coping
Life presents variables; learning how to cope in order to master, minimize, or tolerate what has come to pass.
What Mental Illness Taught Me
If someone had of told me before I was diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses, I would not have believed you. I was outgoing, social, always out, working, hanging out with my friends. I would have looked you straight in the face and told you that it could never happen to me. It's the little things you take for granted.
By Courtenay McKinnon8 years ago in Psyche
When Is It Okay to Laugh Again?
I see myself as having a “goofy” sense of humor. My idea of a fun evening is making fun of old crappy movies or watching anime spoofs on YouTube which, by the way, are hilarious. It's the stupid, silly things that can make me laugh for days on end. Some people don't get it, but I guess you'd need to have that goofy mentality to understand what makes me tick. Being silly or making other people laugh, even just a little bit, makes me feel, well...pretty damn good. Almost somewhat “normal.”
By Kelly Hawks8 years ago in Psyche
A Guide to BPD
I've never been quiet about my mental health, while I haven't been as open as I am now, I've never made a conscious effort to hide it. However, there are many people that I know who fight specifically to prevent people from finding out about their diagnoses. I'm hoping my writing this will help them be honest with themselves and their loved ones, but also help those close to them understand and accept who they are no matter what their issues are.
By Kerri Maguire8 years ago in Psyche
Isolation and Anxiety
Mental health transparency is becoming a more and more mainstream with each passing year. I know more about my friends’ mental health concerns than I ever expected that I would. I know who struggles with depression, who struggles with anxiety and I think it’s amazing that they feel like they can share those struggles in an open forum without feeling like they will be ostracized because of it.
By D. Gabrielle Jensen8 years ago in Psyche
What They Don't Know
Yesterday was my 30th birthday. A day I had long been dreading. A bittersweet day to have been alive. You see I suffer from depression. Though my friends and family knew I was having a hard time recently, no one really knew how bad it had gotten. A few weeks ago as I laid in my bed crying, listening to my children play in the other room, I made the decision. I was going to take my own life. I was going to end this suffering that has haunted my family for far too long. They deserve to be happy. But how could they ever be happy when they have a mother who is always depressed?
By Jaye Rivera8 years ago in Psyche
My Black Dog
Are you here yet? It’s the house just three down from the carpark. The one with the brown door. Come straight in. It’s open. Don’t hover by the door – come on through. Do you like the lounge? It’s been decorated recently. A lovely colour isn’t it! Yes, we do have a movie subscription. I’ll let you have a watch later if you want. I can see you looking towards the games console too. Whatever you want to do is fine – my home is your home.
By Lily Bloss8 years ago in Psyche
Getting Better: The Realities
For me, writing has always been a coping mechanism; to see your thoughts materialised is something of a relief. I've never been one to bottle things up - in my personal experience, the weight of withheld worries often becomes overbearing and in turn leads to the likes of emotional breakdowns. That's why I have decided to document my journey with my mental health; recently, I've been struggling more than usual, despite the fact that I am arguably "better" than I was this time a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, fluctuation is one of the realities of mental illness; the path to wellness never runs smooth. There will always be bumps in the road and times of despair during which you worry that "better" is a mythical idea that will never be truly realised. However, better does not equate to perfection, and nothing in this existence is permanent, most certainly not despair. For every down there is an up, no matter how distant that up may seem, and congratulating yourself on even the smallest of ups is so incredibly important.
By Tabitha Green8 years ago in Psyche
When is it Time to Say Enough is Enough?
For the past week, I have felt like the lowest of the low; stressed out, depressed and anxious. By the end of the week I ended up feeling ill physically as well, getting headaches and other ailments that had started to kick in to the point that I wasn't able to cope with it. The initial fear began with people coming too close to my liking in my bubble; when I’m in that state of mind and I'm struggling to cope with it, more symptoms kick in.
By Lizzy Arrow8 years ago in Psyche
The Stages of Grief
Losing someone you love is one of the toughest things one can go through in their life. Sadly, it happens way too often nowadays, but that's life for you. Whether you lose someone from death or someone you care for moves away and you lost all contact with them. Grief comes in all ways, shapes, and forms.
By Kelsie Cohu8 years ago in Psyche
