Mental Health Aloud — Editor in Chief Gabriel Nathan reads our latest mental health recovery essay.
Gabe’s welcoming voice brings each essay to life, making MHA your perfect commuting companion. Pop in your earbuds and subscribe to MHA wherever you listen to podcasts!
Subscribe: iTunes
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.