CW: PTSD As we meet new people, we have many questions that may come up, whether it be what someone does for work, inquiries about their family, or where they were born. When we think about family, this can also include our pets. For many of us, our animals are truly part of our family. […]
CW: Suicidal ideation When I began my senior year of college, I took on a lot of responsibilities. The stress of school, sports, work, friendships, and life became overwhelming. I quickly began to develop academic burnout. Instead of slowing down, I continued pushing until burnout led to depression. It can be hard to tell the […]
CW: Binge eating, self-harm, addiction. Most people deal with stress throughout their lives. Learning to cope with stress in healthy ways can make people more resilient and help combat chronic illness and mental health issues according to the CDC. However, not all coping mechanisms are healthy. Negative coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, compulsive spending, […]
Being in a rut can mean a lot of things, but it is most commonly defined as “to not have changed what you do or how you do it for a very long time so that it is not interesting any longer” (“BE IN A RUT | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary”). Being in […]
CW: Suicidal thoughts. I’m just going to say it…life is hard, and sometimes I want to die. Sometimes I feel a rush of unbearable sadness take over me. It turns out I’m not alone. To get through some statistics quickly — from 2000 to 2018, there was a 36% increase in suicide rates, according to […]
CW: Alcoholism/Abuse A year ago, my life felt harder than it ever had before. Having a therapist at the time to talk it over with made it easier for me to recognize what I needed. I was taking on too many responsibilities while running on empty. I was always “mature for my age”, but I […]
Content Warning: Mentions stories involving depression, suicidal thoughts, abuse, and more. If you are like me, you may enjoy books that feature characters and plotlines that are different from the people and experiences involved in our own lives. Writers like to call this a “window,” because you are getting a glimpse as to how others […]
The first time I shared my mental health journey with someone I didn’t know was when I was a sophomore in college. I was a member of a mental health advocacy group on campus and we were hosting an event called the “Love Speaks Forum.” During this event, some of our group members were going […]
CW: discussion of eating disorders, but not of specific ED behaviors Today marks the start of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (#NEDAwareness). This week holds personal significance to me, as I’ve struggled with an eating disorder myself. Starting recovery has been life-changing, and I’ve already learned so much about intuitive eating, food freedom, body neutrality, […]
Content Warning: This post discusses disordered eating. If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating, here are some resources that may help: NEDA has their own blog, as well as a helpline and other resources. Eating Disorder Hope Follow Dr. Colleen Reichmann on Instagram, clinical psychologist and author of “The Inside Scoop […]