CN: graphic description of self-harm; discussion of suicide, teen homelessness, homophobia, religious opposition to homosexuality, familial rejection, and mental illness. Every openly LGBTQ+ person has a coming-out story. I grew up in an incredibly liberal town where bisexuality or any kind of sexual fluidity was common enough that I encountered very little resistance when I came out, which is why I haven’t written much about my own experience regarding sexual orientation on this blog. The …Read More
Tag: mental illness
Dear Me Ten Years Ago: Advice for My 20-year-old Self
About a month ago, I was dinking around twitter when I saw the hashtag #DearMeTenYearsAgo. Woah. Where was I 10 years ago? If I could say anything, what would I give as advice for my 20-year-old Self?
What Is Afforded to You
This post provides a break-down of the amazing article “Sick Woman Theory” by Johanna Hedva, which demonstrates how many aspects of social justice and the structure of society and even just human existence are interconnected: Disability, chronic illness, police brutality, racism, sexism, the medical system, the mental health industry, intergenerational trauma, socio-political theory, the medical and social models of disability, spoon theory, capitalism, and self-love.
Spoon Theory: What Silverware Has to Do with Chronic Illness
Have you ever dealt with a chronic illness and struggled to explain to your healthy friends why you just can’t go out with them anymore? Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t have the spoons for that,” and wondered what they were talking about? They’re talking about Spoon Theory! In this article, I’ll provide a basic overview of spoon theory, how it was created, how it’s used, and further expansions on spoon theory that I’ve found helpful.
A Comprehensive Guide to Assisting with a Mental Health Crisis
Over the course of three months, guest blogger Lucy Merriman put together an amazing 5-part series entitled, How to Lend a Hand in a Mental Health Crisis. The series looks at the gaps in our current mental health care system and provides information on how to fill those gaps on an individual basis, even if you yourself have little to no crisis training. This post puts the links and summaries for those five articles all in one place.
Why I Stopped Taking Anti-Depressants
In today’s guest post, Sandra Jones looks at how even though medication increased her tendency towards positive feelings, it was still more detrimental to her in the long run to continue using it as a treatment, and she encountered a lot of resistance from the medical world in reaching that conclusion.
How to Lend a Hand in a Mental Health Crisis Part 5: Seeking Solutions
The fifth part of Lucy Merriman’s guide to offering support during a mental health crisis is possibly the most universally helpful of all the parts. It includes useful problem solving techniques, basic guidelines to finding the info you need, and an amazing list of mental health related media.
Let’s End the Stigma Against Anti-Depressants
When I first started taking anti-depressants, I knew I could benefit from connecting to others over the shared experience but the fear of rejection was too powerful. There’s an enormous stigma against anti-depressants, or taking any medication at all for mental health. But there shouldn’t be.
How to Lend a Hand in a Mental Health Crisis Part 4: Educate, Normalize, & Comfort
This week’s guest post is Part 4 in a five-part series that looks at how to fill the gaps in our current mental health care system on an individual basis. Lucy Merriman has been guiding us through information about mental health crisis hotlines, basic skills needed to offer support to a person in crisis, and in-depth information about how to guide someone to the other side of whatever they are going through.
How to Lend a Hand in a Mental Health Crisis Part 3: The Process of Processing
This article includes a lot of really valuable information about how to help someone work through an emotionally upsetting time. Whether your friend is in a full-blown mental health crisis, or they’re just having a bad day, these tools are excellent for anyone who wants to be a better source of support.