Being a writer with an anxiety disorder is a hell of a thing. Writing is already a really difficult endeavor; those of us who can't imagine doing anything else with our lives likely have a pantheon of influences and beloved authors that have shown us just how powerful the written word can be. But our … Continue reading I Resolve to Suck This Year
Category: mental-health
A Letter Of Intent
2018 was a challenging year for a whole lot of different reasons. The biggest, of course, is the challenge of watching our society continue to fracture and become more acidic under the "guiding hand" of the Trump Administration. The frequent attacks -- from all quarters -- against people of color, QUILTBAG individuals and allies, religious … Continue reading A Letter Of Intent
(Personal) Tharn
It's been a rough summer for me, anxiety-wise. The news is full of terrible stories from the current president's administration in the United States, and it's coming so fast the scandals just bleed together. Saying the President or his Cabinet has done something awful that threatens the fabric of democracy is like saying water is … Continue reading (Personal) Tharn
(Self-Improvement) In Praise of Mistakes
Mistakes are a fundamental part of the human condition -- almost as much as our fear of making them. Because of the way we're designed and the reality we live in, we're imperfect creatures limited by our experience, perspective and the momentum of habit. It's natural that these things would push us to do something … Continue reading (Self-Improvement) In Praise of Mistakes
(Politics) Your Light is All You Have
The world is on fire and nothing is okay. At a time when climate change is chugging along exactly as scientists said it would, when we're running out of fresh water and the crude, polluting oil we've built our entire society around, the world is caught up in a wave of xenophobia, authoritarianism and weaponized … Continue reading (Politics) Your Light is All You Have
(Mental Health) How to Help Others
When I look back on the person I was in college -- during the worst period of my depression -- I am honestly amazed that I still have so many friends who knew me back then. I spent most of my time in the computer lab talking to folks online, and barely had enough energy … Continue reading (Mental Health) How to Help Others
(Mental Health) How to Help Yourself
If I could have readers leave the Desk at the end of the month with only one new piece of information, it's that mental illnesses are actual, physical ailments in the brain. While the way we think and perceive has something to do with how the illnesses are expressed, the fact remains that most conditions … Continue reading (Mental Health) How to Help Yourself
(Mental Health) My Comorbidity
One of the reasons it can be difficult to talk about mental illness is the simple fact that so many diagnoses feel poorly defined, or that just when our understanding of terms starts to stick in the public consciousness experts change the game on us, or that those of us with mental illnesses seem to … Continue reading (Mental Health) My Comorbidity
(Mental Health) My Executive Function
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a bit of a misnomer; I think the name is a big reason why ADHD is so poorly understood and controversial as a mental illness. Those of us with the disorder aren't necessarily hyperactive, and it isn't always characterized by a deficit in attention. We aren't bouncing off the walls … Continue reading (Mental Health) My Executive Function
(Friday Fiction) Veniamin Kovalenko, Werebear Detective
Here, we continue Veniamin's therapy session from last week. "If managing stress was as easy as me telling you what to do, I would have written a book about it and you wouldn't need to come see me." Dr. Mabel Watney shifted in her seat behind her desk, folding her hands in her lap. "It … Continue reading (Friday Fiction) Veniamin Kovalenko, Werebear Detective
From the Desk of Jakebe T. Rabbit 