10 Things Not To Say to Someone Who Has Anxiety October 16, 2018 by Gillian Brown Leave a Comment Do you know somebody who struggles with anxiety? What am I saying here? Of course you know somebody who struggles with anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), around 40 million adults in the United States are affected by one or more anxiety disorders. Not-for-profit organisation Anxiety UK similarly says that more than 1 in … [Read more...]
4 Reasons To Medicate Your Anxiety (or Not) September 7, 2018 by Gillian Brown Leave a Comment CW: some profanity; mental illness-related fatalities The first time I went on antidepressants, I was sixteen years old. My school counsellor suspected that I was depressed, and a visit to my GP confirmed her suspicions. I stopped taking them when I finished high school, but after a couple of months it became obvious that antidepressants were still a necessary part of my … [Read more...]
5 Steps for Taking Care of Myself When I Have a Panic Attack August 23, 2018 by Gillian Brown Leave a Comment When I say ‘panic attack’, what springs to mind? If you have never had a panic attack, or have never known someone who has ever had them, you might think panic attacks consist of people breathing into paper bags, clutching at their chests, and/or fainting. In other words, the sort of things they show on movies or tv shows. In actuality, panic attacks are generally felt, … [Read more...]
Practice Facing the Small Things: 11 Ways to Avoid Avoidance August 22, 2018 by Tiffany Lee Leave a Comment One day a friend of mine who I had been meaning to call (but now felt anxious about how long it had been) got on the bus I was on. Instead of waving to him and saying, "So glad I ran into you!”, I literally ducked down, headed out the back exit and walked home... in the rain. This is just one of the so many ways my propensity for avoiding uncomfortable scenarios has popped up … [Read more...]
5 Steps for Taking Care of Myself After a Panic Attack August 17, 2018 by Gillian Brown Leave a Comment When I say ‘panic attack’, what springs to mind? If you have never had a panic attack, or have never known someone who has ever had them, you might think panic attacks consist of people breathing into paper bags, clutching at their chests, and/or fainting. In other words, the sort of things they show on movies or tv shows. In actuality, panic attacks are generally felt, … [Read more...]
3 Myths That Trivialize OCD August 8, 2018 by Halee Kirkwood Leave a Comment We’ve all heard it. “I’m feeling so OCD today!” “They’re a neat freak; they’re so OCD.” These sort of phrases and figures of speech are so prevalent that when I came out to a friend as a person living with OCD, he refused to accept the reality of my disorder, stating matter-of-fact that “everyone says they have OCD nowadays”. Because of the popularity of … [Read more...]
What Is Emotional Incest?: Surviving Emotional Abuse in Childhood July 30, 2018 by Mary Robinson Leave a Comment Content Warning: This article uses the term emotional incest and discusses childhood emotional abuse and harmful parental relationships. The first time my therapist mentioned the term emotional incest, I was taken aback. The term alone elicits a gut-level reaction. She wrote down the book information for me to look up when I was ready. I wasn’t ready for quite some … [Read more...]
10 Tips for Visiting the Gynecologist as a Survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse July 23, 2018 by Sage Martin, Guest Writer Leave a Comment I am 25 years old and until one week ago, I had never been to the gynecologist. I had actively avoided going for 13 years. Just the idea of making an appointment was enough to bring me to tears and panic. I overcame a lot last Thursday. I genuinely thought I wasn’t going to make it at some points. Despite that, I am here, and I went to the gynecologist. I can barely … [Read more...]
It’s Okay If The Only Thing You Did Today Was Breathe March 2, 2018 by Gillian Giles Leave a Comment At the beginning of my depressive episode, I had this distinct memory right of surrender. Of feeling this tug that drew me down into my bed and of feeling this mental shift of, disaster, defeat and general disappointment. A sort of hopelessness slipped in. An illusion of control broke down and any confidence I felt in my ability to control my body, my mind and the ways of which … [Read more...]
Why I’m Grateful I Have a Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis January 13, 2018 by Louisa Leontiades Leave a Comment My mouth hovers a millimetre or so away from the surface. The bath water is warm and ripple free. The sound of my heartbeat echoes in my ears. If only the water level was slightly higher, I would inhale this vaguely rose-scented peace, return to the void and sink into blissful oblivion. My relaxed heart thuds more slowly and I observe it, contentedly, before pulling the plug … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Manage Your Anxiety in These Turbulent Times January 8, 2018 by Gillian Brown Leave a Comment There is no denying that 2017 has been a difficult year in politics. As well as the unmitigated disaster that is the Trump-led presidency, other countries have been dealing with their own unfortunate political events. The UK underwent a snap election that resulted in the Tory government having an even more tenuous hold of the House of Commons than it had held before. Australia … [Read more...]
Radical Self-Love By Any Means Necessary: 7 Ways to Work Through the Stress of our Political Climate December 13, 2017 by Philippe Leonard Fradet Leave a Comment There is no denying that the state of our (US) nation is quite bleak when you consider all the terrible events taking place at the hands of a president, presidential Cabinet, and Republican-controlled Senate that seem to be intent on tearing our country apart. Millions of people are afraid of the effects of the current regime, as access to health care, civil rights, employment, … [Read more...]
Practicing Radical Self-Love: Why You Need Self Care The Most When It Seems Impossible October 16, 2017 by Julie Feng 3 Comments Last week, for the first time in my life, my skin erupted with red, swollen hives. Every inch of my skin felt like it was on fire. At first, I thought I was experiencing an extreme allergic reaction to something new, although I’ve never before been this allergic to anything. But then I learned I was experiencing an anxiety attack. Rattled by this experience, I wept from sheer … [Read more...]
Learning to Face My Feelings: Hair Picking And Anxiety August 2, 2017 by Tara Betts Leave a Comment Trichotillomania. I first heard this word because I had finally found an older black woman who was a therapist that I could work with on my issues. I tried several therapists in the past, only to be met by therapists who could not offer suggestions, and at worst, failed to understand why I was so angry. Even my youngest brother has written about how we grew up “angry,” so if my … [Read more...]
11 Things You Should Do When Managing Both Anxiety & Depression July 18, 2017 by Audrey Throne, Guest Writer Leave a Comment Anxiety and depression are concerns effecting billions of people across the globe. They impacts our lives, our thinking and our happiness. Having gone through depression, I know it can be difficult to bring yourself back to the way you were. But, the good thing is that while it takes time, the very minute you decide to change things you instantly feel better and begin to see … [Read more...]
You’re Doing Better Than You Think: How Celebrating “Small” Victories Radically Impacted My Self Love June 4, 2017 by Gillian Brown 1 Comment Content Warning: This article contains references to mental illness symptoms, side effects, and treatments. I want to share a story with everybody today. It happened a few weeks ago, and it involves a good friend helping me out when I was struggling with a mental health ‘bad spell’, as I like to call them. All of my friend’s help and advice was invaluable to me, but one thing … [Read more...]
