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Black Bear
At Black Bear, we share informative articles and personal stories about struggling with mental health and substance use disorders.
Mental Health
Depression
Anxiety
Addiction
Alcoholism
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August Black Bear Prompt: How Are You Taking Care of Yourself?
August Black Bear Prompt: How Are You Taking Care of Yourself?
August is National Wellness Month
Michele Maize
Jul 31
Black Bear Submission Guidelines—Updated 2024
Black Bear Submission Guidelines—Updated 2024
And becoming a writer with our publication
KiKi Walter
Jan 5, 2023
What Does the Name “Black Bear” Mean?
What Does the Name “Black Bear” Mean?
(And what does it have to do with mental health and addiction?)
KiKi Walter
Dec 23, 2022
Black Bear Is Now Part of the Boost Nomination Program
Black Bear Is Now Part of the Boost Nomination Program
Looking for high-quality personal stories about mental health, addiction, and sobriety
Michele Maize
Feb 1
Obesity and Mental Health
Obesity and Mental Health
The hidden impact of medication on our bodies and minds
Starting Afresh 65
Aug 30
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Filling My Cup With Gratitude Every Morning Helped Me See A New, Improved Life
Filling My Cup With Gratitude Every Morning Helped Me See A New, Improved Life
Acknowledging what I had was like wearing a new pair of glasses
Michelle Marie Warner
Aug 30
The Secret They Already Knew
The Secret They Already Knew
Coming to Terms with My Father’s Alcoholism and the Trauma of Hidden Truths
Dawn D
Aug 29
The Reason Why I Head Into Nature and Ignore Your Hurtful Comments
The Reason Why I Head Into Nature and Ignore Your Hurtful Comments
Self-care and looking after my wellbeing is a complex process
Anne Bonfert
Aug 29
Schizophrenia and Relationships
Schizophrenia and Relationships
My Journey of Love, Commitment, and Acceptance
Starting Afresh 65
Aug 29
In Another Life
In Another Life
The Dreams I Would Have Chased Without Schizophrenia and Depression
Starting Afresh 65
Aug 28
I Had To Touch Death’s Door To Realize I Didn’t Want To Die
I Had To Touch Death’s Door To Realize I Didn’t Want To Die
How hitting rock bottom can save your life
Patrick Meowler
Aug 28
Breaking the Silence
Breaking the Silence
Confronting the Stigma of Mental Illness
Starting Afresh 65
Aug 28
Was Writing Every Day Becoming an Addiction or Obsession?
Was Writing Every Day Becoming an Addiction or Obsession?
If I missed a day, I felt guilty, lazy, and unproductive
Vera-Marie Landi
Aug 27
Reflecting on 15 Years, One Day at a Time
Reflecting on 15 Years, One Day at a Time
A personal essay about recovery from heroin addiction
Melissa Lemay
Aug 27
My Grandfather Was a Dumpster Drunk
My Grandfather Was a Dumpster Drunk
At age six my fate was sealed when I saw his first rock-bottom
Marcia Abboud
Aug 27
My ADHD Medication Sent Me into a Depressive Spiral
My ADHD Medication Sent Me into a Depressive Spiral
Learning to trust my gut over an unhelpful psychiatrist
Piddling Piddles
Aug 27
Mental Health is About Your Everything
Mental Health is About Your Everything
Living with Purpose
Strawbridge
Aug 26
Quitting Alcohol Made Me Realize I Don’t Know How To Live
Quitting Alcohol Made Me Realize I Don’t Know How To Live
Now I’m Learning how to live life on life’s terms
Patrick Meowler
Aug 26
The Disquiet Of What If?
The Disquiet Of What If?
I never wanted to be a mother.
Ruby Noir 😈
Aug 26
Why Drug Addicts Don’t Consider You
Why Drug Addicts Don’t Consider You
Addicts do bad things but are not always bad people
Thomas Morison
Aug 25
A Sudden Death Made Us Consider Our Own Mental Health
A Sudden Death Made Us Consider Our Own Mental Health
We asked each other, how are you, really?
Catherine Oceano
Aug 25
Until The Cows Come Home
Until The Cows Come Home
How growing up fat and passive blocked my own progress
AND ALSO…
Aug 24
50 Years in the Trenches
50 Years in the Trenches
My Battle with Mental Illness and the Road to Healing
Starting Afresh 65
Aug 24
Returning to Myself Through Artist Dates and Morning Pages
Returning to Myself Through Artist Dates and Morning Pages
Curiosity and wonder are the secrets to staying buoyant
Joe Guay - Dispatches From the Guay Life!
Aug 24
ADHD Says, “I Won’t Let You Slow Down!”
ADHD Says, “I Won’t Let You Slow Down!”
I feel invincible, but there are days when I want to be invisible.
Viraj Mahajan
Aug 23
No One Seems To Notice I’m Disabled, Including Me
No One Seems To Notice I’m Disabled, Including Me
It’s time I unpack my internalized ableism
Michelle Marie Warner
Aug 23
Someone Unpacked My Baggage
Someone Unpacked My Baggage
Re-living the pain of addiction’s aftermath
Diane Ford
Aug 23
Addiction Causes So Many Changes To The Brain Over Time
Addiction Causes So Many Changes To The Brain Over Time
Does it ever heal?
Patrick Meowler
Aug 23
I Was Chasing Life More Than Sobriety Itself
I Was Chasing Life More Than Sobriety Itself
What I feel after 600 days of sobriety
Manab J Kalita
Aug 23
The Last Time and The First Time I Saw His Face
The Last Time and The First Time I Saw His Face
My nephew’s life started as a miracle. I fear that it will end in tragedy.
S.M. Whiddon
Aug 23
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