How a 17-year-old Struggled with Thanatophobia and Learned to Accept and Recover
Lots of people are scared of death, but having thanatophobia—a clinical, often crippling fear of death—is quite different than what most people experience. Join Sibgha Akbar as she writes about recovering and accepting; all at the age of 17.
Kambel Smith’s Artwork, Family, and Being an Autisarian (Autism)
Following Childhood & Adult Suicide Attempts: A Vow to Get Better
Like so many people who try to take their own lives, Sandra Stevens came from trauma; wishing she had never been born. She took many steps to achieve the desire to stay in this world; this is her story.
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How Modern Schizophrenia Treatment Steals Our Autonomy
Sarah Myers understands her schizophrenia. That is, she challenges it with logic, and develops healthy coping mechanisms to respond to her symptoms. In Sarah’s opinion, this is more than the medical industry can claim.
“What’s Wrong with You?” — the Question Trauma Asks
For his whole life, Jacques Damhuis was confronted with, “What’s wrong with you?” After decades of self-discovery, and some EMDR, he is learning that the answer is “nothing.”
Postpartum Depression Healing: Samantha’s Story
A young mother shares her personal journey with postpartum depression.
What Reason Do I Have to be Depressed?
Eleni Stephanides was skeptical that going back on antidepressants would help, but she soon felt the clouds lift, and her vitality return.
Was I the Black Sheep? Discovering, Understanding and Healing my Trauma and CPTSD
This mental health recovery story focuses on Ana’s journey with Complex PTSD, and intergenerational trauma. Ana eventually cut ties with family to begin her healing journey. Read to learn more about how Ana learned to ask for help and recover from trauma.
What I Learned Socializing With The “Insane” in Psychiatric Units
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.
Perinatal Depression and Postpartum Anxiety: Regina’s Story
A young mother uses her personal journey with perinatal depression and postpartum anxiety.
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.
Shiny Rocks; OCD is Always in My Pocket, Even all Grown Up
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.
Jabina’s Story: Postpartum OCD & Major Depressive Disorder
A young mother uses her challenging journey with major depressive disorder and postpartum OCD to help others.
Surviving Suicidality to Live in a Wonderful World
Javier Ortega-Araiza was feeling suicidal, and it wasn’t the first time that happened. His essay talks about his mental health recovery.
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.
Throw Pillows and Coffee Mugs: Accoutrements of Trauma, Abuse, and Recovery
Alan Caldwell has been collecting stories about his history of abuse and trauma and family for years, but only recently begun writing them down.
Losing Her Saved Me: How I Healed From Trauma
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.
Postpartum Depression Recovery | Maternal Mental Health: Liz’s Story
A new mother details her how past traumas impacted her postpartum period, and how therapy was key to her recovery from postpartum depression.
Bipolar Disorder, Independence, and Living in the 21st Century as a 20th Century Woman
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.
For this African American Man; there is Light, Even with Bipolar Schizophrenia
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.
Excuse Me While I Obsess: Learning to Manage my Lifelong Struggle with OCD
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.
Maternal Mental Health: Keli’s Story
A new mother details her recovery journey from postpartum depression, and how medication and therapy were critical to her success.
How I Learned I had Bipolar Disorder, or, “The Unpleasantness”
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.
Overcoming My Teenage Traumas Allowed Me to Find Freedom in My Twenties
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.
We’ll Leave The Gaslight on For You
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!
From Manic Insights to a Holistic Truth; Moving Towards Healing with Bipolar Disorder
Alexis Zinkerman writes about the intersectionality between bipolar disorder, spirituality, and creativity.
Holding Space: Stories of Maternal Mental Health
Series presents five women who tell of heartbreaking and challenging journeys with postpartum depression and perinatal anxiety and mood disorders.
PTSD: The Unlikely Disease that Brought my Father and I Together
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.
Life Has Become Wonderful: My Life with Schizoaffective Disorder (PART 2 OF 2)
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!
Meet Monica (Again) – Mental Health & Chosen Family
Monica, a young transwoman, talks about her experience with mental health challenges, homelessness, and finding her chosen family at The Attic Youth Center.
Life Has Become Wonderful: My Life with Schizoaffective Disorder (PART 1 OF 2)
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!
Anxiety’s Magical Little Pill
Taking “a magic little pill” to help cope with her sometimes debilitating anxiety had serious limitations and, eventually, Maria realized she needed more help.
Lies Mania has Told Me
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.
Decades-long Relationship with Therapist Truly a Gift
Brian Marshall has seen the same therapist for decades, and his relationship with her has been a key element to his recovery from depression.
NAMI Man: A Super Hero with a Super Human Story of Mental Illness Recovery
Mini doc about Nick Emeigh, aka NAMI Man, a colorful and awe-inspiring superhero who roams the world fighting stigma and promoting mental health awareness.
All The Colors Of Me Only Some Will See: Relearning to Love Your Body After a Trauma
Anne Marie Malloy had trouble loving who she saw in the mirror after facing childhood trauma, so she’s reclaimed control over self-identity with piercings, Doc Martens, and a rebellious attitude to match.
Learning to Prioritize Mental Health and Self-Care through a Traumatic Experience
This mental health recovery story focuses on Andrea’s journey after an incident of unwanted touch in a public place. Andrea felt anger, confused, uncertain how to go on. Through mental health care and re-prioritizing her needs, read how Andrea learned to heal from her trauma.
Long-Distance Running and Long-Running Depression: An Enduring Partnership
Eleni Stephanides has learned how to run with depression, instead of running from it.
A New Psychiatric RN Faces Her Career, and her own Mental Health
As someone who lives with panic disorder, OCD and anxiety, Caitlin Irish is uniquely positioned to help people as a psychiatric nurse, and uniquely challenged.
NAMI Man Film Sneak Peek!
Nick Emeigh is NAMI Man, a colorful and awe-inspiring superhero who roams the world, fighting stigma and promoting mental health awareness.
Walking through Life with Grief
Losing people is always hard; for Amanda Wolf, the grief and loss following the deaths of a close friend and her grandfather threatened to overcome her.
The Hip Hop Therapist
Ronald Crawford calls himself a hip hop therapist, using hip hop lyrics as a way to connect in therapy sessions with young people.
Magical Thinking as Trauma Response: How I Created Safety through Imagination
Faced with traumas before unimagined, Laura turned to the tool of magical thinking to create safety after ongoing experiences of trauma.
Anxiety & Trauma Poems
Faced with trauma and grief, writer Laura Farrell turned to poetry to process her experiences.
Done Running: a Budding Pharmacist Confronts Her Eating Disorder & Sexuality
Jules Aukerman, a budding pharmacist, confronts her sexuality and her eating disorder in this genuine, compassionate essay.
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.
The Healing Verse – Cydney, Yolanda, Ursula, Thomas
Third in a series of films that presents poetry for mental health wellbeing.
Knock, Knock. Who’s There? OCD.
Megan Fisher tried in vain to conceal her OCD behaviors from those closest to her, and therapy wasn’t the magic cure-all, until she found hope and help, compassion and change.
Mind Games: Depression & Anxiety Gripped My Father; COVID Nearly Took Him Away
Khadija grew up with two hard-working, loving parents, it was later in life that she experienced the impact of her father’s depression.
When Running From The Voices In Your Head Takes You Someplace New
Avis Yarbrough considers herself “shy” and “timid,” someone who stays at home. But when she first started hearing voices in her late twenties, she was catapulted on a trip she would have never taken otherwise.
Depression and Mental Illness: Disease or Condition?
A man wrestles with whether his depression and suicidality are diseases or conditions in this introspective and far-reaching essay.
The Healing Verse — Trapeta, Enoch, and Beth
Second in a series of films that presents poetry for mental health wellbeing.
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.
How Living With Depression Influences My Personal Growth
Onome felt a lack of support in her childhood, which quickly spiraled into depression, although it was hard to find treatment in Nigeria and Ghan, she eventually got the help she needed.
The Healing Verse: Poetry for Mental Wellbeing
First in series of films that present poetry for mental health wellbeing.
Deciding to Get Better: The Choice to Fight Schizoaffective Disorder
Cheyenne Ruiz spent much of her adolescence fighting panic attacks, working through depression, and pretending hallucinations weren’t happening. One hallucination pushed her to take recovery into her own hands.
A Goodbye Call in a Summer Afternoon: Noticing Suicide Warning Signs May Be the Difference Between Life and Death
When her uncle called trying to give a cryptic goodbye, Thaís Freita noticed suicide warning signs and saved a life.
Labeling Abuse in a Borderline Relationship
Two people with borderline personality disorder begin a romantic relationship that quickly becomes toxic, out-of-control, desperate, and dangerous.
Hell or High Seas: Suicide Attempt Survivor on the Big Screen
Tackling PTSD on the High Seas presents U.S Navy Taylor Greiger’s transformation from suicide attempt survivor into suicide prevention awareness activist.
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.
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.
Building a Life After Violence: Leon Harris’ Story
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.
Now Unquiet: The Journey of Pianist Jonathan Biss
Pianist Jonathan Biss recounts his journey and examines the interplay between his lifelong passion for music and his own personal struggles with anxiety.
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.
After a Suicide Attempt: What a Difference a Dad Makes
After a suicide attempt, Chris Brown, a young man living in England, realized that having a father who could hear him and be with him in that moment, made all the difference.
“Dear Me” 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.
To Hell and Back, a Man’s Struggle with Suicidal Ideation
While hospitalized under the mental health act, Dominic found himself feeling hopeless and desperate to end his mental pain, read his story to learn how he moved through the pain and found hope again!
Falsehoods, Delusions, and Lies: My Life with Schizoaffective Disorder and Anxiety
Living with schizoaffective disorder and anxiety, Leif Gregersen was hospitalized numerous times. Now he is a compassionate and vocal advocate for those in need of a voice.
Why I Ignored a Bipolar Diagnosis in my 20s… and What I Learned in my 30s
Chris Russell, an actor living with bipolar disorder, writes about medication, realizations, acceptance, and managing his mental health.
Good Thoughts for a Better Mind: How Psychoanalysis Transformed My Life
Years of traditional therapy didn’t do much to quell Daniela Silva’s existential dread and fear of smiling. It took a dose Freud to spur her journey forward.
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.
I Felt Safer in a Psychiatric Hospital During the Pandemic
The national fatigue and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic felt all too familiar to Jennifer, who is diagnosed with bipolar and has experienced mania.
With Depression, Anxiety, and Lyme Disease; My Dream is Survival
Max Noir lives with anxiety, depression, and chronic lyme disease, but she has not let these conditions diminish her capabilities, limit her travel, or her love of life.
“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.
Anxiety: Irrational, Illogical, Catastrophic and, Eventually; Manageable
After silently living with anxiety and panic attacks, therapy and medication helped Nicci Attfield, from South Africa, find her voice.
The Gentler Lessons of a Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
Shortly after her first hospitalization and diagnosis of bipolar, Jocelyn fell into a deep depression. While in the hospital, Jocelyn was guided by the beauty of an orchid, sitting on her window sill. Jocelyn found ways to find beauty day to day to help cope with depression and diagnosis, along with therapy and medication. Read more about her story!
A Kenyan Man’s Journey with Schizophrenia: Therapy and Medication Work Wonders
When Kenyan university student Noah Kirui was in college, he started developing hallucinations and delusions and was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Wired Differently: How Brain Surgery Quelled My OCD
After experiencing mountains of trauma at the hands of her therapist, Harper Hanson found that treating her OCD might actually be better solved in the operating room.
Coming to Terms with Autism, Bipolar 1, and OCD as a Young College Student
Thomas Duliban loves to share with people; but what’s acceptable to share of his autism, his OCD, his bipolar diagnoses?
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 Gentle Hand Reaches Out to Those Considering Suicide
Bharti Bansal reaches out a gentle, compassionate hand from India to a friend she has never met, another human being considering suicide, just like she did.
OCD: Not “Just Another Quirk for Caitlin”
Caitlin Irish thought obsessive compulsive disorder was “just another quirk” but it was a life-changing diagnosis that led to a bright road to recovery.
Afraid of Being Seen: Recovering from Trauma & Learning to Show up Authentically
Lisa Greene’s trauma recovery journey is hopeful, inspiring, and beautifully crafted, like the intentional life she leads.
ECT and Me
Evelyn Sachs won’t stand for electroconvulsive therapy being just another cheap “Cuckoo’s Nest” reference; it has helped with her bipolar depression.
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.
When Disabled Womanhood Means Shrinking: How Diet Culture Affects the Bodies and Minds of Disabled Women
In middle school, Erica began to notice her weight and developed disordered thinking about her body in an attempt to control it. Through recovery, Erica learned that her need to control her body was in part to make her disability less noticeable to others.
This is Recovery: The Recurrent and Everlasting Journey Through Depression
Josh Forner has been in recovery from depression his entire life, and likely will continue to be. The process is not a straight line, but rather one that curves up and down, and sometimes circles back on itself.
If He Gets It: Teaching My Son How to Handle Depression
Christopher Dale once received mentorship on how to deal with depression from a man who knew the disease well. Now he’s learning to do the same for his son.
The Biggest Storm of My Life: My Precarious Journey with Anxiety and Depression
Gunshot Survivor Mental Health: Jalil Frazier’s Story
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.
A Fractured Journey: Feeling the Throes of Bipolar Disorder Before Diagnosis
Jason Schreurs zig-zags through different moments in his life, finding both clarity and confusion throughout. It all coalesces with one surprise diagnosis.
Kiss My Scars: Learning to Love the Whole Self, Trauma Included
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.
How Severus Snape Saved My Life
Severus Snape saved my life; a life lived with seemingly endless pain and despair due to anxiety and depression, writes Giovanna Errore from Italy.
Gunshot Survivor Depression & Trauma Recovery: B’s Story (Steven Smith)
Steven Smith is an anti-gun violence advocate and member of a support group for gunshot violence survivors who speaks about his journey.
Implicit Messages in Mental Health Peer Specialist Work
A mental health peer specialist takes us inside to show us what it is like to work with clinicians to help individuals with mental illness recover and thrive.
Even With Depression; I Want a Greedy Life
Living with depression denies you of a lot of things, but Victoria Martinez isn’t about to let her depression take the wheel; she’s in charge.
He Did the Laundry: A Sister Becomes a Suicide Loss Survivor
Lisa’s journey into the world of sibling suicide loss is painful and, ultimately, hopeful and inspiring.
How I Use the Singing of Hymns and Gospel Songs to Fight Depression
Isaac Nunoofio felt treating his depression was a hopeless cause, and then he found singing.
My Story of PTSD: Fighting the World Against All Odds
Through a difficult childhood, Kate developed PTSD, slowly as Kate began to understand the effects of her father’s absence and mother’s discipline on her mental health she began to heal.
Gun Violence Survivor’s Mental Health Recovery: Jaleel King’s Story
Jaleel King is a photographer and member of a support group for gunshot violence survivors who speaks about his journey.
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.
Heart Caretaking: A Mother and Scholar Turns a Corner on Panic and Anxiety
When panic and anxiety come for the accademic, how does she cope? Sarah Barnette shares her recovery story.
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.
Anxiety and Depression; My Two “Best Friends”
Teenager Alex Andrews was well-acquainted with her school’s bathroom floor, where she wrestled with sometimes crippling anxiety and depression.
Mental Health and Gunshot Violence: Charles Horton’s Story
Charles Horton is a disability rights activist and member of a support group for gunshot violence survivors who speaks about his journey.
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.
Why I Tell My University Students I’m Depressed
Peter Leman, a university professor with depression, discloses to his students to help bust the stigma of mental illness on college campuses.
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.
My Unusual OCD Symptom Could Have Got Me Fired, Or Worse
At times, Martha Ocasio’s symptoms from her OCD and anxiety disorder made herself and others feel uncomfortable.
The Depression That Would Not Go: How Do We Fight Depression When Medicine Doesn’t Do the Trick?
Anuradha Malhotra has keeps finding ways to quell her depressive symptoms, but her cures always seem to run out of gas. Now she’s finding other ways of moving forward.
Is This the Face of a Hero? Life as an ER Doctor in the Time of COVID
Dr. Erica Harris wrestles with the term “hero” as an emergency room physician during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
Re-parenting My Inner Child: My Journey of Healing from Childhood Neglect
In childhood, Amanda the constant fear of neglect and need, how Amanda moved through her upbringing and re-parented herself.
Dusk to Darkness; Navigating and Emerging from a World of Self-Harm
Australian Zoe Judd writes with vivid brilliance about her recovery from self-harm behaviors.
From the Vault: A Hero’s Journey Gets an Encore
Ed Kozempel is a hero who understands the power of music and doesn’t let paranoid schizophrenia or bipolar get between him and his flute.
44th in the Queue: What Texting the Suicide Lifeline Taught Me about Life, Mental Health, and Toxic Masculinity
When bipolar actor Chris Russell was experiencing suicidal ideation, he called the Lifeline; this is what he learned.
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.
How do you Recover from OCD and an Addiction to Self-Hatred?
Overcoming an addiction to self-hatred has been a life’s work for Harris Pike, in addition to managing anxiety, depression, ocd, and psychosis.
Anxiety and Me (and Maybe You, Too)
Kaci Curtis’s anxiety and panic manifested in obsessive worries and fears. Find out about how this young mother battles her brain every day.
It Gets Better: A Yarn Bomber’s Tale of Hope
Yarn Bomber Nicole Nikolich creates vibrant works of art for the street that are filled with humor and hope and help her battle anxiety and depression.
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.
Colours Went Flat: Losing My Brother to Suicide
Suicide loss is different than any other kind of loss, which Indian writer Raashi Thakran beautifully describes in her essay about her brother.
Dear Mom, I Want to Kill Myself
Dear Mom, I Want to Kill Myself is a heartbreaking and, ultimately, hopeful essay about overcoming suicidal thoughts and helping family members heal and grow.
My Struggle with Anxiety and Depression Has Been My Greatest Gift
Arielle Kremnev experienced an increase anxiety and depression after the birth of her second child.
Overcoming my Barriers to Borderline Personality Disorder Recovery
The voice of her borderline personality disorder told her not to get into recovery. She worried that no one would love her when she got better.
The Awesome and Absolutely True Adventures of the Autisarians of Philadelphia
The Smith Family of Philadelphia rejects the limitations of the term autism, and instead create “The Autisarians,” people with superhuman abilities.
Intrusive Thoughts & A Failing of Words
Katie Thomas is a caring mother, sister, and wife, but often battles intrusive thoughts of doing horrible things to the ones she loves.
Art is a Superpower | Quarantine + Mental Health
Artist and Educator Greyson “Haji P.” Davis discusses how art is his superpower, and has been his salvation during quarantine.
Quarantine: Clarity & Ghostliness | Mental Health & Hope for the Future
Parade of Puppy Fur | Play, Quarantine & Mental Health
Artist and Educator Greyson “Haji P.” Davis discusses how he’s free from social interactions and pretending to be anything but himself during quarantine.
The Vital Mission of a Therapist Working with Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations
Angelica Pinna-Perez, an intersectionally-oriented therapist, works with marginalized and disenfranchised folx to access culturally-competent, affordable treatment.
Quarantine Doodling & Art | Mental Health & Hope for the Future
Artist and Educator Greyson “Haji P.” Davis creates a routine for maintaining his mental health during quarantine: drawing in a studio and on the street.
I Want to Live, but I Couldn’t Always Say That
After several suicide attempts, Sarah Sharp now writes and lives with a passionate desire to stay alive.
Before and During COVID-19; My Depression Kept Me Moving and Still
The COVID-19 era has shifted and changed Wendy Hahn’s depression, her relationship with her husband, children, and self.
From Full Ride Scholar to Convicted Felon; A Suicide Attempt Changes Everything
Brittany Lopes’s suicide attempt was intended only to harm herself, but it didn’t turn out that way. Read about her journey of healing, redemption, forgiveness, and recovery.
Meeting Truths in the Time of COVID-19 | Mental Health & Coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed truths about ourselves on a global level. Hear more from Therapist Winden Rowe about mental health and coronavirus.
A Flight Attendant with OCD Grounds Herself During COVID-19
Under normal circumstances, being a flight attendant with anxiety and OCD is challenging; with COVID-19, it was next to impossible.
You Have an Illness (Anxiety); Just Not the One You Think You Have
Ben Knight’s anxiety raged to the point where he obsessed over a physical ailment that he never had. Read about his whirlwind journey back to reality.
Love is the Answer in the Time of COVID-19 | Mental Health & Coronavirus
Advice on how to make peace with yourself and build community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therapist Winden Rowe says that love is the answer.
Not All a Child Needs: Overcoming Suicidality and Depression in Pakistan
Hira Raza shares how culture and parental pressure can impact a child’s mental health, leading to an eating disorder and depression in Pakistan.
The Myth of Certainty in the Time of COVID-19 | Mental Health & Coronavirus
COVID-19 has disrupted the myth of certainty in our lives, but therapist Winden Rowe shares that trauma can, in fact, heal.
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.
Hope is Rebellion in the Time of COVID-19 | Therapist Winden Rowe
VIDEO: Therapist Winden Rowe looks at the hopeful aspects of life after COVID-19, and how societal change may have to come from the grassroots level.
The Reluctant Filmmaker: Surviving Suicide of a Son
Yolonda Johnson-Young has created a film titled Finding Elijah to help her answer the many questions she had after losing her son to suicide.
Hope & COVID-19 | Mental Health & Coronavirus
Need some hope during the #COVID-19 pandemic? Therapist Perri Shaw Borish (MSS, LCSW, BCD) has some suggestions for finding hope in the time of coronavirus.
Grief & COVID-19 | Mental Health & Coronavirus
Therapist Perri Shaw Borish (MSS, LCSW, BCD) details the sources of grief that many of us are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anxiety & COVID-19 | Mental Health & Coronavirus
A herapist shows us how to calm the anxious feelings of not knowing what will happen next in the age of the coronavirus pandemic; anxiety and COVID-19.
That’s The Tea on OCD: Learning to Live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Hannah Rose Preikschat shares what it’s like living with obsessive compulsive disorder, and more specifically, life with Pure O, or harm OCD.
Rosy is the New Bleak; How a Psychotic Break Saved My Life
A sudden move across oceans coupled with a psychotic break isn’t usually what saves a person’s life but, for Josie El Biry, it’s just what she needed.
A Boy In Progress: Surviving My Eating Disorder
Eli Parker spent his adolescence hiding his trans-identity from his friends and family, and took control of his life where he could, his diet.
Don’t Mistake a Few Bad Days For a Bad Life with Anxiety
Carol Blake writes her anxieties, joys, depressive thoughts, and words of gratefulness on physical paper to see her thoughts with objective eyes.
Writing Her Way Out of a Social Anxiety Tunnel in the UK
Claire Eastham is a blogger who lives in London. She writes about her journey with social anxiety disorder.
Bulimia: Look into Her Greedy Eyes and Destroy Her!
Sonia’s intrusive thoughts about her body controlled her behavior; how Sonia regained control of her life through identifying her disorder and finding help.
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.
Knowing Your Limits: Where Anxiety and Eating Intersect
Eating and anxiety share the same spot in Rachel Nelson’s brain. After a life filled with crash diets and, Rachel’s recovering.
The Vicious Cycle of Pure O | Purely Obsessional OCD & Mental Health in Turkey
Pinar Tarhan is a writer from Turkey who lives with Purely Obsessional OCD, also known as Pure O, and shares about her mental health recovery.
Gaslighting is Not Just a Movie: Recovering from the Effects of PTSD, Depression and Anxiety
After leaving an abusive relationship, Felicia Darlington’s anxiety and hopelessness felt out of control. Her strong essay details how she found support and learned to be comfortable in motherhood.
Major Depressive Disorder, Social Anxiety, and Hypothyroidism: A Survival Story
After a brain surgery left him with anxiety, weight gain, and depressive symptoms, Jakob
Waldron found out what real friends looked like.
How Does a Doctor with OCD Navigate Life, Career, and the Everyday?
For Rachel Davis, a doctor with OCD, every moment of every day is about managing her symptoms so she can function, live, and thrive.
Singing a Lullaby to Myself | Anxiety & Mental Health in Rwanda
How Becoming a Parent Forced Me to Deal with my Anxiety
Feeling anxious and depressed after the birth of her son, Katharine joined a support group and found help to understand what was going on in her body and her mind. Katharine found ways to understand her anxiety and become the parent she longed to be.
Suppress it, Survive it – How Unresolved Grief can Lead to Depression
Ananya Sahoo, a young woman from India, tried to suppress depression and place the intense grief from losses in a box; but theses boxes always open.
Where Do Compulsive Exercise and Disordered Eating Lead?
When you are battling an eating disorder, decisions like stand or sit, one cookie or two, are not just benign choices. Emily Kelsall takes us into the world and brain of a woman living struggling with disordered eating and compulsive exercise.
And Then I Got Cancer: My Recovery from Depression Became a Battle for My Life
AnnMarie Otis is a fighter; doing battle with cancer and depression every day of her life, and every moment of every day. Join her fight and cheer her on.
Australian Mental Health | A Clear Voice on Bipolar Disorder from Down Under
Liza Brock is an Australian mental health writer who writes about her journey with bipolar disorder.
Epiphany: Radical Rainbow: A Middle-Aged Woman of Color Lives with Mental Illness in America
Trying to navigate the world as a black older woman diagnosed with schizophrenia has more than its fair share of roadblocks. Jacquese Armstrong sees that world differently than most.
How the Correct Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder Saved My Life
After two negative experiences with less-than-optimal therapists, Taylor Oxley chose to battle her mental illness alone. As a last resort, she decided to visit one more.
How Do You Change the Negative Self-Talk Conversation?
Author and advocate Beck Medina works daily to improve her mental health by cultivating self-compassion. Her essay is a mature take on what it means to be young and plugged-in in 2019 and the cost to your self-image, and how to maintain stability while living with panic attacks and anxiety.
A Voice on Anxiety and Depression in India
Sanjukta Chauhan, a self-described “annoyingly optimistic” student from India, uses writing to tackle her depression.
Fighting My Eating Disorder Like a Warrior; Brave and Also Very Scared
Rachel Sellers does battle with anorexia, one of the most deadly mental health challenges, like a warrior: brave and also very scared.
How do You Live Through Anxiety, Depression, and a Friend’s Death?
Leah Holleran’s mystery illness was as common as common could be: anxiety and depression, but she and her family didn’t know it. Leah eventually solved the mystery of her mental health challenge, but not before struggling with self-harm and the loss of her best friend to an overdose.
An Outsider in My Own Skin; a Transgender Mental Health Story
Wrestling with Depression
In addition to wrestling some of the most noted sumo wrestlers in the world, Mike Wietecha is also well-versed in wrestling depression.
Paramedic Mental Health: Empathy in the Eye of the Storm
Ian Stoddart, a paramedic for 32 years, advocates practicing empathy for positive mental health.
Manic MFA: How My Degree Almost Cost Me My Sanity
Trying to manage bipolar disorder and a MFA program, she was influenced by mania, anxiety dictated the pace of her life, and her marriage was in danger.
An Average Anorexia Story (Serious, there is no big surprise or plot twist)
As her body changed, Amanda lost track of who she was. Slowly, through recovery from anorexia, Amanda found a way to reconnect to herself and to her body.
Uncovering Incredible: My Journey through Lifelong Anxiety
I believed that my slightest misstep from perfection would result in the immediate and irrevocable loss of love and respect from every single person around me.
Taking Up Space; Living in and Loving My Changing Body
Dancer Morgan Rondinelli wrestles with her weight gain and its impact on her mental health challenges.
First Responder Mental Health: A Paramedic’s Tale
Ashley Neubauer is a paramedic who loves helping people. The stresses of her job, however, affect her mental health, which she must monitor carefully.
Eight Miles Of Agony: Anxiety and Travel
I don’t know if I will ever be free of the panic attacks but I have hope that I will know how to cope. As of right now, I am taking things one day at a time, living my life and sharing my story so that others know that they are not alone.
What Comes After a Brother’s Death? PTSD, Depression, Anxiety; and Hope
After her young brother’s death, Lauren Fraser takes us on her journey of recovery from mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and ptsd in this moving personal essay.
When Control Disappears and Anxiety Stays
Instead of fighting against anxiety, I’ve learned to accept it and embrace it. Anxiety is only a small part of me, it doesn’t define me.
My Fight Against Rape and PTSD in College
I fight for myself and those recovery from rape and PTSD. I still struggle, but I am not a victim. I am a survivor. I am not defined by what happened to me.
First Responder Mental Health: When the Helpers Need Help, Who You Gonna Call?
Michelle Monzo is a hero’s hero. Her work is her passion, and her passion is her work. She is trains police and other criminal justice and public safety personnel in mental health crisis intervention techniques. in addition to her crisis intervention education efforts, she creates safe spaces for first responders to be vulnerable when they are feeling they need mental health support.
Life On the Borderline: Learning to Live with BPD
Receiving a diagnosis for borderline personality disorder later in life was difficult for Lisa Parker. When she finally heard the phrase “bpd,” she was able to start learning skills in her 50s she wished she’d learned in her 20s.
Eating Disorder Healing and Changing Our Narratives Around Them
This mental health recovery story focuses on Ziba’s journey through an eating disorder, that often felt invisible. Ziba felt unseen in her disordered habits around eating and misunderstood when she first shared that she made herself sick to doctors. As she learned more about her disease and found help herself, Ziba worked to dismantle stereotypes and bust stigma. Through therapy and group work Ziba was able to understand her disorder and reconnect to herself. Read more!
Hereditary Depression, Unplugged: My Uncle understood my mental illness because he shared it. Then he died.
When Christopher Dale lost his Uncle Steve, he felt he’d lost a guiding compass for navigating his hereditary depression. Now he’s trying to carry on Uncle Steve’s lessons himself.
Compound Trauma: The 911 on 911 Dispatcher Craig Tinneny
Craig Tinneny is a 911 dispatcher whose lifetime work of fielding calls from people in crisis made him feel hollow, helpless, and hopeless. He sought help from a group of peers and has since become a crusader for better mental health for first responders.
I Want to Live: Turning a Corner with Suicidal Ideation and Depression
This mental health recovery story focuses on Tina’s journey through a fixation on death, depression and suicidal ideation. Tina’s thoughts and actions felt out of control, guide by anxiety. Suicidal ideation was a constant in her life, how Tina sought help and learned that are her core, she wanted to live. Through therapy and a close encounter with death, Tina discovered her will to live. Read more about Tina’s journey!
I’m Being Listened To: A New Page in a Story of Anxiety and Depression
Bryan Long writes about his struggle with anxiety and depression from the perspective of a young man opening up to a provider for the very first time.
The Good, The Bad, and the Obsessive Compulsive: How We Stereotype Those with Mental Illness
If all you knew about mental illness came from television, you might think everyone with obsessive compulsive disorder was a “crazy clean freak.” Alexandra Ages begs to differ—a person with a mental illness is much more than a television archetype.
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.
I Suppressed Everything – A Story of Abuse and Bipolar
This mental recovery story focuses on Lisa’s journey of childhood trauma, abuse and eventually her diagnosis of bipolar. After years of physical, sexual and mental abuse, Lisa thought she had found stability, until her mania set in followed by severe depression. Lisa’s life felt like it was spinning out. Her physical, sexual and mental abuse dictated her life, her mania felt out of control, how Lisa came to terms with her diagnosis of bipolar and past trauma and found a way to heal. With time and therapy Lisa found ways to cope. Read more about Lisa’s journey!
Can a Man (and a Bug) Drive Out Suicide?
OC87 Recovery Diaries’ Editor in Chief Gabriel Nathan travels around the east coast in his beloved Herbie the Love Bug replica to raise suicide awareness and meet people whose lives have been changed by suicide.
Emptying My Head: Bipolar Depression, A Tale of Two People
This mental health recovery story focuses on Erica’s journey through an abusive childhood, a diagnosis of bipolar depression and the feeling of being misunderstood, by other and by herself. Her bipolar depression and anger left Erica confused, when she found therapy she was able to see what was beneath her rage and come through to the other side. Erica realized that her anger masked a deep sadness, as she worked with a counselor she found a way to explore her past and understand her present. Learn more about Erica’s journey!
The Kid’s Alright, or Close Enough; My Asperger’s Diagnosis
Rachael grew up with a feeling that she was different from others. She experienced anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms and had regular meltdowns. Eventually these things turned into a problem with substance abuse. Her inability to adapt to change and childhood anxiety created a barrier, how Rachael’s diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in adulthood helped her to understand her past and gain a newfound stability. Once, Rachael could understand what was going in her mind, she was able to take back control of her life. Read more about Rachael’s story!
Battling Depression: Fighting the Legion of Gloom
If you think only a super-human force can successfully battle depression, then you don’t know Shawn Reynolds, comic book aficianado and mental health superhero in his own right.
When Anxiety and Panic Attacks Hit; Hit Back with Therapy
Natalie Rodriguez knew she needed therapy for her anxiety and panic attacks; but she had to fight against shame and stigma to get that help.
Sailing for Life and Surviving PTSD
Hell or High Seas follows veteran Navy rescue swimmer Taylor Greiger and friend Stephen O’Shea on the sailing adventure of a lifetime to prove that Taylor is stronger than his PTSD diagnosis.
When You’re Depressed and Doctors Aren’t Great, What Do You Do?
JoEllen Notte, a sex educator who focuses on mental health, delves into her experiences as a woman who is depressed navigating a health system that often does not know how to respond.
How Can Trauma, Depression, and Panic Help you Hold On and Let Go?
Jenna Kohler’s life has been impacted by her boyfriend’s suicide, the Boston Marathon bombing, and other events that have shaped her exposure to depression and trauma.
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.
How Do You Recover from Mental Illness and Hurricane Harvey?
Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on Houston, and on Sue Ann Perna, who writes with bravery about how this hurricane impacted her mental illness and changed her life.
Combating OCD with Narrative Poetry
An OCD story from a young woman who writes about how narrative poetry is helping redirect her obsessive compulsive brain in a beautiful, inspiring way.
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.
Dancing Away Depression
it has been a very long time since I have been out dancing. I am much too depressed and the pain is overwhelming; however, there came a meeting of my many minds and the solution was couch dancing. LOL, you say? I would be willing to bet you have never tried it!
The Narrow Ledge of Half-Health; My Life with Schizophrenia
“You need to accept the fact that schizophrenia is a chronic condition. You will have it for the rest of your life, so you need to start focusing on managing your symptoms.” When I heard it put so plainly, I sighed in despair.
No Worries! And Other Lies I Tell My Anxious Self
My panic attacks are still not discriminatory nor are they accommodating. For years, they came and went as they pleased. In bedrooms, in showers, on vacations, and in cars.
A Police Officer’s Tango with PTSD and Complex Trauma – Beneath the Vest with Ed Pila
“Many police departments are good at continually preparing their officers for the daily physical and report battles they face. But, most of these same departments are inadequate in knowledge, and even unaware, of what is going on beneath the vest – in the heart, mind, and soul of the police officer.” – Ed Pila
A Story of Multiple Mental Illness Diagnoses in a Marriage
We have a strong marriage but with our multiple diagnoses there are challenges that most would not understand—like going to the grocery store or out to eat.
A Mom with PTSD: Getting Closer to Realizing My Dreams
I was trying to manage my PTSD (unsuccessfully), which was magnified by my newly received diagnoses of bipolar with treatment resistant depression and borderline traits.
Horror, Oppression, Perfectionism, Epiphanies; My Story of Comorbid Resilience
I am what clinicians may refer to as “comorbid,” meaning I experience simultaneous disorders at once. With my history of diagnoses of major depressive, post-traumatic stress, panic, generalized anxiety, illness anxiety, body dysmorphic, and social anxiety disorders, I have had an overwhelming journey.
Hope amidst the Hopelessness of Depression
I had always been a sullen, solitary girl, sensitive and moody, prone to uncontrollable emotional outbursts. But the sadness I felt that winter was deeper, the outbursts more frequent, intense, and all-consuming.
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.
My Whirlwind Brain; Living with Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety
I’m a thirty-seven-year-old woman who was diagnosed with bipolar, depression and anxiety at the age of twenty-two. As I look back on my life I can remember feeling anxious throughout my childhood. I grew up in a good home with loving parents, but my anxiety persisted.
Physician Mental Health & Suicide
The Power of an Emotional Support Animal in Mental Health Recovery
Bowser and I had met when I began a rather impulsive search for someone, or something, to help alleviate my mental and emotional turmoil.
Reasons Why I Should Die – Coming Back from Teenage Suicidal Ideation
I’m writing now as a happy and fulfilled young adult. But ten years ago, I thought my life was worth ending.
When Thoughts are Sticky; Pure OCD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Though I am in recovery from generalized anxiety disorder, (GAD) that doesn’t mean I am cured, I have periods of remission and mini flare-ups.
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.
You’re Manic Bipolar – The Line Between Audience and Stage
You’re more powerful than you know. And, once you learn how to wield your powers, trust me. They’ll applaud.
2 Gabes in A Car Sharing Mental Health Stories
In addition to sharing a first name, they also share a passion for busting stigma about mental illness. Mental health advocacy brought them together, but something deeper created a connection.
Seeking Sanity Step by Step
My illness devastated me at age twenty when I was committed to a psychiatric hospital for sixty days and eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Psychosis: A Beginning. An End.
My impaired judgement was obvious even in the early days of my illness. I exhibited so many of the symptoms associated with psychosis—a substantial drop in my grades, trouble concentrating, declining hygiene, a significant weight loss, oscillating from strong emotions to a feeling of emptiness to name a few.
Is Mental Illness Your Rabbit, Too? Living with Anxiety and Depression
Not hallucinations, but rather some of the smaller and fuzzier denizens native to Cambridge, Massachusetts. There is no metaphor more fitting for the person I was back then: twitchy, easily startled, a propensity to run scared from others. I had lost all the avenues I’d had to hide from depression and anxiety, and they closed in like a pair of gangsters in an alleyway.
Depression, Anxiety, and Panic Disorder: From Daunted to Driven
I felt like a complete failure. I had always been able to handle everything without an issue. But at first, navigating depression was another story.
Tackling PTSD: Hell or High Seas
Taylor Grieger was diagnosed with complex PTSD several months after his release from the Navy with little-to-no guidance on how to cope with his condition.
A Suicide Attempt Spurs a New Life of Advocacy
One night, my mental state deteriorated to the point where I tried to end my life through a suicde attempt. It was impulsive and rash.
My Five Stages of Depression
The Five Stages of Mourning is a perfect template for my own Five Stages of Depression: Anger, Anxiety/Exhaustion, Depression, Treatment, and Recovery.
Now What?: Suicidality and Planning for an Uncertain Present
When I exhibited symptoms of C-PTSD and OCD, I was afraid and lost. I survived multiple major depressive episodes, all of them including suicidality.
Call Out Each Cloud by its Silver Lining: Life with Depression & Anxiety in India
Whenever I’d gone through stages of major depression or anxiety as a young teenager, all I’d hear was that I was stupid, lazy, and unambitious. Imagine being judged by your symptoms and not by your illness.
How to be an Active Listener
A rising number of college students are seeking treatment at campus counseling centers for serious mental health challenges. Our video features the powerful listeners from Cogwell@Penn. Watch (and learn) how they skillfully role-play as active listeners when presented with a variety of stories from friends in need.
You Just Can’t Talk to Crazy People: Bipolar, Depressed, Recovering
My psychiatrist became so annoyed with my theological nonsense that he abruptly stalked out of one session, exclaiming, “You just can’t talk to crazy people.” I sent him a note later, in which I informed him that I could talk to crazy people, so that was his problem, not mine.
Learning to Live in the Moment with Schizoaffective Disorder
Around age fifteen or sixteen, I began experimenting with drugs. I can tell you that this was, and always will be, the beginning of an ultimately fascinating journey that I call life with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.
How Audre Lorde’s Cancer Journals Helped Me Cope with my Depression and Suicidal Thoughts
I am determined to love and live intensely and fearlessly because, as Audre Lorde said, betraying myself into silence will not protect me.
Marriage and Mental Illness: The Ups and Downs
When you think of married life, what comes to mind? Are you in complete bliss or just plain miserable? Maybe you’re floating somewhere in between.
Treatment Resistant Depression: My Experience with Countless Interventions
I endured this routine for so long: try a new medication to alleviate my treatment resistant depression and either feel horrible or feel absolutely nothing.
A Vain & Misguided Decision: Abandoning Schizoaffective Disorder Medication
I am trying hard to make good decisions. I see my psychiatrist regularly. I take my medication. I try to live a healthy lifestyle with schizoaffective disorder.
What it Feels Like to be Passively Suicidal and Not Want to Die
The passive suicidal thoughts are still there, but I have started to recognize that they are only powerful if I give them the power.
A Clinician’s Journey from Complex Trauma to Thriving: Reflections on Abuse, C-PTSD and Reclamation
Sheri Heller’s new book, A Clinician’s Journey from Complex Trauma to Thriving, is a guide to healing with a keen awareness that no two paths are the same.
Repairing a Beautiful Life Damaged by Depression
When I finally saw a psychiatrist, she was surprised that I was still alive, having been afflicted with depression for so long without medical treatment.
Acceptance: How One Friend Helped Me Get Help for Depression and Anxiety on my Own Terms
As I battle with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, it has always been far easier for me to support others with mental health struggles than to admit my own.
Laces Out: Chokeslammed by Suicidal Thoughts & Depression
With depression, I had suicidal thoughts. Not because I wanted to kill myself, but because the idea of being “done” felt like serenity.
Worth a Thousand Words: Mental Health in Pictures
These images of mental in pictures are not what the public wants people to show. They are reality. They are dirty, messy, uninhibited, and true.
Making Peace with Persistent Depressive Disorder
Persistent depressive disorder (formerly known as dysthymic disorder or dysthymia) is just what it sounds like: depression that persists.
Lilah James: Complex PTSD Recovery on the Runway
A complex PTSD diagnosis became inspiration for a fashion designer’s runway line. In Glenn Holsten’s short film, Lilah James shares recovery and creativity.
My Social (Anxiety) Life Online
Social anxiety still exists online. You’re still putting yourself out there and you feel vulnerable opening up, not knowing what response you’ll get.
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.
How I Recovered from a Disorder I Had Never Heard of – Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
In my research, I found several articles about Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures. Doctors do not use the term pseudo-seizures anymore because it falsifies them and invalidates them. Pseudo is a prefix meaning “false” or “fake,” and the seizures I was having, while not epileptic, were anything but fake.
Time to Get Clean: Fatherhood and OCD
I feel like I need complicated charts, graphs, and spreadsheets to adequately explain how big of a failure I am as a brand new stay-at-home dad.
I’m Just Tired: When You Dismiss Depression
“I can’t explain where I’ve been, and though everyone wants to understand, it doesn’t mean they comprehend. They can’t grasp where I am.” – Kathryn Rose Wood
The Danger of Getting Stuck in the Identity and Drama of Childhood Trauma
Experiencing childhood trauma, I knew that something was wrong or different about me, but for a long time I dismissed that notion.
Anxiety Facebook Pages – Mental Health Recovery Accounts to Follow Now
This month’s installment of our mental health resources column is centered on anxiety Facebook pages, including a few pages with one to two million followers.
From Depressed and Suicidal to a New Outlook
I went from unhappy to miserable to struggling to overwhelmed to depressed and suicidal. First I was diagnosed with post-natal depression, followed by treatment-resistant clinical depression. Then came the biggest clanger of all, diagnosis number three: borderline personality disorder.
The Performance of Life: A Son with Bipolar Remembers his Father
My father’s compassion when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder was unreal and unexpected. Importantly, he was engaged in his own efforts to better understand what life is like for a son with bipolar disorder by seeking out support groups.
How Bipolar Support Groups Helped Change My Life
It took months of internal debate before I worked up the courage and the desire to at least give the depression and bipolar support groups a shot.
Unforgotten – Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital
A few months ago, I saw a photo on Facebook of a cemetery in Marlboro, New Jersey. The cemetery was on the grounds where the Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital once stood, and was the place where people who were once residents of the hospital were laid to rest.
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.
5 Depression Twitter Accounts for Community, Resources, and Encouragement
This installment of our mental health resources column focuses on depression Twitter accounts including DBSA, Sad Girls Club, Heads Up Guys, Natasha Tracy, and Depression Notes.
Bipolar Disorder and PTSD – How I Accepted My Mental Illness Before it had a Name
Before I had a name for my mental illness — bipolar disorder and ptsd — this is what it felt like: playing diagnosis dress-up, trying on labels, seeing how they fit, and feeling lost — like there was nothing left in my closet to wear.
Review – Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from my Bipolar Life
Ellen Forney has written a second graphic novel, Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from my Bipolar Life, which leads the reader through her healing process.
Kevin Hines Teaches Us That Being Well is an Art in Suicide: The Ripple Effect
In Suicide: The Ripple Effect, Kevin Hines recounts the tale of his suicide attempt when he was nineteen years old, and then embarks on a journey to offer hope to others who may be struggling, and to hear stories from mental health advocates like him.
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.
Glowing on the Outside; Crumbling Inside – Depression, Anxiety and Motherhood
I failed the postpartum screening given, as protocol, by the hospital, and yet they sent me home.
Get Used to Life Without Me: A Dispassionate Road to Suicide with Depression
I crossed seamlessly from ambivalence and malaise into an area I’d never been before: actively planning suicide.
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.
Life with OCD on Instagram – 5 OCD Instagram Accounts to Follow Now
These five OCD Instagram accounts show different perspectives on what it’s like to live with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Playing Hide and Seek with a Demon: My Struggle with Anxiety
I don’t know when it started. It was not as though I suddenly woke up with a raging heartbeat and butterflies in my stomach, wishing I could run away from myself. It came in tiny bits of worry.
Walking the Border: The Delicate Dance of OCD and Borderline
Yes, I have been diagnosed with depression, OCD and borderline personality disorder. Yet, I am still a good person.
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.
Bipolar Disorder on Facebook – 5 Accounts to Follow
This post highlights bipolar disorder on Facebook. Check out these accounts, give @oc87rd a follow on Facebook, and be sure to explore the related links in this post.
Cumulative PTSD for a Police Officer After 9/11
This video features Officer Ron Griffith, formerly of the NYPD. After 9/11, Ron’s personality shifted. He became a controlling, angry person. He says he wasn’t aware of this change until his family left him, and all he was left with cumulative PTSD.
Mental Health Silent Retreats Have Changed My Recovery Story
Mental health silent retreats have been an important tool in my recovery. They have allowed me to forgive, heal, and gain clarity.
The Homeless Gospel Choir, Punk Rock, and My Mental Health Journey
I started writing songs about my feelings and sharing them with audiences throughout the country as a touring musician, under the name The Homeless Gospel Choir.
You Are Not Alone: Inside My OCD Brain
Therapists have told me that I use these repetitive behaviors as way to avoid facing my fears.
Episode 21 – A Talk with Psych Central Podcast Host, Gabe Howard
Podcast interview with PsychCentral.com podcast host, Gabe Howard, who suffers from bipolar disorder, but is in recovery.
Growing Pains with a PTSD Diagnosis
A memory, a word, a smell, an instance can take one back to the exact moment the trauma first spoke to them.
Bipolar Disorder Videos on YouTube
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.
Challenges of Writing a Bipolar Book When You Have Bipolar
I have bipolar disorder and I’ve written a book about my experience living with bipolar disorder and depression.
Episode 20 – Psychologist Maury Joseph, PsyD: A Therapist with a Unique Approach
A podcast interview with psychologist Maury Joseph, PsyD. Maury is different from most psychologists in that he “gets out of the way of his patients.”
Married… with Bipolar Disorder: One Couple’s Unique Mental Health Perspective
Gabe lives with bipolar disorder and Kendall lives with Gabe, who lives with bipolar disorder so, in a way; Kendall does most definitely “live” with bipolar disorder.
With Depression, Love Won’t Save Me
“I wrote the song “Becoming” about giving my mental health adequate attention and care, even while in a relationship.” — Emily Yacina
Episode 19 – Rudy Caseres: Champion for Mental Health
Rudy Caseres is a mental health advocate who lives with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.
“Depression Man” Wages War on Mental Illness through Laughter
As bad as my depression has been – and I’ve experienced more than 40 years of it – I have somehow, luckily, always found the magic of laughter within reach.
Police Officer PTSD & Mental Health
In this short film, Rob Davis shares his journey as a police officer who lives with trauma and PTSD.
Faith and Academia Unmask a Psychotic, Bipolar Depression
Depression tricks you into thinking that you are completely alone when, in fact, you are the opposite. No one is truly alone.
8 Accounts Featuring Recovery with Anxiety on Instagram
We’re always looking for mental health empowerment in unsuspecting places, and today we’re featuring feeds focused around the diagnosis of anxiety on Instagram.
Episode 18 – Libby Parker; Changing the LGBTQ+ Mental Health Landscape
Mx. Libby Parker, MSS, LSW is an outpatient therapist and manager of Einstein Health Network’s PRIDE Program, which coordinates and supports various services designed to meet the unique needs of LGBTQ+ identified patients.
The Trauma of Not Being Traumatized Enough: My Life with Pure OCD
All my life, the media had taught me that, in order to suffer from mental illness, you had to endure some kind of a severe trauma. That was incorrect.
Episode 17– Bipolar Disorder, Family, and Love
The memoir “Gorilla and the Bird” discusses how bipolar disorder affects work, family, and relationships. Podcast interview with Zack and his mom, Cindy.
Becoming Your Own Best Friend for Your Mental Health
When it comes to mental health, how we can become our own best friend in 2018? Here’s what we came up with. Happy New Year to you, friend.
Anxiety Twitter Accounts That Empathize, Educate, and Entertain
In this installment of our Mental Health Resources column, we’re covering the best of anxiety Twitter accounts. As always, OC87 Recovery Diaries is committed to our shared cause to #buststigma around mental health issues.
Episode 16 – Comedian and TV Personality Paul Gilmartin on Podcasting, PTSD, and Coping with Trauma
Host of The Mental Illness Happy Hour, Paul Gilmartin has come a long way since doing stand-up comedy and hosting the TV show, Dinner and a Movie.
Herbie The Love Bug: Depression & Recovery
“I was hoping that Herbie The Love Bug would bring us some joy.” — Gabriel Nathan, Editor in Chief of OC87 Recovery Diaries
Anxiety, Depression, and Motherhood Mental Health
As I lie in bed, my thoughts spiral saying, “You’re a horrible mother. You’re a horrible writer. You’re a horrible person.”
Episode 15 – Mental Health and Madness in 19th Century America
How were individuals with mental illness treated in 19th century psychiatric hospitals? What was society’s attitude towards these people?
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.
Finding My Faith Despite Losing My Mind
On losing my mind with bipolar disorder, the bottom line is this: I need to take my medication, no matter how much faith I possess.
5 Standout Depression-Related Facebook Pages
Depression Facebook pages that share genuinely different content while still all speaking to what it can be like to live with depression.
One Step Away: A Film about PTSD, Homelessness, and Redemption
Tammy is one of about 60 people who sell One Step Away, Philadelphia’s first newspaper produced by those without homes for those with homes.
How the Westminster Dog Show Helped Me Let Go of My Anxiety and Celebrate (And You Can Too)
“What could go wrong for someone who has panic attacks in large crowds at an event regularly attended by 20,000 people?” — Sheila Hageman
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.”
Depression Does Not Discriminate: A Mental Health Essay from Ireland
Depression tricks you into thinking that you are completely alone when, in fact, you are the opposite. No one is truly alone.
A Soldier Comes Home, and a Battle with Mental Illness Begins
The doctors recommended that I receive an Honorable Discharge from the Army with a 100% Disability Rating: not what I had planned for my life.
Therapist Winden Rowe Talks About Trauma and Mental Health in the Armed Forces
Winden Rowe’s approach to sustained recovery for clients centers around the biological, psychological, and social implications of traumatic stress.
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.
Living with and Managing Bipolar Disorder
Managing bipolar disorder behavior involves more than medications. Changes in mood are affected by factors in our environment.
The Big Scare: My Anxiety Disorder Story
A therapist writes with humor and passion about her struggles with panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder, and an eating disorder.
OCD Videos on YouTube: What it’s Like to Live with this Diagnosis
As we seek to #buststigma around mental illness, this installment of our mental health resources column highlights OCD videos on YouTube that we love.
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.
Running is Useless: Becoming a Therapist is the Therapy I Needed
This was not exactly the learning I wanted when I went to graduate school, but the lifelong journey of becoming a therapist, is the therapy I have needed.
Dating with Schizophrenia
Despite getting progressively better at social interaction, dating with schizophrenia is just too much and, every time I try, I crash and burn.
Episode 11 – An Interview with Gabriel Nathan: Editor in Chief
“When you make a choice to put yourself out there, you’re empowering yourself — and you’re empowering others.” – Gabriel Nathan
The Push and Pull of Depression
Still, I resisted. For several years, I didn’t want to accept that the push and pull of depression was a permanent part of me.
The Media’s Obsession with the Mental Illness Scapegoat
The media is so quick to pick up the mental illness scapegoat because it knows that people need to blame the tragedy on something.
Bipolar Disorder: Never Giving Up
There is only one thing that gets me through the bipolar cycles and that is time. It is a cliché but, during my cycles, the only way is through.
6 Bipolar Disorder Instagram Accounts That Are Busting Mental Health Stigma
Today we’re showcasing bipolar disorder Instagram accounts that enrich the way we understand what it’s like to live with this diagnosis.
Episode 10 – An Autism, Asperger’s Doctor with a Son on the Spectrum
Dr. Robert Naseef can’t alter the fact that he has a son on the spectrum, but he has evolved in the ways in which he copes with his son’s disability.
A Screenwriter’s Story – Living With Autism
Reed would love to see a dramatic feature that explores a wide range of experiences of characters who live with autism – not just supporting characters.
Disclosing Through Writing About Mental Health
I keep publishing because people say my writing about mental health has shed light onto something they have had a lot of trouble understanding.
Sex and Depression: A Sex Educator Explores Her Own Diagnosis
I focus my work on helping folks navigate sex and depression on their own and with their partners so that everyone feels supported and safe.
Episode 9 – The Psychiatrist’s Daughter
On this episode of OC87 Recovery Diaries on the Radio, we talk about parenting, therapy, and self-care from the perspective of a psychiatrist’s daughter.
Book Review: An Urgent, Bold Voice Emerges from the “Manic Kingdom”
Dr. Erin K. Stair’s new book, Manic Kingdom, is a “harrowing, breathless, and beautiful journey” that will leave you spellbound.
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.
Bumps and Valleys of the Therapeutic Process
Therapy can change lives, though there are bumps and valleys in the therapeutic process. I’ve found it makes for a happier state of being in the long run.
The Blended Shades of Depression
This disassociated state, where you plan your death as though you were planning Tuesday night’s dinner, is one of the many shades of depression.
5 Twitter Accounts That Help Explain Life with Schizophrenia
A round-up focusing on schizophrenia Twitter accounts that serve our community through education, empowerment, and meaningful engagement.
Start Climbing: When Major Depression Takes Hold
I should probably explain a few things. I’m not crazy. I suffer from major depression, as well as generalized anxiety disorder. I’m basically a shut-in.
A Psychologist Helps You Retrain Your Brain
Laura Farrell reviews Seth Gillihan’s book, Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks, an interactive guide to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Episode 8 – A Bengali American Woman’s Bipolar Journey
Bengali Mental Health – Fahmina Ahmed says she’s experiencing many more highs and lows in her bipolar disorder because of the volatile political climate.
Hard Lessons When You Have Mental Illness
Stepping away reminds you that you are human; another hard lesson. It took me years to realize that I am a valid human being despite my illness.
Wrestling with Obsessive Thoughts About Everyday Encounters
how an everyday encounter with a stranger on the street can morph into a paralyzing prison-like mental trap of repetitive, obsessive thoughts.
Episode 7 – The Effects of Bullying on Mental Health in High School
A guidance counselor and student share their views on the issue of bullying, mental health in high school, and way to deal with the whole problem.
Finding Work and Making Money as a Person with Mental Illness
After being diagnosed with a serious, chronic illness like schizophrenia, it’s hard to find any purpose in life, including finding work with mental illness.
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.
5 Depression TED Talks That Entertain, Educate, and Empower
These five depression TED Talks share our agenda to inspire, build bridges, and bring light to the shadow that enshrouds mental health challenges.
Episode 6 – Mental Health in Comedy
Comedians Robert Ecks and Jacquie Baker discuss the complicated ways in which mental health is impacted by comedy, and how the two can go hand in hand.
Disclosing Your Mental Illness
Disclosing your mental illness has costs and benefits, but the thing to remember is that, while it’s a tricky choice, it is most definitely a choice.
Giving Mental Health Stories “The Red Carpet Treatment”
This short video explores the richness of our website and the many ways we share mental health stories of hope and recovery.
Episode 5 – Talking About Grief and Loss, with Social Worker Nancy Willis
Laura and Bud interview clinical social worker, Nancy Willis, about the tragic loss of her son Alex at the age of nineteen in a car accident.
My Experience Inside a Psychiatric Hospital
Say the words “psychiatric hospital” to the average person and the hair on the back of their neck might stand straight up.
Don’t. TOUCH. ANYTHING! A Story of Anxiety, Obsession, and the Museum Police
I put a lot of thought into how to make the web-series Katie and Shaun responsibly. The portrayal of anxiety and depression is true to my experience.
Dancing Through Mental Illness with an Eating Disorder
My eating disorder lied, denying any inquiry that there was something wrong. After residential treatment I did outpatient with a dance movement therapist.
Make Connections on These PTSD Facebook Pages
These PTSD Facebook pages speak to the specific challenges and lived experiences of this diagnosis to #buststigma, foster community, and create change.
Waves of Ennui and Depression
I start to feel a bit of ennui, a French word meaning, “general malaise.” This can go on for a while until the ennui surrounds me and depression sets in.
Episode 4 – An Interview with Mental Health Advocate and Certified Peer Specialist, Michael Solomon
Podcast interview with mental health advocate, certified peer specialist, and author, Michael Solomon who lives with bipolar disorder.
Music Video: When Anxiety & Panic Attacks are Your Kinfolk
In 2006 I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks and depersonalization. At the time, I was actively pursuing a career in music.
The Tenuous Balance of Mental Health Stability
Maintaining mental health stability is a delicate dance that, at times, can be very unstable and can cause some serious trouble if you fall.
4 Videos About How to Live a Healthy Life with Mental Illness
Four one-minute videos about mental health turning points, those moments when life shifted towards a healthy future living with a mental illness.
Episode 3 – An Interview with Documentary Filmmaker Glenn Holsten
Glenn Holsten discusses the making of his mental health documentary film, Hollywood Beauty Salon.
When We Were Small: An Intense Struggle with Depression
I will always struggle with depression, but finally I feel I am done clearing the land and am ready to plant the seeds that will become new growth.
What is “OC87” Anyway?
“OC87” is a term coined by one of my therapists. It refers to the year 1987: the year I wanted to control everyone and everything.
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.
Everything Will Kill You: Anxiety, Fear & Shame Onstage
I wrote a song called “Everything Will Kill You” inspired by all the times that I’ve fearfully prepared myself for tragedies that have never actually happened.
Episode 2 – Art and Mental Health: Can They Co-Exist, or Must They Compete?
Bud and Laura interview Philadelphia artists Abby Squire and Rosie Carlson about how art and mental health affect one another.
An Hour of Mental Health Short Films on PBS station WHYY
A collection of beautifully told short stories that inspire, empower, and generate discussion and awareness in an effort to #buststigma.
Finding Stability: A Path Towards a Better Life with Schizophrenia
Finding stability with a mental illness, like anything else worthwhile, takes time, effort, and openness to learning, and failing.
Listening: My Time in a Psych Ward
Perhaps it is important to talk about how I ended up in a psych ward and how I ended up having an earache. I can explain pieces of the first thing.
Episode 1 – Trauma, EMDR Therapy, and Asperger’s Syndrome
In the first episode of OC87 Recovery Diaries on the Radio, join Laura Farrell and Bud Clayman as they interview each other about their own mental health journeys.
The Side-Effects of Side-Effects
Living with schizophrenia, I’ve been through the full gamut of side-effects. New side-effects pop up to say “hello” with each medication I’m prescribed.
A Bipolar Diagnosis: A Life’s Mission Revealed
After my bipolar diagnosis I got married, got divorced, lost my job due to the stigma of mental illness, and attend two assisted outpatient hospital programs.
A Bipolar Diagnosis: Suicide Watch
“Honey, I will be checking on you every fifteen minutes.” I stared at her, puzzled, until she leveled me with a four-word gut punch: “You’re on suicide watch.”
7 of our Favorite OCD Twitter Accounts
A round-up of smart, empowering, and engaging OCD Twitter accounts who share our mission to #buststigma around mental illness.
The Religious Component of Psychosis
When I was deep in the midst of a psychotic break, I was convinced that I was a prophet sent from God to save society from its ills.
A Letter to Niyyah: Trauma Under the Bridge
Now, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, the cycle is broken.
Talking About My Depression
I’m talking about my depression, not in vague terms any longer. It is a problem. It has a name. My boys know that name and I hope they’ll be stronger for it.
The Ridiculousness of Your Delusions
Living with schizophrenia, I’ve experienced all manner of delusions about the way I think the way things are, and the way they actually are.
Mental Health & Writing: A Bad Son Letter to the World
It all hearkens back to storytelling, to this desire we have to relate something. To let people know who we are, or were, or wish we were, or fear we are.
10 Moving & Powerful Depression Videos
This post is a round up of depression videos that have us feeling educated, moved, and empowered to continue sharing mental health recovery stories.
Schizophrenia and Love
Love can be the gasoline on schizophrenia’s fire, playing tricks on your mind and it can lead you to places from which you may not be able to return.
Losing My Job, Keeping My Mental Health
The severity of my depression in the wake of losing my job solidified the notion that, for people with mental illness, having a job can make all the difference.
Mental Health at the Mic: Childhood, Loneliness, and Suicide
This is the third in a series of videos of men who have participated in the Philadelphia’s Engaging Males of Color BEyond Expectations storytelling project.
The Light Switch Effect of Stress
The effect of stress is serious to your mental health. It’s easy to fall into delusional holes if your stress level gets to a point that isn’t manageable.
Beginning Therapy; Being Vulnerable
People say the first step in therapy is acceptance. I can’t speak for others, but I’ve started taking my steps. It’s okay if you want to take yours.
8 Mental Health Instagram Accounts You Should Know About
Be sure to follow us @OC87rd on Instagram and check out these other accounts who inspire us daily in the mental health Instagram community.
Taking Care of Yourself with Mental Illness
Taking care of yourself with mental illness requires some fortitude, especially in the face of a mountain of paranoia, delusions and hallucinations.
Disclosure
Disclosure is about feeling safe enough to find a kinder voice for ourselves. Every time I share my experiences in safe spaces I feel truer to myself.
Mental Health at the Mic: A Veteran’s Story
A veteran of the United States Army, Russell lives with PTSD, something that affects his daily life. Watch these videos about veteran’s mental health.
When to Pull Back When You’re Living With Mental Illness
Pulling back and regaining stability is complicated but it will help exponentially help in the long journey of living with mental illness.
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.
How Past Trauma Informs You as a Mental Healthcare Worker
Christa Godillot is a Registered Nurse at a private, non-profit crisis psychiatric hospital. In this interview she talks about her career and life.
The Family and Schizophrenia
Family is the most important thing for a person with mental illness. We need support and validation that we are not alone in the world
A Nurse at an Inpatient Mental Health Hospital Tells Her Story
We shine the spotlight on the individuals who help folks along on that road of recovery including mental health professionals, like Christa Godillot, RN.
A Mental Health Advocate Sends Love and Light to the World
Sitawa Wafula is a Kenyan mental health blogger and advocate for people living with mental health conditions and their families.
Persistence of Schizophrenic Delusions
Schizophrenia is an insidious disease. Schizophrenic delusions are persistent, which is one of the major reasons recovery can take such a long time.
New Editor In Chief
It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Gabriel Nathan as editor in chief of OC87 Recovery Diaries.
Mental Health at the Mic: Christian A’Xavier Lovehall
This video post features the stories of Christian A’Xavier Lovehall, a transgender man who talks about his mental health journey.
Mental Health Wish List
What is your mental health “wish list” for yourself in 2017? How would you like to grow personally? Where will you look for inspiration and strength?
Making Random Connections When You Have Schizophrenia
One of the things people with schizophrenia do that isn’t that widely understood is the tendency to make connections out of seemingly random things.
Mental Health & Law Enforcement: There Is Definitely An Answer
Jeff Shannon is veteran police officer and a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. He specializes in mental health-related calls within the police department.
Why Mental Health Recovery Can Take Years
The only advice I give is to be there and, above all else, give it time. Time is truly the only thing that can heal in situations like these.
Mental Health & Law Enforcement: Interview With Jeff Shannon
Jeff Shannon talks about mental health for police officers as well as the extra training required for responding to mental health related calls.
An Orphan’s Memorial to Her Dying Mother
Sheri Heller is a powerful survivor who now helps others who have experienced trauma. This short film shares her journey with a mom who had schizophrenia.
It’s Time To Talk, Then Reflect, Then Grow
I don’t know if my depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder will ever go away.
Dr. Otto Wahl on Busting Stigma Around Mental Illness
Dr. Otto Wahl has some intriguing thoughts about a new direction for study to tackle stigma within the mental health field itself.
Delusions Of Grandeur With Schizophrenia
Delusions of grandeur are part of the experience of psychosis. It’s ok if you’re a little crazy. You’re certainly not alone.
Dr. Otto Wahl on Mental Illness & Stereotypes
In the US we can talk about cancer, asthma, heart disease without worry of recrimination. Can the same be said for talking about a mental illness diagnosis?
Q&A with Alison Malmon, Founder of Active Minds
Active Minds was founded by Alison Malmon when she was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, following the suicide of her older brother, Brian.
Schizophrenia & Talking To God
There are nights where I lie in bed, staring up at the ceiling and I ask for help. Sometimes the voice comes; sometimes it doesn’t. By now, I’m used to it.
Mental Health Workers Brought Together by “Our Town” Reunion
It’s hard to know how a play can change your life, but, just two years later, I found out.
Schizophrenia & Hearing Mysterious Voices
If you’re having trouble with schizophrenia and voices, first, try to recognize the reality, that the voices are just a chemical imbalance.
The Downside of Empathy
Narcissism begets hyper-empathy: narcissistic parents produce children who become attuned to the emotional states of their caretakers in order to survive.
I Have Schizophrenia
Yes, I have schizophrenia. But I don’t want to sit around feeling sorry for myself because I have schizophrenia, and life can be difficult sometimes.
Mike Veny: “An Interview With My Depression”
“I’d really love to interview my depression,” Mike said. And we were off. Watch Mike Veny do the (near) impossible: interview his depression.
What Schizophrenic Psychosis Feels Like
Psychosis is defined as a severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality.
Mike Veny: Mental Health Recovery, Music & Advocacy
Mike Veny is an advocate who speaks boldly about his journey with mental health. Mike Veny is also a lifesaver. The first life he saved was his own.
The Pain of Being Labeled Crazy
The pain of being labeled crazy doesn’t present itself as one big sweeping hurt, more like a series of small little jabs as you go through your days.
We’re All Mad Here: Claire Eastham & Anxiety Recovery
“Here’s my first and most important piece of advice: YOU NEED TO ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE A MENTAL CONDITION.” – Claire Eastham on anxiety disorder recovery
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.”
Danielle Hark & The Broken Light Collective
Danielle Hark created Broken Light Collective, a website for photographers from all over the world who are living with or who are affected by mental illness.
Schizophrenia Symptoms in Relationships
Schizophrenia Symptoms in Relationships – I’ve struggled with so many different complications, nuances, symptoms, side-effects and annoyances.
Ten Years Since My Bipolar Disorder Breakdown
It’s been exactly ten years since my bipolar disorder breakdown. These years have been hard work but they have brought tremendous joy and peace
Seeing Stars: Meg Hutchinson & Bipolar Disorder
My name is Meg Hutchinson. I’m 38 years old. I’m a singer-songwriter and poet. I’ve been living with bipolar disorder since I was 19 years old.
Having Hope After Being Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder
Shireda was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. That solved some of the confusion. Support at The Attic, an LGBTQ youth center, and Horizon House helped next.
In Discovery With Bipolar Disorder
It took a year for me to find the courage to google “bipolar disorder.” On some level I knew I needed professional help, but there were a lot of risks.
A Lifetime of Secrets Living With Bipolar Disorder
I’m at peace with the fact that I unlocked my secrets about living with bipolar disorder. I’m not the first one to be bipolar, and won’t be the last.
OCD or The Art of Self-Humiliation
I have learned the tools and techniques with which to deal with the many facets of my OCD, including being able to laugh at it once in a while.
Father Figures, Forgiveness & Mental Health Recovery
Voices of young black men are often misunderstood. This video with 15-year-old Jaywan explores forgiveness and mental health recovery with mentor Levi Lee.
Seasons of Depression & Kevin Breel
“Real depression isn’t being sad when something in your life goes wrong. Real depression is being sad when everything in your life is going right.” – Kevin Breel
Gabby Frost: Teens, Technology & Mental Health
Founder of Buddy Project, teenager Gabby Frost, wanted to connect people who might need a friend because, “no one deserves to feel alone.”
Hospitalized for a “Break From Reality”
Being hospitalized for a “break from reality” is a part of my history, and it does not define me. I can understand this with distance from the experience.
Darryl’s Bipolar Disorder Recovery at COMHAR & Beyond
Darryl Armour was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at an early age. His story includes residential treatment programs, incarceration, and recovery at COMHAR.
Life With Depression After Hospitalization
The hardest part of life with depression and the recovery journey is realizing that maybe you’ll never reach the end. Maybe the journey is the destination.
Hospitalized For Depression: No Regrets
I’ve been hospitalized for depression so thick and so bad, my doctors didn’t think it was safe for me to go anywhere else.
The Silent Scream: Coping With Depression
I hope, in reading my story about coping with depression, you will be strengthened in your own journey and feel comforted that you are not alone.
Battling Depression, Once In A Lifetime (Hopefully)
It felt like I got hit by a truck. Immobilized. Debilitated. That basically sums up my experience battling depression. It has been a long struggle.
A Certified Peer Specialist Living With PTSD
Brenda Lewis is now a Certified Peer Specialist who helps other people find resources along this journey so they won’t have such a difficult time.
ACLU’s Witold Walczak on Mental Health & Prison Reform
An interview with Witold Walczak, the legal director for the ACLU of Pennsylvania about mental health and prison reform.
Living With Schizophrenia
Living with schizophrenia has made me aware of this fact: I have a mental illness that causes me to question the reality of things.
The Letter To Mother: PTSD, Anxiety & Major Depression
I am still in the process of healing from PTSD, anxiety, and major depression with the help of a psychiatrist, a therapist, and the love of my life.
Once Upon A Time: PTSD, Anxiety & Major Depression
Recently, I underwent a slight psychological break. Determined to claw my way out of the darkness, I began to write about my journey and experiences.
A Molecular Biologist With Bipolar 1 Disorder
I have a wonderful life. But I would be lying if I didn’t say it has been a hard fought one. I suffer from bipolar 1 disorder. Here is my story.
Hearing Voices With Berta Britz
For years I didn’t question hearing voices. I felt powerless. I was just at their mercy. I think recovery is about reconnecting with who we are.
Berta Britz On Creating Increased Connections
Berta Britz shares her perspectives on mental health, hearing voices, relationships, recovery, and friendship in this two-part interview.
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.
Who Am I? A Student With OCD & Anxiety
What would you say when someone asks “Who are you?” The first word that comes to mind when I think about this question is Student. I’m a student, an academic, a professional learner for life.
Postnatal Depression: Confessions of a “Terrible” Mother
Postnatal Depression affects 1 in 10 women, yet many people still ignore or hide their symptoms. I did this, and it turned out to be a terrible idea.
Young, Black and Bipolar
“Young, Black and Bipolar” helps people navigate through the craziness of accomplishing a normal life after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
How I Accepted My Anxiety
I once heard anxiety compared to a superpower. Once I stopped being so ashamed of it, I saw that anxiety was my superpower too.
Interview With Psychiatrist Dr. Larry Real (Part 2)
There are people who will help you. There are paths to get to those goals that might have seemed unattainable for the last while.
Interview With Psychiatrist Dr. Larry Real (Part 1)
I first met Dr. Larry Real in 1992, when I was mentally sick and in a lot of emotional trouble. I had already begun to show symptoms of bipolar disorder.
A Life With Bipolar: Learning Coping Skills The Hard Way
I have bipolar disorder. Today, it is a big chunk of who I am, but thanks to these three bipolar coping skills, I know it is not the only chunk.
Suffering in Silence: Men’s Mental Health in America Today
I joke about men’s mental health because, sometimes, I don’t know what else to do. Of course, the stigma against men’s mental health is not funny.
Mental Health Recovery Stories: 2015 In Review
Recovering From Trauma With EMDR Therapy
The trauma that has affected me the most happened when I was nineteen years old. After that experience, EMDR therapy taught me to trust myself and my body.
My Kids Know Mommy Has Bipolar Disorder
I talk with my kids about my mental illness often. They know Mommy has bipolar disorder. I teach my children that it’s okay to talk about mental illness.
“Crazy Cozmo” Veteran Marine With PTSD & Bipolar Disorder
“Crazy Cozmo” is a Marine Corps. veteran who lives with PTSD and bipolar disorder. He also wrestles with the abuse he experienced as a child.
Climbing Out of the Rabbit Hole with ECT, DBT & Art Therapy
I finally I agreed to ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). I was both intrigued and terrified. After my ECT treatments I started to feel like a human again.
Radical Acceptance & Mental Health Recovery
Radical acceptance helps me with PTSD and bipolar disorder with borderline traits. Radical acceptance dictates that change is just another part of life.
A Mom With PTSD: Journey Down The Rabbit Hole
I look “normal” though I’m a mom with PTSD and bipolar disorder with borderline traits. This is part 1 of 3 of my recovery story from an abusive childhood.
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.
Friendship and Recovery: Laura & Catherine
Over the 15+ years we’ve know each other, friendship and recovery have been intertwined. Being a person, being a friend, is constant work.
Hyacinth’s Journey Home: Surviving Schizophrenia, Drug Abuse, and Homelessness
Hyacinth wrestled with the toxic combination of schizophrenia, drug abuse, and homelessness. 18 years ago she discovered Project HOME, changing her life.
Life at the Intersection of Race, Gender, and Mental Health
Race gender and mental health were discussed intersectionally at the 2015 Gender Spectrum conference, featuring the original video A Journey Within.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
I live with Asperger’s Syndrome. Recently, I had the privilege to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a play about that same subject.
Rachel’s Recovery On Film
Rachel has been on her own since high school. She has fought to overcome depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety.
I Still Lose Myself
I hurt so much. I didn’t understand how to take care of my body. I didn’t know that I was sick with Bipolar II and a major anxiety disorder.
Best Day Project
To cope with depression, Grace Kim set out to do something scary every day, and the Best Day Project was born, giving Grace a new perspective on life.
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.
Drawn to Forgiveness
Ron Thompson is a fascinating guy — an artist with a pen, a poet with words. His video, Drawn to Forgiveness, incorporates both of these strengths.
PTSD & Healing Hurt People
Healing Hurt People works with young people in Philadelphia who are seen in the emergency room for violent injuries (gunshot, stab, or assault wounds).
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.
Things Blur
“Things Blur” is a story about a break from reality. Due to PTSD (among other things), I had what was later described to me as a manic episode.
Life Lessons from “Our Town”
The staff at Montgomery County Emergency Service (MCES), a private, not-for-profit, psychiatric hospital put on a production of the play Our Town.
An Open Letter to Everyone
I used to be like you. Why should I air my dirty laundry? What if my friends all think I’m weird if they know my brain is broken? This is my brave.
Lessons From A Year Well-Lived
A recap of the 5 most popular posts on OC87 Recovery Diaries from 2014 plus the OC87 Recovery Diaries team shares what helped us along throughout the year.
A Director’s Journey
I was 14 and my mother, in the depths of depression, sat in our living room crying. This experience began a director’s journey into documentary film.
First Person Recovery
OC87 Recovery Diaries & public television station WHYY have teamed up with first-time filmmakers to create videos that tell inspiring first person recovery journeys.
Learning To Trust Again
As someone with Asperger’s Syndrome, it’s very difficult for me to take the perspective of other people. Recently, I made a breakthrough in this area.
A Hero’s Life
Lost to paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Ed was in limbo for 30 years before finding the right medication and community to heal and play music.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
It’s okay to not always know how to navigate complex memories, emotions and traumas. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was a gift in teaching me these things.
Torrey Pines
Interview with Clyde Petersen about Torrey Pines, a stop-motion animated adventure film about coming of age with an undiagnosed schizophrenic single mother.
Message To The World
A short video with a simple question: What is your message to the world? It’s a big question, but very few people appeared at a loss for words.
Child and Family Connections
Evan Kaplan of Child and Family Connections talks about new services for parents with mental illness and other mental health challenges and their children.
“Happy” Documentary: A Conversation
OC87 co-directors Bud Clayman and Glenn Holsten review the Happy documentary by Roko Belic from mental health and filmmaker perspectives.
Mental Health > Art
Is art more important than mental health? Laura Farrell shares her own mental health art and says that mental wellness is more important than creating art.
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 Perfect Storm
Bud Clayman, from the documentary OC87, talks about his experience with Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy while at the International OCD Conference
A Journey Within
Monica, a young transwoman, talks about her experience with mental health challenges, homelessness, and finding her chosen family at The Attic Youth Center.
Cancer, Depression, Anxiety & Reiki
Leah Alexandra Goldstein writes and draws about her healing experience with Reiki in the face of cancer and mental health challenges.
Rachel “Hollywood” Carr
“I would not want to change my life, even all the negative and bad stuff, because it actually made me who I am.” —Rachel “Hollywood” Carr
A Choice
I don’t really want to share any of this. My mind is like a pendulum swinging from, “I don’t have any mental health problems and it’s a sham to pretend. . .
Delaney Ruston
Interview with Delaney Ruston about her documentary Hidden Pictures, where she visits India, China, South Africa, France & the USA looking at mental health.
Marbles
Marbles is a hilarious moving graphic memoir about artist Ellen Forney’s diagnosis & recovery journey with bipolar disorder, a search for clarity & wellness.
The Reel Mind
“The Reel Mind films have a message of hope and recovery. People come in feeling alone and isolated and leave feeling very differently” –Dr Larry Guttmacher
Sing Away The Stigma: Interview with Rachel Kunstadt
Interview with Rachel Kunstadt about Sing Away The Stigma, a musical theater event that uses real people’s journeys with mental health as inspiration.
Sprout Film Festival
Anthony Di Salvo talks about Sprout Film Festival, vacations for people with developmental disabilities, and Sproutflix, a new movies on demand platform.
Chelsea’s OCD Song
My journey with OCD has been a struggle. Music makes me feel better. I write about what I know. Listen to Chelsea’s OCD song, “OCDani.”
2014 Roundup
A roadmap of festivals for filmmakers and film lovers alike that encourage film submissions surrounding ideas of mental health and recovery,
We’re to be Heard: Arah’s Story
“If there’s anybody having a mental challenge, I hope they’d be brave enough to speak out. They are not the only one going through that.” – Arah Cooper
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
Learning How To Talk
“I have this overwhelming need to help people understand where mental illness is coming from in a way that a lot of people aren’t able to do.” – Evan Kaplan
Hearing Voices
Tim Connors shares his recovery with hearing voices. Through the support of family and groups, Tim leads a happier and healthier life.
Of Two Minds
In OF TWO MINDS, Liz recounts her lost years of extreme mania and depressions as well as the effects of electroshock treatments.
I Am A Voice Here
OC87 Recovery Diaries and WHYY teamed up with mental health providers to create original short films that detail journeys of recovery and transformation.
Confronting Stigma
OCD – People hear the word disorder and they think weird, sick, handicapped, and depraved. Completely unnecessary and irrelevant stigma.
An OCD Therapist’s Story
I had a rough go of it with the OCD when I was a teenager. There wasn’t a heavy focus on mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy the way there is now.
More On OCD
Cognitive behavioral therapy is divided into the ‘C’ and the ‘B’ of CBT. The C is for cognitive, which refers to thought and the ‘B’ is behavioral therapy.
Defining OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is one of the disorders that’s easily defined by its own name. So you have obsessions which are unwanted, intrusive thoughts
The Metamorphosis of Sanetta Watkins
In this excerpt from the documentary Hollywood Beauty Salon, Sanetta “Butterfly” Watkins shares her metamorphosis recovery journey with schizophrenia.
David & Lisa
While I haven’t been diagnosed with Haphephobia (a fear of having your personal space violated), I do have a tough time being hugged.
Jennifer Agnew & Borderline Personality Disorder
“If someone ever asks me, I will be the first one to tell them that I have a mental illness and that I am in recovery from it.” —Jennifer Agnew
Ordinary People
At the time I saw Ordinary People, I was in the midst of major depression and going through a lot of turmoil in my life. I was only nineteen years old.
Michael Solomon
Michael Solomon is married, assumes responsibilities, and helps others in their own recovery journeys. He has a lot of empathy for people, too.
Silver Linings Playbook
I went into the film Silver Linings Playbook somewhat skeptical. I also went into the film with my own life experience with Bipolar Disorder.
Stephanie Sikora & Equine Therapy For Mental Health
Stephanie has amazingly coped with her disorder through her love of equine therapy for mental health. Her trust in horses has allowed her to trust people.
Recovery Is A Verb
Performing under the name Geppetta, Adelaide Windsome describes her recovery with depression as a verb rather than a noun.
The OC87 Movie
Behind the scenes of Bud Clayman’s documentary OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie.
Love’s Healing Power
Between the ages of 20 – 27, I was psychiatrically hospitalized on seven occasions. My recovery story started when someone held hope for me when I had none.
My OCD Odyssey
It wasn’t until I graduated from college that the compulsive behaviors of my OCD emerged. I often had obsessively sad and sometimes violent thoughts.