Disability and Chronic Illness
-
A Psychiatrist Endangered My Life and I Was Afraid to Speak Out
Folks who have never struggled with their mental health seem to think of psychiatry as a quick and easy fix. Pop some happy pills and ta-daaaa! Your struggles will magically dissolve. What these folks fail…
-
Why I’m “Out” as a Person with Mental Illness
Content notice: suicide. This piece was originally published at The Body Is Not An Apology. Far and away, the most frequently asked question I receive as a writer with bipolar and anxiety is, “How did…
-
You Are Not a Burden, and 4 Other Things I Wish I’d Known About Mental Illness
Illustration by Jessica Krcmarik. This might as well be part two, because quite a while back, I wrote a pretty exhaustive list of things that newly-diagnosed folks with bipolar might want to know. This might…
-
Fat by Choice: Happy (and Healthy!) At the Intersections of Size and Mental Health
Almost two years ago now, I began taking a medication with the hope that I could finally manage the aggressive symptoms that came with mental illness. I was experiencing despondent, suicidal lows; I felt panicked,…
-
A Guide to Self-Care for People with Anxiety
[The image features a metal case, presumably a first aid kit, with the words “SELF CARE” on top.] Holy anxiety, batman. If there’s one thing readers want to hear more about, it’s my experiences…
-
Coming Out Again: Why More Queer Folks with Mental Illnesses Need to Speak Out
Illustration by Jessica Krcmarik. Many of us in the LGBTQIA+ community know all too well what it’s like to be queer with a mental illness. I know this because when I tell you that I…