I just got discharged from an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. I see a therapist once a week. Every Monday and Thursday, I spend an hour in group therapy. Then I change into my scrubs and drive to work. I’m a psychiatric nurse. I’m also a psychiatric patient. “You don’t know about bipolar disorder. You can’t really […]
One of the biggest personal struggles that I have had to face, in terms of caring for my anxiety, OCD, and bipolar 2 disorder, is the ongoing search for the right medication. Being a yoga instructor, I disliked the idea of relying solely on a medication, or perhaps several, to make me feel better. Over […]
Seeking help can be one of the hardest parts of recovery but to me it is also one of the most important. If no one else knows that you are struggling, you cannot receive the help and support you deserve. Talking about things you yourself might not even understand can be very challenging, but once […]
The expectation of many teens in the US is to choose a college and an academic path that will direct you to the ultimate goal of beginning the career that presumably will be what you do for the rest of your life. I chose a four year program that would lead to my Bachelor of […]
In December 2015, at the recommendation of my psychologist, I had my first visit with a doctor specializing in psychopharmacology. This doctor was an expert in prescribing medication for teens struggling with mental illness. For the first time in months, I had a newfound sense of hope. However, four months later I had been on […]
One of the hardest parts of having a mental illness is being pulled away from the things that you love.
Research has proven that, through connecting with others who have experienced the same traumas as ourselves, individuals can truly do something amazing and open the door to healing — whether that be connecting with others who have struggled with depression, anxiety, self-harm or been through a loss. Opening up can be difficult but it is the […]
One thing I struggled with a lot during the worst of my first battle with depression was mixing feelings with facts. I meshed them together thinking that my emotions dictated what was true and what was false. One of my patients asked me about this recently, to clarify an exercise she did in one of […]
As I pass the baton to my colleagues at the Lifeline, I’m filled with gratitude that we have created a little space on the Internet where everyone matters.
Music gives me the strength to take that leap of faith.