Stigma: Domestic Violence, Mental Illness, and Addiction

recent mental health

Am I Scared or Is It Grief? – Uncovering the Sad Feeling

18 Jun 2022

I used to feel this sad and heavy pain in my gut all the time. At times I could name it, pinpoint where the sad ...

Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide

29 Apr 2022

In addiction treatment circles, conventional wisdom suggests we have to let people hit rock bottom before we can help them. But what happens if rock ...

Stop Blaming Mental Illness for Gun-Related Violence

29 Apr 2022

It's a perfect scapegoat: if mental illness is the issue and healthcare is a privilege, the solution must be a stronger police state and more ...

Childhood Trauma, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Plastic Surgery Addiction

28 Apr 2022

Many people who have multiple plastic surgeries are looking for self-worth, not correction of a deformity. Most of the time when we talk about addiction, ...

How to Be Less of a Jerk – Part 2 – Admit Racism

09 Jun 2020

[Content warning: Racism] Just because someone doesn’t want to be racist doesn’t mean they aren’t. Contributing to white supremacy is racism. Supporting racists is racism. Excusing ...

Be Less of a Jerk 101: Racism Crash Course

08 Jun 2020

Stop getting offended when someone calls you white, part of white supremacy, a recipient of white privilege, or even *gasp* you get called racist. Instead, ...

domestic violence

Stop Blaming Mental Illness for Gun-Related Violence

29 Apr 2022

It's a perfect scapegoat: if mental illness is the issue and healthcare is a privilege, the solution must be a stronger police state and more ...

Alcohol and Rape Prosecutions: Consent, Intoxication, and Memory

29 Apr 2022

Victim blaming is a defense mechanism for bystanders to feel safe by falsely imagining that it “could be avoided if...” or “that can’t be the ...

Dangerous Words and the Internet

28 Dec 2018

Content Warning: online harassment, online predators, child exploitation Sometimes you have to go back in order to move forward. Like a mystery novel where ...

The Persuasive Mind Tricks of Abusers

16 Nov 2018

Isolation is the number one tool used by abusers. Isolation breeds desperation nurtured in an environment where an abuser can exercise more control and wield ...

The Truth About Sexual Assault

28 Oct 2018

quick facts on sexual violence in the united states what is sexual violence? sexual violence is both physical and psychological, it encompasses violent and non-consensual ...

Yes, Things Get Worse Before Things Get Better

26 Sep 2018

One thing about trauma in PTSD is that it starts to show itself when you're safe(r) than before. Our brains are working on overdrive trying ...

addictions

Why I am airing my dirty laundry

17 Dec 2017

The reason I am so candid and painfully honest in my writing is because I wish someone had been this way when I was at ...

Alcoholic and Spiraling Towards Bottom

31 Oct 2017

As therapy was ending yesterday, I started crying a lot. It’s just, I’m trying so hard but I can’t change the way my brain thinks. ...

How To Practice Self-Compassion in 6 Steps

24 Oct 2017

Anyone can learn to be more compassionate towards themselves, here are 6 tips for how to practice self-compassion. I am the most hurtful towards myself. ...

The Family and Medical Leave Act and Addiction Treatment

28 Aug 2017

The United States does not have a great health care system to help people with substance use disorders (SUD). At every socioeconomic level, treatment is ...

Why I Didn’t Try To Lose Weight For My Wedding

10 Jul 2017

Photo Courtesy of Adrian Herrera of Victor Herrera Photographers To take care of myself in the months preceding my wedding I had to make a ...

How to Stay Sober on Vacation

09 Jul 2017

Summer is here and the warmth radiating into the office window conjures up dreams of poolside lounge chairs and remote sun-kissed beaches. While you mentally ...