A few years ago I was thinking about applying for a nursing job with a sexual assault support team, so I decided to learn more about the body’s biological fight/flight/freeze response to trauma. What I found out was really interesting, so I thought I’d share. The amygdala’s response The amygdala is a primitive part of the […]
The Neurobiology of Traumatic Fight/Flight/Freeze Read More »
Back in 2018, I did a post looking at the sleep hygiene recommendations that I was and was not following. I decided to look back and reflect on what’s changed since then. What hasn’t changed is that I can’t sleep without medication. I’m not taking anything specifically for sleep, but a couple of my regular
Sleep Hygiene: Creating Conditions That Promote Sleep Read More »
As a person with depression, being open and honest with treatment providers is likely to go straight out the window if it appears to conflict with whatever goal feels most pressing to me at the time.
Mental Illness: The Lies We Tell and the Secrets We Don’t Read More »
While I know that people tend to be somewhat skeptical of statistics, I thought it would still be interesting to explore some of the stats that are out there related to mental illness. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) These figures come from CAMH in Toronto, Canada, on their Facts and statistics page. Mental
Some Concerning Statistics on Mental Illness Disability & Stigma Read More »
Recently, Kacha of Food.for.Thoughts posted a very cute animated video called 7 Reasons to Love Someone Who’s Depressed. Some of those seven reasons were that people with depression are more understanding and more honest. While the messaging is quite positive, it got me thinking about how there are various ideas floating around out there about
There Are No Simple Explanations for Mental Illness Read More »
On a fairly regular basis, I see messaging along the lines of “it gets better,” or some variation thereof. While the intention behind it is good, I’m not convinced that it’s useful, because it’s not necessarily true. There’s a U.S.-based non-profit organization called It Gets Better that provides support to LGBTQ+ youth who are being bullied.
It Gets Better… Or Does It? – Dealing with Chronic Mental Illness Read More »
I got thinking about this recently because my best friend is a normalizer, and it really doesn’t feel very good sometimes. But there are other times when normalizing aspects of mental illness can be helpful. So what’s the difference? The invalidating way A little while back, I told my best friend that I was heading
Normalizing Mental Illness Symptoms: The Good & Bad Ways Read More »
I’m not sure how universal a thing this is, but one of the many aspects of my life that’s been affected by my mental illness is my living space. This is something I’ve noticed over the past few years, and while it’s relatively subtle, it’s definitely there. Hanging out in the bedroom I spend the
How Does Mental Illness Affect Your Living Space? Read More »
One of the things I talk about in my new book, Managing the Depression Puzzle, is the idea of differentiating between illness treatment strategies and wellness promotion strategies. I think it’s a distinction that applies to mental illness in general. So, what’s the difference? Illness treatment I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but
Mental Illness Treatment vs. Wellness Promotion Read More »
Today is Pink Shirt Day in Canada, a day to stand up against bullying. It began when students in a Canadian high school wore pink in support of a male student who was bullied for wearing pink. Pink Shirt Day makes for a good time to talk about how bullying affects mental health. While bullying
The Terrible Effects of Bullying on Mental Health Read More »
