by Max Guttman
As Max Guttman puts it, there is little to do in psych hospitals except pace the hallway and swallow pills. The most worthwhile way to spend his time, then, was hearing his neighbors’ stories.
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.
The mental health impact of sudden vision loss can be dramatic, as Christopher Dale explores in this essay.
Megan Fisher wonders whether or not there is room in her life, and in people’s minds, for the child she was, with OCD, and the adult she is, with OCD.
Javier Ortega-Araiza was feeling suicidal, and it wasn’t the first time that happened. His essay talks about his mental health recovery.
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.
Alan Caldwell has been collecting stories about his history of abuse and trauma and family for years, but only recently begun writing them down.
This mental health recovery story focuses on Amanda’s journey with OCD, Anorexia, Complex PTSD, trauma and grooming. Amanda had to cut off her mother in order to heal. Read to learn more about how Amanda learned to ask for help and recover from trauma.
by Lena Walton
Lena Walton was always shushed by society—no talking about her undiagnosed bipolar disorder, nor about independence as a woman. Only now, following a breakdown, is Lena finally beginning to understand herself.
Men in the Black community are viewed as weak if they seek mental health treatment, but Derrick McQueen, a Black man with bipolar schizophrenia, didn’t let stigma stop him from getting help.
This mental health recovery story focuses on Manndi’s journey with OCD. Manndi always struggled with symptoms but when she suffered from a miscarriage her OCD tendencies spiraled out of control. Read to learn more about how Manndi learned to ask for help and recover.
Sheila O’Shea triumphantly shouted, “I called it!” when she was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder II; a mental health diagnosis she always kind of knew she had.
Julia Tannenbaum’s adolescence was taken from her by a series of teenage traumas and mental health challenges; but she is only looking forward as she thrives in her twenties.
This mental health recovery story focuses on Lindsey’s journey through abuse and childhood trauma, gaslighting, and hospitalizations, where Lindsey learned to trust her intuition and find practices around caring for herself. Read more in this mental health essay!
Alexis Zinkerman writes about the intersectionality between bipolar disorder, spirituality, and creativity.
Carissa Chesanek’s father experienced undiagnosed PTSD from his experience in Vietnam. His daughter never went to war, but was diagnosed with the same illness.
This mental health recovery story focuses on Leif’s journey through hospitals, homelessness, and diagnosis. Leif learned to advocate for himself and now finds ways to do so for others. Read more in this two-part essay!
This mental health recovery story focuses on Leif’s journey through hospitals, homelessness, and diagnosis. Leif learned to advocate for himself and now finds ways to do so for others. Read more in this two-part essay!
Taking “a magic little pill” to help cope with her sometimes debilitating anxiety had serious limitations and, eventually, Maria realized she needed more help.
Bipolar mania told Erika Nichols-Frazer that sex was love, that Stephen Colbert and John Oliver would want to interview her, and that gibberish was genius; these are the lies mania told her.