Mental health — and mental illness specifically — can be very difficult to understand and navigate for anyone, but especially for children. Children, more so than adults, have difficulty processing emotions and psychological changes. As a result, they often exhibit behavioral challenges when they don’t fully understand their emotional state. I noticed this with
This past Christmas, my husband gave me a journal to write down my dreams, goals and daily meditations. I filled almost every page, but I didn’t write about my dreams or goals. Instead, I wrote apologies to my son. I wrote so much that my hands needed ice packs. I dug down deep. I
It was early fall, just past the autumnal equinox, that the fires started. Winds pushed flames through the sunburnt, thirsty hills of Southern California, and it was the ash — gray flakes floating like snowflakes covering the surface of the earth — that I remember most clearly. I remember my own mental state much
Recently I was watching one of my favorite movies, “A Few Good Men.” I had been a fan of the movie, a legal drama about marines, even before I joined the army. It features incredible performances from its A-list cast and a good “twist and turn” storyline. At one point in the movie, two
Early warning signs often emerge at the onset or worsening of mental illness symptoms. Simply, put these warning signs are any thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that significantly impair day-to-day functioning — such as feeling excessively sad or low — and they may indicate you need help. Understandably, if you are experiencing unusual thoughts and feelings, you
The other day, I was out at a restaurant, and I heard a table of people discussing high blood pressure. It started when someone said they had gone to the doctor that day and learned they had high blood pressure. Another person said, “I do too,” and named the medication their doctor prescribed. A
Recently I was watching one of my favorite movies, “A Few Good Men.” I had been a fan of the movie, a legal drama about marines, even before I joined the army. It features incredible performances from its A-list cast and a good “twist and turn” storyline. At one point in the movie, two
For most of my life, I have battled depression and mania. There were weeks on end when I could not get out of bed. I would scold myself for not being whatever it was I needed to be that day: a better mother or a better wife. I would also spend weeks or months
As those of us who live with the diagnosis know, schizophrenia is a difficult condition to relate to. Most people can sympathize with someone who is suffering from an evident physical injury, such as a broken leg. They can also understand the plight of someone with a less visible illness, like cancer. Perhaps they
As mental health experts and people living with mental illness know all too well, the stigma surrounding mental illness can be highly destructive. Indeed, negative and discriminatory attitudes that are commonly held about people living with mental illness can adversely impact nearly every aspect of their lives. Notably, this cultural taboo discourages many people from seeking