"It was really hard at that time, I have never been in such a dark place before. I feel like the steroids made me feel alone. I have such a supportive family, but it put me in a pit and I didn't know how to get out of it. I had insomnia and I know that is an effect from the steroids, but I didn't realise how much I would be affected by it."
"Insomnia didn't help because when you're not sleeping, you are not recovering properly and you're not thinking straight. People with facial palsy, it's not that you are not beautiful or anything like that. In terms of how I was at the time, I went from being my normal self to having that and that is what I struggled with."
Amy Goddard, a semi-professional footballer for Crystal Palace, discovered facial drooping on one side of her face after a routine morning in February 2021. Diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a condition affecting one in 70 people in the UK that causes sudden temporary weakness or paralysis of facial muscles, Goddard faced profound challenges. Beyond physical symptoms, the steroid medication prescribed triggered severe mental health effects including insomnia, emotional isolation, and anxiety about appearance judgment. The condition disrupted her football career and personal life significantly. Now recovered and playing for Southampton in WSL 2, Goddard shares her experience during Facial Palsy Awareness Week to highlight the psychological impact of Bell's palsy and medication side effects on patients.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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