This article originally appeared on the blog a true testimony under the title "Lucky to be alive" and is reprinted by permission. Content note: This article contains references to suicide and sexual abuse. A stranger said to me, “Go kill yourself.” Does he know I am four times more likely to do that because of my epilepsy? That my bipolar and PTSD and history of sexual … [Read more...]
Why I’m “Out” as a Person With Mental Illness
Far and away, the most frequently asked question I receive as a writer with bipolar and anxiety is, “How did you get to a place where you could be this open about your struggles?” It’s usually followed with a question like, “Aren’t you scared?” I used to be terrified. Like many folks with a mental illness, one of the first things we’re told is to keep it to ourselves. At … [Read more...]
Why Friends Make the Best Medicine*: Radical Self Love for the Neuroatypical
About a month ago, a friend and I who share many things, including a bipolar diagnosis, were sharing our stories the way folks do in 2016—over text. She asked something about when I first experienced a manic episode. For me, it started at 16 so I started to type: “It’s a life long struggle.” But autocorrect wouldn’t let me. It made me say: “It’s a life long star.” You damn … [Read more...]
‘Kind of Like Being a Witch or Wizard’: How I Learned to Value My Neurodivergence
The Body Is Not an Apology’s goal is to share the myriad ways human bodies unshackle the box of “beauty” and fling it wide open for all of us to access. Our goal is to redefine the unapologetic, radically amazing magnificence of EVERY BODY on this planet. When we do, we change the world! Join the movement and become a subscriber today! bit.ly/NoBodiesInvisible. What is … [Read more...]
