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 […]
Vibrant Communications
on
When I finally came forward to my parents about my struggles, I realized I wasn’t alone. I finally began to start my journey in realizing and coping with the fact that I was one of the 18% of the population who struggles with some form of anxiety and/or depressive disorders.
Leah
on
“So, what now?” my therapist asks expectedly. “I don’t know; I wasn’t planning on still being alive right now,” I respond, fidgeting in my seat. I left my therapist’s office a little over two weeks prior to this session with a plan. I had just turned 25 and I felt completely defeated, like my mental […]
Sharleigh
on
In my room, if you’re sad, we sit on you. My roommates are my family. We’ve seen each other through some tough stuff. The solution in our room is to get all of the pillows and blankets and stuffed animals and put them on top of the unhappy individual. If that doesn’t seem like enough, […]
Julia
on
Ever since I was little, creativity has been in my nature. When I was young, I would bring the entirety of my dresser out into the living room for costume changes during whichever musical I decided I wanted to perform that day. There was dancing and singing along to Bye Bye Birdie whether I had […]
Leah
on
Mental illnesses command the atmosphere like tornadoes, spinning everything around in circles until we are stuck sorting through the aftermath of a once healthy life. They tear through homes, through friendships, through careers; they do it relentlessly and without apology. Mental illness hit me hard in college. I was failing classes. I had taken a […]
Leah
on
I watched the summer tumble into autumn from the window of my hospital room. The colors seemed to burst, all at once, like a firework. Autumn was always my favorite season and always the best time of year for my mental health. Every year, with the falling of the leaves came the lifting of my […]
Kayla
on
This year I was presented with the opportunity to become a member of the walk committee for our community Out of the Darkness Walk, and it was the best decision I have ever made. The Out of Darkness Walks, developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, are community walks to raise awareness and funds […]
Kayla
on
Sometimes it feels like society says you should be always happy, and that showing your sadness is a sign of weakness. This is far from true – if you were to hold in all your sadness or anger you would explode. We all have good and bad days. No one can be perfectly happy all […]
