Blogs
Talking about hallucinations brought on by schizophrenia can be triggering to some. For others, it can be therapeutic to discuss their experience. Living with and managing hallucinations can be a process. What is a hallucination? A hallucination can be described as seeing, hearing, or feeling something that isn't there. There are visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, tactile, and other sensory hallucinations.
I'm overwhelmed and lonely, and depression is but one cause of it. Can you believe the state of the world right now? If you thought everything was falling apart when COVID-19 emerged, it's infinitely worse today. One would think that humans would be a more peaceful species in the middle of a deadly pandemic. Sadly, that's not the case.
Anger can be one of the more destructive symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD). Although not everyone experiences anger, many do. For those who have never dealt with unexplained anger, this can be jarring. You may be questioning why you're feeling so angry all the time. You may want to withdraw from your loved ones due to misdirected anger. You might even feel anger toward your child. In those difficult times, there are some strategies to help you cope with your anger.
Several years ago, when I had just begun the work to heal from anorexia, my therapist often closed out our frequent sessions with the reminder: "Your secrets will keep you sick." It's been a long time since I have seen this particular therapist, but I still carry her mantra with me. Eating disorders thrive on secrecy, shame, and silence—but honesty is the best weapon I have to combat eating disorder temptations when they creep back to the surface.
Sometimes verbal abuse will come from within, even if an individual has grown in a positive environment with a loving, supportive family. For myself, even with a partner who has been terrific at providing everything I need in love and support, I still have that negative voice in my head that goes against everything he tells me.
A strong support network can play a vital role in self-harm healing and recovery. Someone like a self-harm sponsor, for example, can provide invaluable insight and encouragement throughout your journey—but what exactly is a self-harm sponsor, and who should you ask to be yours?
Maybe you've known for a while that your binge eating disorder (BED) is out of control. Starting BED recovery can be confusing, and the steps you need to take are difficult to navigate on your own. When you're struggling to make it through each day without bingeing, it's difficult to create a fresh perspective. So how do you begin to recover from binge eating?
I've had acute panic and anxiety since I was a child; this was undiagnosed anxiety, of course. I remember waking up out of a sound sleep in the middle of a panic attack, although I didn't know that's what it was at the time. My parents said I was having bad dreams, which I'm sure made sense to them. Even as a child, I knew that I wasn't having bad dreams, although the symptoms felt like I was locked in some kind of nightmare.
Even before I was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or knew the symptom of ADHD overstimulation could result in a dramatic panic attack,1 I'd been nervous about attending my first music festival.
My name is Shubhechha Dhar; I'm a writer and the new author of "Treating Anxiety." Through my blog posts, I hope to create a safe space for everyone struggling with anxiety to feel seen, understood, and heard. After being diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, I spent a year in group therapy and learned coping techniques that helped me thrive with my disorder. My life's purpose is to use my writing to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
Thank you for your comment. I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I wish I could say something to make it feel better, but I suspect that's impossible.
What I can say is that you're right to hope. There is always the possibility of positive change. Getting help -- new help, additional help, etc. -- can be very hard and even disheartening at times, but it can also work, too.
I'm sending you some warm fuzzies. I know how hard it is, but the fact that you're still here speaks to your strength.
-- Natasha Tracy