I can still vividly recall my first encounter with anxiety. I was in the third grade, playing hopscotch, lost in my own reverie of make believe. My pretend world was suddenly upended when my classmate asked me if I knew how my father had died. Not waiting for an answer, she delivered the facts surrounding […]
I lost my father two months before I got sober. It was devastating to me. Not only was that horrible to experience; I was straddling the line of wanting to be alive and wanting to be dead for quite a few months before he even died. The crushing blow I felt when my mom called […]
Winter wellness can mean a lot of things, but for individuals who are living with seasonal affective disorder — also known as SAD — it often means finding the best ways to cope with feelings of sadness, exhaustion, and loneliness throughout certain times of the year. The disorder can affect everyone differently, but those who […]
As someone who suffers from a chronic illness AND a mental illness, my daily struggle is extra complicated. I have a chronic illness called POTS, I also have GAD and minor social anxiety. Together, they make my life difficult to say the least. My body is constantly in “flight or fight” mode, and effects my […]
Navigating through my unrelenting drug/alcohol addiction has been quite a daunting task, but not nearly as intimidating as facing the emotional aftershock of my untreated PTSD. When I first made my way into treatment, for my addiction, I believed I was headed for a much-deserved vacation from reality… I couldn’t have been more misled. I […]
When someone has a mental illness, relationships and break-ups, can be extra difficult. The wondering, the waiting, texts that go unread. It is like a nightmare for someone like myself with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder). Sometimes the relationship works out and both parties are happy and dealing with their mental health. Other times, it doesn’t. […]
Anxiety is one of those disorders that you have a hard time-fighting. It is not a thing you can wish away, and because it affects the mind, you tend to believe there is nothing you can do about your situation. While anxiety mainly affects the sufferer, colleagues and family feel the toll too. It is […]
Recovery from Co-occurring Disorders I struggled with opiate addiction and depression for several years. It lead me to a hopeless emotional state where I saw no way out other than suicide. I was physically and mentally exhausted of living the way I was living. I thought that even if I got sober, I would […]
There is scientific validation for what our forefathers always professed and practiced. Evidence suggests that there is a definite relationship between food and mental health. Deficiency of essential nutrients can contribute to poor mental health, according to experts in the field of nutritional psychiatry. This growing discipline uses diet as an interventional therapy to decrease […]
The early warning of becoming an alcoholic was always there for me at a young age. I had my first drink and my first experience being drunk at the age of 14. I fell in love with the effects of intoxication and it would follow me for years to come. Drinking and alcoholism at a […]