When the real world is too much to handle and I find myself needing to soothe an onslaught of anxieties, or if I’m simply in need of some familiar background noise, I escape to a special place in my heart called Stars Hollow. It, of course, is not a real place, but the fictional town… Continue reading A Safe Haven Called Stars Hollow
I saw this in the comments section of a news article first (The New Yorker, so there’s gotta be something intellectual to it, right? Maybe?), so much credit to that thoughtful woman. I’ve been on a bit of a spree with talking about various nefarious actors I’ve encountered- I previously had wanted to steer clear,… Continue reading R. Kelly, Brett Kavanaugh, and the Familiar Cry of Abusers
By now, if you’re a recurrent visitor, you’ve probably seen the short list of books I keep perched on the front page of this site. If you haven’t, every book there will be on this list, so no need to click out. I thought it might be worthwhile to expand upon it, as well as… Continue reading 6 Books That Will Enhance Your Understanding of Mental Illness
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)… Continue reading 2020 Democratic Candidates on Mental Health
Netflix has, undoubtedly, burst onto the scene of the movie and television world as one of the front-running producers of content there is. Ranging from comedy specials to old classics, original series and made-for-Netflix movies, the former grocery store DVD dispensary has it all. It’s hip and youthful, which adds mightily to its popularity and… Continue reading Bandersnatch, Bird Box, and Damaging Mental Illness Tropes
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… Continue reading 10 Mentally Healthy Songs for Your Playlist
This year’s been wild, hasn’t it? I hear this every year, but so many people have proclaimed that 2018 was a terrible year for them. This could be due to my own bias, for this was near the hardest year of my life, or it could have something to do with our collective societal mood.… Continue reading 2018 in Review: Mental Health, Society, and Me
Over this past weekend, I perceived one of my fundamental understandings of mental illness to be challenged. I watched as someone posted about their active suicidal ideations on social media, bare for all to see, and got a near-unanimously positive reaction. Every article, tweet, comment section that I read was heaping on the comfort and… Continue reading Pete Davidson and Socially Acceptable Mental Illness
I’ve done a full read-through of the Harry Potter series every time I’ve been in any overnight treatment. Sometimes this has meant I’ve had a week to work with, sometimes several months. I’ve always managed, and with good reason. Tucked inside the many hundreds of pages of seemingly child-geared storytelling can be found countless golden… Continue reading Harry Potter and the Road to Recovery
Warning: Spoilers, obviously! A Star is Born is an artful movie that masterfully tackles the issues of addiction, suicide, and toxic (specifically, non-toxic) relationships. I had the pleasure of seeing it the other day in an empty theater, sunken into a beanbag chair that by the time the halfway point of the movie came around,… Continue reading A Star is Born: 3 Observations on Relationships and Suicide