Marie Shanley - Mxiety·3 days agoMember-onlyI’m Less Depressed, But There Were No 5 Simple StepsI’m less depressed day to day, but it wasn’t because I magically did everything right — Back in 2017, I wrote a few pieces that really resonated with folks like me during those days. Every day started with a struggle to get out of bed, cushioned by a struggle of why I needed to keep living and ended with relief that the day was over. And…Depression7 min readDepression7 min read
Jakob Ryce·Mar 1, 2024Member-onlyThe Paradox of Antidepressants: A Writer’s StruggleWhat do we do when feeling positive becomes the mundane? — In the midst of a global pandemic, mental health became an increasingly prominent concern for many individuals. As the world grappled with uncertainty and isolation, the use of antidepressants surged as a means to cope with unprecedented challenges. For me, like countless others, the decision to start antidepressants was a…Depression6 min readDepression6 min read
Francesca Dallaglio·Feb 17, 2024Member-onlyWhat I’ve Learned After Falling Back Into DepressionThis time around, I was unprepared. — I didn’t realize it was happening. Until, one morning, I just wasn’t able to get up from bed. I spent the entire morning lying there, not even tossing and turning, but standing perfectly still, on my back, looking up, observing the yellow reflections from the window shutters moving across the…Mental Health4 min readMental Health4 min read
Douglas Kwon·Feb 15, 2024How to Help a Depressed Loved OneA Personal and Professional Wish List — I have worked in the healthcare profession for over 30 years, frequently with people who suffer from depression. My family also has a long history of clinical depression, which I have dealt with personally all my life. People often feel helpless wanting to assist their loved one because they either…Mental Illness5 min readMental Illness5 min read
Edward Reid - Writer, Historian, and Philosopher·Feb 11, 2024Central State Hospital — the Unknown Dead In My Backyard, Rethinking Mental Health and The Value of LifeYears ago, parents in Georgia would threaten their children to send them away to Central State Hospital if they were naughty. That could scare them into behaving. …Depression7 min readDepression7 min read
Douglas Kwon·Feb 7, 2024My Fear Of Driving (Amaxophobia) And Its Ongoing Effects on My LifeStill White-Knuckling It — I finally told myself it was time to do something about my acute fear of driving. The traumas that contributed to it were still fresh in my mind decades years later. At age 17, shortly after I got my driver’s license, someone in a gigantic pickup truck started following me…Anxiety6 min readAnxiety6 min read
Fleurine Tideman·Jan 31, 2024Member-only9 Signs My Mental Health Is Getting Bad AgainLearning to recognise my warning signs — When I discuss my mental illness with people, they often ask if I’m “better now.” We see mental illness as temporary, while for people like me, with a personality disorder, it’s something that I’ll always carry. I’ll be better until I’m not. I’ll be good until it gets bad again. …Self-awareness9 min readSelf-awareness9 min read
John Kruse MD, PhD·Jan 25, 2024Member-onlyIs the FDA Being a Good Gatekeeper?Are ineffective drugs slipping into our mental health system? — Our government mandates that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keep our supply of medications safe. The FDA has managed that task pretty well. …Anxiety8 min readAnxiety8 min read
Martha Manning, Ph.D.·Jan 19, 2024Member-onlyYou Ended Your Life in a Moment: Your Suicide Kills Me DailyWhen you took your life, you took a piece of mine too — CW: This article is about loss and grief. There are no graphic images of suicide. You return We are moving soon. Every day I try to pack one shelf, one bookcase. I pushed the bookcase too hard today. It knocked off a small painting by my mother. The crude pen holder my…Depression7 min readDepression7 min read
Stella Luna (they/she)·Jan 7, 2024Member-onlyRelationship Anxiety and Intuition: Which is which?I feel like “my gut” has completely disappeared. — I’ve been dealing with anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember. However, it was only until after a horrendous breakup that relationship anxiety set in, maybe even ROCD. …Relationships8 min readRelationships8 min read