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A self-harm-free calculator can be a handy tool for tracking self-injury recovery progress for some folks, but it can impede progress for others if not used with care. Learn how to use a self-harm-free calculator properly.
Psychosis (the presence of hallucinations and/or delusions) and anxiety can be difficult to deal with in relationships. Many symptoms can be confusing, frustrating, and challenging to those looking from the outside. When I have had breaks from reality (psychotic episodes), I have always treated my family and my spouse with suspicion due to paranoia. The paranoia often causes me to think that I am in danger around those who are the most supportive of me. 
Last year, I quit my soul-sucking corporate job to pursue my true passion: writing. It impacted my depression in unexpected ways; in fact, it made my depression worse.
Have you ever considered a mental health self-care tip and thought, "That’s not for me?" I know I have. Those kinds of tips used to make me feel even worse about myself because, gosh, how broken was I really if those didn't appeal to or work for me? The secret is that I’m not any more broken than the next person. I just had to find what works for me, even if it’s an unconventional self-care exercise. Doing that really helped me make strides in my recovery.
One of the most challenging parts of being in recovery for alcohol use disorder (AUD) is dealing with society's normalization of alcohol, a deadly drug. Alcohol is everywhere. Some days, triggering situations come at me more quickly than I can process them. Some days, I want to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and stay there forever because that feels like the only safe place in this alcohol-obsessed culture.
I remember visiting my therapist when I was learning to cope with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and one of the things he said was, "Mr. Brocklebank, you have set yourself a very high bar." Of course, I knew this already. I have been painstaking and particular about everything I do for as long as I can remember—what some might call a perfectionist. But is perfection something you should try to achieve, or can you be happier without it? As a perfectionist, can you ever meet the uncompromising standards you set for yourself? Should perfectionism ever be a goal?
I’m Hayes Mitchell, and I am excited to join "The Life: LGBT Mental Health" blog. I’m a mental health writer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in writing with a minor in psychology. I identify as queer and transgender (trans). I began discovering my identity back in high school. Today I’m 22 and still learning about myself every day. I’ve changed my labels many times over the years. I’ve identified as bisexual, pansexual, asexual, and demisexual. I tend to withhold telling people because when I change my mind, I don’t want them to discredit my past experience. Every one of those identities has been real to me at each point in my life. I believe in gender and sexuality as being a spectrum. Everyone exists somewhere on that spectrum.
Living with verbal abuse can drastically alter your life choices and how you navigate the world. However, it's critical that you break away from being the victim if you are recovering from a verbally abusive past. Dealing with abuse is only part of your story and is not the only way to define you as an individual.
I think I’m on a very good medication cocktail. There are several reasons why, but the funniest one is that when I typed “medication cocktail” into my notes on my phone as a story idea, the predictable word “hour” appeared. I was able to see the humor in that, and when I told my husband, Tom, about it, he said, “Medication happy hour!” and we both laughed. Ain’t love grand?
I’m Rachel Craft, and I’m excited to join the "Coping with Depression" blog at HealthyPlace. I was diagnosed with depression over a decade ago in college. As a type-A perfectionist, I was constantly overwhelmed with stress and never got enough sleep. My habitually low self-esteem took a dive at one point, and I developed an eating disorder and started experimenting with self-harm. It was a terrifying period of my life because I realized I might not survive if I didn’t find help.

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It does not matter
I can not do anything for days at a time. Sleep is only relief and I can not sleep enough. Body hurts and have to get out of bed. I suffer from depression, anxiety, apathy, ptsd and ocd. There is no point in anything as I will not take meds, will not go to behavior mod and will only do talk therapy if I do not have to go in person or show my face. Doomed to live miserably
Someonewhocares
My own step daughter is going through this, even to this day. Her Italian father is old fashioned, outdated, old school, he uses her as a punching bag for his many miserable and repetitive failures, his own lack of confidence in himself, he's a coward and a worm, a total loser, it really truly breaks my heart. I've tried many times to talk to her face to face but she runs, she only listens to her mother who she's very close to. I tried to toughen her up and strengthen her weak, very timid and naively trusting character, but she does have many other strong qualities. She does give her piece of mind to some people who deserve it. Last night was the breaking point, she's had enough. She texted her father and told him he's a total miserable loser and to leave her alone for good.
So many times I've told her, stay far away from him, he will tear into you and shit all over you if you dare to go with him anywhere. Sure enough, every time he's alone with her in his car, when they go out as a family with her tow small children he craps on her and abuses her emotionally and mentally.
She always says she knows what to do...but they're just meaningless words. Sad...
JoAnna Johnson
When it comes to anticipating the upcoming activity, especially if I'm in hyperfocus mode and need to shift, I often think about what it is I am about to do (like going home to be with kids from work) I'll think about things that make me feel motivated that I want to do when I get home. My brain shifts to where it is that I'm going and starts pulling all of the tasks/things I enjoy completing to the for front. Then I transition much easier.
Annonomous
Myself and partner both had an embarrassing night. My partner got blind drunk and passed out. I checked on him and he seemed okay. Then I look again at him and he has pulled his penis out in front of everyone and starts peeing while sitting on the couch. I am shocked embarrassed surprised and react like a crazy person. I scream and yell at him for doing that. Today I hate myself for reacting that way in front of all his friends. I’m embarrassed for him and myself.
Surina
I am so sorry sweetheart. It is now your job, responsibility, and duty to get yourself away from him regardless the cost. Go to a shelter out of state if need be. Take photos and create a log and file a restraining order now! Pretend you love yourself more than life, pretend you are your own daughter, son, friend, mom or anyone who you would protect. You MUST love yourself more than the apathy from this situation. My heart bleeds for you. I do understand. Please protect yourself now. He will not stop and this will only get worse until you are in the grave - or worse than that! I’m sending you love from afar and I pray you find the strength to run away. Don’t fight fire with fire, fight back with the hope of your future self. You are worth fighting for! Fight back with the rain and the sand by extinguishing his hate by leaving. You CAN do this! I believe in you. You are not alone. Good luck 🍀 and god speed!