Just because I’m depressed doesn’t mean I’m suddenly not an adult. In layman’s terms, I want to make it clear: Depression does not equal regression to childhood. I say this because, almost without exception, people will talk to me like I’m a 4-year-old once they discover I’m suffering from depression. I wish this illness was…
This is also an important consideration for survivors of child abuse. Though this article is not specific to us, I find many of the things mentioned true. As an adult I still struggle to work with people who remind me of an abuser, whether it’s their appearance or an occasional action that brings back the…
When it comes to those mental illness-fueled thoughts about not deserving to take care of ourselves, those are also not true. The thing about mental illnesses is that they like to keep us sick because it lets them stick around. That sick part of our brain, I feel, is fighting to stay alive just as…
Back when I was still at school, the typical response I got to telling close friends I was in a bad place was one of grief and sympathy: “I’m so sorry to hear! I hope things get better! I will pray for you!” But the person would never really ask me about it again. The…
“It may take some practice, but we can use these road signs to gauge our recovery progress. Initially our vision might not be clear enough to see them. In those moments we can ask our therapist, partner or good friend to help us. They can see how far we have come even when we cannot….
“Looking back, I realize now that’s why I should have told people. To show them that, yes, someone with a mental illness can seem totally fine on the outside, but battle something on the inside. To show them that it’s OK to get help for mental issues—just like it’s OK to go to the doctor…
