Spoiler Alert: You don’t know him unless I want you to, so don’t try to find out who he is. But you almost certainly know people like him, though I wish you didn’t. Allow me to present to you a few of his facets. If you recognize this person in your life, at any point,…
Primary declaration season is finally upon us, and I know this is an unpopular take, but I’m ravenous. Receiving news of political tumult (at best) and terror (at worst) day in and day out is exhausting. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like for folks (minorities, furloughed workers, the lowest economic classes, etc)…
On a really tough day last month, feeling nearly desperate about a major problem I was having at work, I wallowed for hours in helpless fear and anger. Finally I reined myself in by briefly imagining that these feelings are what my mentally ill daughter goes through perhaps every day to some degree and some…
To crave connection with others is only natural, in most cases, and such connection also happens naturally, for many people. Social relationships form every day, strengthen over time, and may weaken or break, leading to new ones — a glorified cycle. However, many of us, myself included, struggle to continually form relationships and socialize, especially…
I’m at my most vulnerable when I’m lonely, by far. Most of my family members are introverts, and can go long, long periods of time without needing human interaction. My sister and father are especially like this, as are many of my extended family members. My mother and I- me to an extreme- are reliant…
I’ve put together a list, in no particular order, of songs that are good for mental health for various reasons. Whether it be the happy tune, the meaning of the lyrics, or the imagery it evokes, each song is sure to lift your spirits. I often find that music has a particular hold over my…
The following is a video essay that I put together on the topic of the distinctive and abusive eating disordered voice. I put a lot of heart into it, despite the first couple of minutes being blurry(!)- which turning it to HD will help with- but you can also read the transcript below the video,…
It all started with the simple fact that I could not sustain functionality in public school. I’d gotten through my freshman year passably well, my schedule stuffed with the most rigorous course-load possible, but I collapsed towards the very end and landed in a mental hospital for a month. The hope was that once I…
