Addiction: A mental disorder characterized by impaired functioning related to the use of a chemical substance or repeated behavior, including a willingness to take increasing risks to obtain the substance or behavior despite negative consequences, and chronic relapse after attempts to abstain. For more comprehensive information on addiction, please click here.
Victory Over Suicidal Tendencies: Fostering the Human Connection
This mental health recovery story focuses on Amy’s journey with intergenerational trauma, suicidality and addiction. Amy eventually found support that helped her to heal, read more here!
Social Media – Recovering from the Drug Addiction of the Nation
Jason Schreurs would sit with his eyes bloodshot against the computer screen late into the night, forging connections on social media. Eventually, this obsession put him in the hospital.
Looking Down – The Mental Health Impact of Vision Loss
The mental health impact of sudden vision loss can be dramatic, as Christopher Dale explores in this essay.
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Back on Track: Recovering from Mental Illness and Addiction
After ten years of fighting a wrenching addiction to heroin, Stacey Anne Quin is winning herself back from the brink of mental illness and addiction.
Misunderstood, Misdiagnosed, Misled: My Story of Illness and Addiction
Christina faced issues with addiction and the law, due to underlying mental issues, eventually with the proper help and diagnosis she learned to tackle these issues.
Forgiving the Hurt: What Does it Mean to Forgive Our Abusers?
Alicia McClendon has been parsing out the word “forgiveness” for some time now. Can you forgive your own mother for causing you childhood trauma? And what does it mean to forgive while still holding on to your truth?
Melancholy & Cinnamon; A Journey through Mental Hell, and How Poetry Saved my Life
Gabrielle Guillon has come a long way from growing up with depression and abuse as her constant companions; poetry has helped her heal.
Kiss My Scars: Learning to Love the Whole Self, Trauma Included
by Listen to Editor in Chief Gabriel Nathan read this story: When I walk into a room, my presence, stature, and big ass afro commands attention! It wasn’t always that way—I didn’t...
Connected Through Trauma: A Police Officer’s Story of PTSD, Suicidality, and Hope
As a police officer, trauma, PTSD, and thoughts of suicide threatened to end Constable James Jefferson’s career, and his life, but he wouldn’t allow it.
Strike Three, an Undeniable Success: Finding Confidence Through Bipolar Depression
Leigh Abraham spent much of his life thinking his failures belonged to him, but not his accomplishments. Then he found baseball.
My Bipolar, BPD, OCD, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobic Life’s Journey; Thus Far
As a child, Brianna attempted to find ways to control the emotions and experiences that she did not feel in control of, how Brianna’s diagnosis and treatment helped her to understand her moods.
Winning My Ongoing Battle with Depression and Alcohol Abuse
During childhood, Joao had trouble finding friends he could trust, how Joao moved through experiences of bullying and self-doubt.
Watching Mental Illness from the Sideline: A Brother’s Story
Dave Brennan reflects on the difficulties of living with someone with a bipolar diagnosis, as well as how we may look past these difficulties and see the rest of that person.
Sólheimasandur: Surviving Addiction, Bipolar Disorder, and Oppression as a Trans Man
When faced with a multi-faceted stack of mental health obstacles, Ethan Sunny Swift survives through self-reflection and helping others.
Finding the Way Out of Trauma and Substance Abuse
James Howard’s younger life was dominated by trauma and substance abuse, but today he lives stronger with faith and music as his guides.
Are We Destined to Repeat the Family Cycle?
Growing up, Natalie struggled with her father’s alcoholism and manipulation, how Natalie worked through her relationship through therapy and writing.
The Night I (almost) Escaped Rehab
Canadian singer-songwriter Skylar Bouchard has long struggled with addiction and self-harm, and his essay is a hopeful ballad to recovery.
Six Days on the Good Unit: Hospitalized and Alive
Casey Cannizzaro is a brilliant writer who lives in a world of addiction and bipolar disorder, both of which he fights every single day, with every breath.
Letting Myself Go: An Artist’s Struggle with Depression, Addiction, and Suicidality
For the artist named Mederos, physical and psychological pain of depression is inextricably intertwined.
Blessed by Dog: How My Emotional Therapy Animal Helps Me Cope with Bipolar
Trying to deal with a bipolar diagnosis, alcohol-abuse, self-harm, and hallucinations is a lot to take on. When Jessica Drake-Thomas met her emotional therapy animal, Mia, the road to recovery became much more clear.
You’re Not Bored; You’re an Addict.
A woman who lives with alcoholism describes the normalization of alcohol in Western culture and speaks openly and bravely about her alcoholism recovery.
Raised by a Broken Woman: Battling Depression and Anxiety Without Parental Support
A never-ending cycle: Broken souls having children only for those children to be shattered souls themselves. Because I know that millions experience this, I want to share my story in order to change a life or even save one.
The (im) possibilities of love with bipolar
I should have asked for her hand in marriage, but she would have just given me the finger. I live with bipolar disorder. Once, I loved with it too.
The Mental Health of an Addict’s Mother
It is impossible to ignore the impact that a child’s addiction and mental health has on a parent. Because of this I started therapy myself, and I believe that it saved my life.
Five Years of Sobriety: Smiling and Waving and Looking so Fine
I stopped drinking the next day. There was no plan. It was just, “I’m not drinking today, and probably not tomorrow.” Five years.
More Mental Health Accounts to Follow on Instagram
This installment of our mental health resources column highlights Instagram mental health from authors who have appeared on OC87 Recovery Diaries.
Painting My Roses Red – Navigating Recovery
Groggy. Always groggy. Part bored, part feeling down. Seems I always have habits I either need to break or start—when I can get around to it. Maybe tomorrow, after my 8:30am nap.
Hunting for Ninjas: When Trauma and Addiction are Hiding in the Dark
They say when you experience a traumatic experience as a child, you block out the details. My memory jumps.
After I Destroyed Myself: Fast and Furious with Bipolar Disorder and Addiction
I’m not an expert on mental health, addiction, or suicide. I’m a survivor.
Addiction and Anxiety – My Poetic Recovery
Trapped between fear and anxiety, I would drink and use drugs to cover up my feelings. After years of living this way with several bad trips, blackouts and hospitalizations, I went into treatment.
Transcending the Pain of Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoaffective bipolar type is a disease characterized by mood swings and depression, in addition to psychosis, delusions, and paranoia.
Beneath the Vest: Police Officer Alcoholism, Mental Health & Recovery
Joe has wrestled with alcoholism and the stresses of life as a police officer, a sometimes combustible combination.
From Mental Health Institutionalization to Advocacy
A journey from dark days of mental health institutionalization and repeated electroconvulsive therapy treatments, to a successful advocacy career.
Obsessions and Addictions: Transformation and Transcendence
I am plagued with obsessions and addictions. On default I use mental compulsions (avoidance, reassurance seeking, mental rituals, etc.) to seek relief.
The Bottom of the World: Living with Bipolar in Australia
People are now openly talking about having depression or anxiety — BUT NOT BIPOLAR: I believe that the word bipolar in Australia is still scary.
22 Mental Health Podcasts
In celebration of our new podcast, we’ve rounded up 22 mental health podcasts that are doing their part to #buststigma around mental illness.
A Letter to Niyyah: Trauma Under the Bridge
Now, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, the cycle is broken.
My Body, My Eating Disorder, My Recovery
In my eating disorder, I loved to push myself, to bring my body to the edge and watch which way it fell. More liquor, more dancing, more starving.
Bipolar-ish: Q&A with Musician Deidre Young
“My medicine is my music. When it gets too bad, I’ve got to sit down and do my music.” – Deidre Young a.k.a. H-Town Butta, creator of the song “Bipolar-ish.”
Not For The Faint of Heart: Recovering From Co-Occurring Illnesses
Bipolar disorder and alcoholism left me exhausted and defeated. Hope came in the form of a co-occurring illnesses rehab facility.
A Spiritual Solution to a Mental Health Crisis
Confronted with debilitating depression, anxiety, and a life filled with chaos, I was led to a spiritual solution to manage my mental health meltdown.
Eric Cureton’s Journey to Independence
Eric’s story begins with sadness and isolation. Today, Eric has uncovered a strong sense of self, created supportive relationships, and learned coping skills.
Tyler Hurst’s Recovery Reflections
Tyler and Brooke are active in YPR, an advocacy organization that aims to make it easier for youth to find and maintain their recovery from addiction.
Darlene’s Recovery Story
Video from the Hollywood Beauty Salon documentary: Remembering neglect in foster care, alcoholism, and mental illness, Darlene talks to her inner child.
The Story of John Rocco
“I’m recovering from addiction, major depression, ADHD, and HIV. If I can come out of 28 years of addiction and prison, you can do it too.” – John Rocco