One Word Can Never Define You

Don’t get too attached to your diagnosis, because it’s definition changes every few years. In fact, even today, depression is treated completely differently in different parts of the world. Better to think of it as ‘the best description we can give for your condition right now.’ Even better to simply make sure you’re doing everythingContinue reading “One Word Can Never Define You”

How Sharing Saved My Life

The first baby step I took from wanting to die, towards ‘maybe not wanting to die a little bit’, was the result of sharing. I’ve shared often since that day.  I shared with therapists, family, and friends. Years later, I arrived at a very happy place in life. I got married and had two wonderful kids. ThenContinue reading “How Sharing Saved My Life”

How To Become Powerful

Something was eating away at me every day, but I told myself I would rather die than talk about it. It took strength to conceal my feelings for ten years. Except, that strength almost killed me, because the path I chose was doomed. I could not see how to change course. I could not see that it wouldContinue reading “How To Become Powerful”

Finding Your Way Through Adversity

On my last day of inpatient psychiatric treatment, I nervously asked the hospital’s program director if I could apply for a position there. I felt a thousand times better than the day I was brought into the system, which was in an ambulance after a suicide attempt. I felt like I could help others whoContinue reading “Finding Your Way Through Adversity”

1 Thing To Know About Hurting Loved Ones

I felt that what I was doing was deeply wrong, which only made it worse. I couldn’t see that there was a simple way out, which was to speak. When I finally started to listen, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that I had deeply hurt many people that loved me.Continue reading “1 Thing To Know About Hurting Loved Ones”

Would You Vote For Frank Silver?

Frank Silver wants to waste your tax dollars. Frank Silver wants to lock up your children. Frank Silver wants to ignore the truth. On July 15th, vote for Mike Williams, and tell Frank Silver ‘No more.’ Special thanks to GK for pointing out this article by Liz Szabo on USA Today. Anyone who spends the eight to tenContinue reading “Would You Vote For Frank Silver?”

The ‘Feeling Better’ Myth

“If he gets better quickly and quietly, no one will have to know what happened, and we’ll all be back to normal.” This myth has many faces. Maybe your daughter was in drug rehab, or your husband attempted suicide, or your friend’s alcoholism culminated in an accident. There will be some people you will tellContinue reading “The ‘Feeling Better’ Myth”

The Best Thing You Can Do For A [Depressed] Person

The best thing you can do might be to acknowledge how the other person is feeling. Simple to say, very difficult to practice. That’s what we want though, isn’t it? To be heard? Not to be told what we should do, or what we did wrong, or why  we should feel differently, or that it’s allContinue reading “The Best Thing You Can Do For A [Depressed] Person”

How Did I Become A Happy Person?

It wasn’t one moment in time. There was a moment it began, but it was a decade long process of development. The key is giving yourself up to it; to start. It wasn’t for any one reason. I had to deal with each of my emotional issues one by one, slowly. You’ll have to do theContinue reading “How Did I Become A Happy Person?”

How To Reach Someone At The Bottom, Maybe.

Once, I was put on academic probation for failing all of my classes, and summoned to meet a panel of (presumably deans?) so that they could evaluate me. I never went to the meeting. It was set for early one morning, around 9:30 AM, or something like that. I thought about going and explaining myself,Continue reading “How To Reach Someone At The Bottom, Maybe.”