Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'. - Bob Dylan [...]
One year ago today, I shuffled out of the psych ward. They said I was ready to face the world again, and that my suicidal thoughts were under control. I wasn’t so sure. I knew the demons that I still faced every morning, and every night, and every moment in between. But, I was apparently [...]
Recovery is Non-Linear Recovery is non-linear. Anyone who says that getting better is a straight line - I want their secret. I want to be stable, but what does that mean? It means sometimes being unstable, wobbly, broken in particular ways. We shatter and come together. We hurt and we heal. We scream, cry or [...]
One thing I wish I had as someone who is very new to the recovery process is a letter from someone else navigating the ups and downs of recovery. So this is for them. And for me. And for you. Dear brave, scared, beautiful you, The you that has just begun the recovery journey as [...]
A year ago, I didn’t think I’d be here. I didn’t think I’d be alive, but I'm thankful I am. I wouldn't have been able to share my story, wouldn't have been able to let other people know they aren't alone. Six months ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Disorder, ADHD, acute PTSD, and [...]
Today I read, "growth is painful. change is painful. but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong." I don't feel stuck these days. I feel like I am learning to fly. As I am learning to fly, I wanted to use a butterfly metaphor ... but then I decided that moths [...]
My name is Thea, and I’ve been living with schizoaffective depressive type for a long time. It’s been maybe fifteen years since I started going to the psychiatric hospital. I’ve identified a few triggers that contribute to increased symptoms of schizophrenia. I try to live a life that’s simple and that doesn’t contribute to symptoms. [...]
We use anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 of the 171,476 basic words that make up the English language. Words make us human. Novelists use words to tell stories that make us laugh or cry. Lawyers mix words and confound us with pages of secret code. Language entertains us; we use it to share joy, to [...]
By the age of 6, I had been to see more psychiatrists than I ever wanted to - 6,10,15 – I’ve lost count. So many faces they just disappear. My parents searched far and near for help but all they got was sorry there is nothing for her here. Unnecessary pain and suffering dominated my [...]
When I first started writing my novel “(Not) Alone”, it began as a way for me to see the things I have done on paper, a way for me to constantly remind myself that I can overcome anything. I began it as a fictional story with the characters named after other people in my life [...]
