My first suicidal plan occurred in college when I was a freshman. I’d had a break up, self-medicated with alcohol for 1 ½ semesters, done poorly in my classes, and felt like a complete failure. I wanted to jump out the window of my dorm room. At least by ending my life, my roommate would [...]
The first memory I have of that knot of anxiety in my stomach was in bed on a school night at about nine years old. I lay awake wondering why I felt so scared but I couldn't be sure, was it because we had sports tomorrow? Was it because I had homework due in? But [...]
The New York Post calls Chirlane McCray a bad mother. The article goes into detail about how McCray felt overwhelmed by parenthood and looked for reasons to get out of the house and do other things besides be a mother. Am I missing something here? To me this sounds like a parent trying to adjust to [...]
I am going to start my story with a confession. I really, really don't like the word 'stigma', I don't even like to use it as 'ignorance' fits much better. I'll never attack anyone for using the s-word because we all tend to be ignorant to things until we experience them ourselves. I was ignorant [...]
I looked out my room’s window, taking in the winter scene that filled my soul, since I love the snowy season. I saw the all-too familiar streets I had grown up in, the tattoo shop where I got my first permanent ink, and the skyscrapers that made my heart feel warm. I was in the [...]
Growing up I was a miserable kid. I didn’t think anyone liked me and it made me feel like I lived in a bubble, not able to fit in. I felt isolated. Alone. That bubble is still with me today. Fortunately I don’t live in it anymore, but it still engulfs me now and then. [...]
My entire life I have been living with mental illness. For most of my life I wasn't aware. I just thought what I was feeling was "normal" day to day life for everyone. I had a great home life. My parents divorced when I was quite young, however, both met new partners. I had two [...]
I’m the “artsy” one in my family; the black sheep. Translated, that means I’m the moody one. Or at least I always thought that was the reason for my dark moods growing up. To some extent that’s true. That sensitivity, thing - whatever it is, that makes us turn inside ourselves and feel things more [...]