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To be honest, this is not the post I originally planned to write today. However, life has an interesting—often infuriating—habit of forcing my attention to land on unhealthy behaviors or unresolved issues that I need to acknowledge, but would much rather ignore. Sometimes this comes in the form of painful news or circumstances, while other times, it comes in the form of a reminder that I'm an imperfect human who still has healing work to do. But today, in particular, I find myself asking the question: How do I receive painful news without taking it out on the body I live in, which has done nothing to deserve my wrath?
Mainstream media is slowly changing to be more inclusive for many aspects of life. You can find more television shows and movies that include people with disabilities. There is an increase of coverage with sensitive topics, including suicide, abuse, and mental health. Unfortunately, it is just the beginning. There is so much more ground to cover before society gets to the point that we need to be at with empathy and acceptance.
If you carry the proof of your history of self-harm on your skin, you may have thought about what life would be like without those scars. But is self-harm scar removal surgery necessary?
Like everyone else with depression, I did not choose it. While I know it is not my fault, it is frustrating when it prevents me from living life. It is only recently that I have learned to use depression to make better choices. And this has helped me personally and professionally. Here's how.
I recently had a conversation with someone about strategies to break bad habits, and I was reminded of my binge eating disorder (BED) recovery. By nature, whenever I set a new goal to break or create a habit, I want change to happen immediately. I try to go cold turkey and quit the bad habit overnight. Or, I change many habits at once instead of making small changes over time.
Talking openly about anxiety, or any mental illness, is a relatively new concept. For many, it can be a terrifying notion. It wasn't that long ago that psychiatric illnesses were not only a blight on the individual but on the whole family, as well. This is finally changing.
There are many reasons people have low self-esteem, some of which include hard times involving rejection, disappointments, loneliness, and unemployment. While it is normal to have negative thoughts, ruminating on them is not helpful. Instead, advocating for your mental health will help you find acceptance and self-love. Here are five strategies to implement when you are dealing with low self-esteem during difficult times.
When "After Life" first hit Netflix in 2019, I was immediately in love with a show that deals with mental health, and raving about it. Now, three years later, after watching the final season, I’m raving about it all the more. Back then, I wrote about how impressed I was with how the show handles topics like grief and mental health struggles. Now, wiping away my tears thanks to the final episode, I’m here to say we need more shows like "After Life."
Toxic positivity seems to be popping up everywhere on social media. Scrolling through Instagram, I see at least two or three posts a day promoting a view on positivity that may actually be counterintuitive to true happiness. People may ask, "What's the big deal with toxic positivity?" The answer is, in my experience, toxic positivity can do more harm than good in promoting mental health wellness.
As the youngest in a slightly dysfunctional family full of addiction and mental illness, it was no surprise that I would eventually find myself battling those same demons. I grew up surrounded by booze, drugs, and chaos with very little conversation on the seriousness of alcohol abuse and addiction.
Thanks for your comment. I can understand you may suspect your friend has bipolar disorder, but it's really important that a professional make that determination. Some symptoms that appear to be related to bipolar disorder overlap with other diagnoses that you may not be aware of. Please encourage her to see a psychiatrist, psychologist or someone else qualified to make that determination. (And no, role-playing and stalking are not related to bipolar disorder.)
When it comes to talking to her about her possibly having a mental illness, you can take a look at these two articles (from my personal site, not related to HealthyPlace):
https://natashatracy.com/mental-illness-issues/tell-someone-mental-illness/
and
https://natashatracy.com/mental-illness-issues/tell-someone-mental-illness-part-2/
Those will help you approach the subject.
When it comes to medication, you need to let a doctor make the decision as to how to best treat your friend. Lithium may be a good choice or it may not. There are many treatment options available.
- Natasha Tracy
I'm always tired in the daytime and sleeping is the only thing that helps to escape from from my problems. It sometimes feels like I have a fake life going on in my sleep, while I'm avoiding my real life.