NEW MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY STORIES
Is This What Normal Feels Like? Finding the Right Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
Aneta Dabrowska felt the ups and downs of bipolar type II as a teenager, but no one around her knew how to react. When she entered adulthood, Aneta set on a journey to understand her illness on her own terms.
Sincerely, Madness: A Marine Confronts Rape and Self-Harm to find Strength and Hope
Being a Marine is supposed to put you through Hell and test your will, but not by subjecting you to rape by two different superior officers. Years later, Joyce Villeta is recovering and living through her trauma.
Now Unquiet: The Journey of Pianist Jonathan Biss
by Glenn Holsten
What Story Will You Tell?
Four Virtual Mini Writing Retreats led by Xandra O’Neill and Ruth Clark
Every time we sit down to write, we sit down to tell a story. In these writing retreats, we will explore different ways of deciding what story to tell, and how to tell it. Each retreat works as a standalone, and if you join us for all four, you will find that there are threads that weave them all together.
August 21, 2021
November 20, 2021
What Story Will You Tell?
Four Virtual Mini Writing Retreats led by Xandra O’Neill and Ruth Clark
Every time we sit down to write, we sit down to tell a story. In these writing retreats, we will explore different ways of deciding what story to tell, and how to tell it. Each retreat works as a standalone, and if you join us for all four, you will find that there are threads that weave them all together.
August 21, 2021
November 20, 2021
MORE MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY STORIES
Sanguine: Attempting to Control Everything through Disordered Eating
Kate’s eating disorder started with a desire to control her body and quickly spiraled into something else, learning to reconnect to her body, Kate found her way to healing.
Postnatal Depression, Regular Old Depression, and How Mindfulness Saved Me
Shannon McBride has felt the fog of depression and anxiety nearly her whole life, until an accidental run-in with a pamphlet at the post-office changed her life.
Beyond the Bullet: Building a Life After Violence
Leon Harris was shot and paralyzed when he was 17 years old. Over the past 14 years he has built a life that includes being husband and father.
Recovering from Depression; a Taboo Illness in Indian Society
Depression in India, for women in particular, is still a taboo topic, with women being blamed and shamed for what they experience, as Aakanksha Shukla writes.
Medication Adherence and my Schizoaffective Journey
Life with psychotic symptoms, hallucinations, delusions and paranoia is hard enough, but when coupled with suspicions of medication; it can be intolerable.
How I Overcame My Social Anxiety by Becoming a Journalist
Victor’s social anxiety felt debilitating and out of control, until he found and embraced journalism, a new tool for managing these difficult emotions.
Mental Health & Hope For The Future
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a world that will be forever changed and that is ever-challenging.
We at OC87 Recovery Diaries are wholeheartedly committed to providing you with personal stories and films related to the pandemic that may help provide you with inspiration and hope during this extremely difficult time.
Please feel free to share any of this content with friends or family who may need an extra dose of mental health, empowerment, and change.
Mental Health & Hope For The Future
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a world that will be forever changed and that is ever-challenging.
We at OC87 Recovery Diaries are wholeheartedly committed to providing you with personal stories and films related to the pandemic that may help provide you with inspiration and hope during this extremely difficult time.
Please feel free to share any of this content with friends or family who may need an extra dose of mental health, empowerment, and change.
ORIGINAL MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY FILMS
Revisiting Beloved Photographer Danielle Hark of Broken Light Collective Through Her Lens
When Danielle Hark was experiencing postpartum depression, she turned to photography to aid in her mental health recovery.
“Dear Me” A Sneak Peek at a Music Video that Started in Group Therapy
David Thomas is a musician who lives with bipolar disorder. His first single, “Dear Me,” stems from an exercise assigned at a group therapy session.
An Extra Mile: Preserving the Literary Legacy of a Brother Who Died by Suicide
After his death by suicide, Raghav Thakran’s family discovered hundreds of poems that he wrote and published them in a book to keep his memory alive.
A New Book Returns Us to Our Town
A new book about many different productions of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town features a production by mental health workers.
A Father’s Mental Health Recovery Journey: Beyond The Bullet
Jalil Frazier was shot trying to prevent a robbery. He is a member of a support group for gunshot violence survivors who speaks about his journey.
Depression & Trauma Recovery | Gunshot Violence Survivors Speak
Steven Smith is an anti-gun violence advocate and member of a support group for gunshot violence survivors who speaks about his journey.
MENTAL HEALTH PODCAST
Episode 14 – “The Hunting Ground”: Recovering from Sexual Assault – an Interview with Documentary Film Subject, Kamilah Willingham
Interview with Kamilah Willingham, a subject of the documentary film, “The Hunting Ground.”
Episode 13 – Dr. Kristin Neff and the Art of Self-Compassion
Dr. Kristin Neff is a pioneer in the study and practice of self-compassion. What is self-compassion? Listen in to this podcast episode to find out.
Episode 12 – From Nigeria to the U.S. — A Journey with Anxiety and Depression
Adesola Ogunleye, a Nigerian American immigrant who lives with depression and anxiety, is interviewed on this episode of OC87 Recovery Diaries on the Radio.
ESSAYS ON MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY
During the Pandemic, a Retired Psychiatrist Finds a New Challenge; His Own Mental Health
Bereft of meaningful activities during the pandemic, a recently retired psychiatrist explores his mental health decline and the difference between acedia and depression.
Coloring Sadness: What We Lose, and Find, in a Psychiatric Hospital
Hospitalized for a major depressive episode, Katie Thomas looked into the eyes of broken people and saw herself.
Where’s Mamma? One Woman’s Struggle with Postpartum Depression
Robin lived the “perfect life” and was excited to welcome her new baby boy, quickly after his birth Robin noticed a shift in how she felt. As her postpartum worsened, Robin did not know what to do and eventually sought help.
A Must-See For First Responder Mental Health Training
Stirring stories of real first responders who have struggled with mental health challenges and came out on the other side.
These brave men and women demonstrate that seeking help is a strength, not a weakness, and that hope and recovery are possible.
Make a pay what you can donation for a DVD or digital download of these eight short films.
A Must-See For First Responder Mental Health Training
Stirring stories of real first responders who have struggled with mental health challenges and came out on the other side.
These brave men and women demonstrate that seeking help is a strength, not a weakness, and that hope and recovery are possible.
Make a pay what you can donation for a DVD or digital download of these eight short films