Some writers are so ableist, they are beyond empathy.
An Open Letter To Amanda Lauren From Someone ‘Beyond Help’
Tag: disability justice
9 Affirmations You Deserve to Receive If You Have a Mental Illness
I am so, so proud of you for the work that you do, day in and day out, to keep going.
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 to understand (other than, like, how psychiatric medications actually work) is that, for many of us who are in the [...]
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 get to a place where you could be this open about your struggles?” It’s usually followed with a question [...]
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 just be an ongoing series where readers have the privilege of learning from my mistakes, because I’ve made more than [...]
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, paranoid, and inexplicably angry. But by far the worst part of what was happening was the feeling that I wasn’t [...]
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 have a mental illness, more than half of you say, “Me too.” We have these conversations on the regular – [...]
I Take “Crazy Pills” and I Am Not Ashamed
[The illustration features a place mat with an array of breakfast foods and coffee. A pair of arms rests on the mat. One hand is holding a spoon; the other hand is clutching onto a pill bottle.] I remember the first "crazy pill" that I ever took. I was on vacation in Tennessee, sitting on [...]
If It’s Not Accessible, Who Is It For?
Since going viral last October, the invitations to speak at conferences and other events have slowly but surely started trickling in. At first, it was thrilling. I’ve always wanted to travel and talk about my experiences, because I still believe that face-to-face interaction does something that my words on the screen simply can’t. I wanted [...]
