Alexandria
on
I used to wish that my first heartbreak was just that, a breakup story. But my first heartbreak was a heartache from loss. I was sixteen when I was impacted by suicide; at that point I had known and loved him for half of my life. I met Jeremy when I was eight. We were […]
Julia W.
on
“Sometimes when you’re depressed, the things you don’t want to do are the very things you need to do in order to feel better,” my therapist told me. Great, I thought, for just once could there be an easy answer? “As you start doing things, it gets easier,” she continued, “and you begin to have […]
Laurie
on
[Content Warning: The effects of sexual assault on mental health] I think for a long time I’ve strived to be normal or to “pass” for normal. I’ve tried to hide my past and my continued struggles, but my past is a part of me. And those struggles? Well, they are too. Today, I feel stronger […]
Julia W.
on
Growing up, I had heard meditation discussed as some sort of new age nonsense. Subsequently, I had never given much thought to meditation or its possible benefits until my junior year of high school when I had the opportunity to listen to a talk given by a group of Tibetan monks. Seeing the monks in […]
You Matter
on
Suicide Prevention Month stirs up a lot of different emotions for different people. While some people use this time to show that they are here to help those who are struggling, other people feel a sense of sadness, hopelessness, or despair. The topic of suicide isn’t an easy one to talk about… as I write […]
Gabby
on
Many people like to think that at a certain point in life, they “peak.” This is usually thought to occur during your early to mid-20’s, or perhaps if you’re a late bloomer, your early 30’s. But me? Always the overachiever, I peaked at 13. In the thicket of puberty, pimply and hormonal, somehow I stumbled […]
Jennifer
on
Depression isn’t just sadness. Sometimes it’s emptiness or hopelessness. Sometimes it’s struggling to get out of bed in the morning. Other times it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and there’s nothing you can do to change it. When I’m struggling with my depression, it can be hard to bring […]
You Matter
on
When someone is struggling, they oftentimes don’t know exactly what they are feeling. In other words, they know they aren’t feeling good, but “it” can’t be described. I, too, have had these feelings. My friends and family would ask me what was wrong, and I would say, “I don’t know. I just don’t feel right. […]
Willa
on
When I find it impossible to lift myself out of bed or bring myself to smile, I think of the little girl I used to know, the little girl I used to be. In my head she exudes all the qualities I wish I still had. She finds solace in her thoughts in times of […]
Nicole
on
Recently, my aunt and I were talking on the phone. She’s a hospice worker and spends her life helping others prepare for their death. She told me the story of a patient who was nearing the end of his life, yet filled with anger and frustration toward his situation. Social workers and therapists would encourage […]
