aisle or as I like to call it the “Shelf of Salvation.” Some books I read once, some twice, and some become a beacon of light that I revisit time and time again.
10 Bob Marley Quotes to Reawaken our Tired Souls.
“We forward in this generation, triumphantly.” #RedemptionSong #happynewyear2021 pic.twitter.com/IWqOFdzQWc — Bob Marley (@bobmarley) January 1, 2021 “Money can’t buy life.” These were the last words spoken by the legend who was Mr. Bob Marley; spoken to his son who was at his bedside, his poetic summation has been etched into history for the last 40 years. At just 36, Bob Marley was no more—taken from the world tragically young after a battle with a rare form of skin cancer.
When Opposites Attract & Ignite!-Breaking the Toxic Dance of Emotional Outbursts.
“You think too much.” Heard that before, right? Well, I can categorically tell you that every man I have ever been in a relationship with (or the like) has said it to me—repeatedly. In fact, if I had one pound for every time I heard it, I would be sitting here typing to you from my French château, drinking champagne and chowing down on truffles, overlooking my extensive land. Alas, I am sat on my worn-out sofa, can of Pepsi and a half-eaten Kit Kat at my side, the view whilst pretty, is no Monet.
What “Sex and The City” would Look Like in 2021.
“Can you ever really forgive if you can’t forget?” ~ Carrie Bradshaw, “Sex and The City” ~ I was 16 years old. Nostalgia leads me to believe that I was a big “Sex and the City fan.” Whilst I may have enjoyed the musings and frolics of New York’s cosmopolitan swigging fabulous quartet, a good portion of their mid-30s trials and tribulations must have flown straight over my teenage head. Even as the series progressed into my 20s, it just didn’t resonate. Until now.
The Art of Apology.
View this post on Instagram I’m Sorry. The admittance of wrongdoing, the righting of the wrong, the acceptance of the part you played in hurting someone else, and the first step to repentance. Saying I’m sorry is hardwired into us from an early age as the right thing to say, it’s just what you do, the way we make amends, build bridges, and put out fires. I’m sorry doesn’t absolve us of our sins but lays them at our feet giving the recipient the basis on which to start healing.
The Unf*ckening: Rebuilding after we are Utterly Broken.
View this post on Instagram *Warning: Well-deserved naughty language below! ~ When we are in a world of pain—or feeling betrayed and vulnerable—it is easy to think that the feeling will be evermore. We see no clear exit plan, no fire door, there is little light at the end of the proverbial tunnel and no clear safety rope to cling onto. We are free-falling, loaded with anger and shame, swimming in the seas of injustices, and paddling like hell to stay afloat.
The Ties that Bind: What to do when Relationships End but Connections Don't.
View this post on Instagram The ties that bind close friendships and relationships are deeply rooted. But sometimes they become fractured; sometimes a bond is irreparably broken—and what we are left with is a dwindling thread. An invisible, translucent thread refusing to give way. A thin, fractured, delicate strand of connection, outwardly as soft and fragile as lace but with a Teflon interior. It remains long after that relationship or friendship is over.
Why a "Situationship" is so F*cked Up (& How it leads to Emotional Trauma).
View this post on Instagram You’ll appreciate this read, next: Cracks in the Armor—Why Perfectionism is Destroying the Relationships of Adult Children of Alcoholics. *Warning: well-deserved cursing ahead! The “situationship” is the no man’s land between friendship and relationship. Now, let’s first distinguish between a situationship and friends with benefits (FWB) or fuck buddy. Far too often, it is suggested that they are the same. Let’s be crystal clear here—they are not.
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