There is no single origin story for mental illness. There are genes and what passes through them; there are early onset signs that may be treated if they weren’t missed or ignored; there are traumas that bring forth something in the brain’s chemistry that wouldn’t have reared its ugly head otherwise; but there is not [...]
Finding myself, finding health. As a psychologist, I often work with people who on the one hand, are frustrated with the mental health system, and on the other, feel incredibly lonely, isolated, misunderstood, and are fearful of being crazy. I wish I could say unilaterally that the voids could be filled such that the two [...]
PPD and PPA. Two seemingly harmless 3 letter acronyms that are mentioned quickly in a one page article in the back of the most read pregnancy book on the market. Two acronyms that my (otherwise wonderful) OB doctor failed to mention to me at all during my 18 combined months of pregnancy. But Postpartum Depression [...]
I recently watched 'Lars and the Real Girl' for the second time and once again was touched by the gentleness of this movie. For those who haven’t seen it, the movie is about a young man who thinks a blow-up sex doll is his real girlfriend. What is so poignant about the movie is how [...]
When one finds out that a friend has cancer one’s heart breaks. There may not be a cure for the cancer as yet, but damned if people aren’t trying. Everybody has lives that have been touched by cancer - whether family or friend. Heck, for me every Holy Week reminds me of a close family [...]
Understanding Stigma I am the first Portland, Oregon-area woman author to publish a memoir about schizoaffective disorder (a little talked about diagnosis of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia). My memoir is called, Sherry Goes Sane: Living A Life With Schizo-Affective Disorder. Most books on mental illness are written by doctors and clinicians, but I feel the [...]
The other week, I 'perved' on a teenage girl in a displacement camp. The sixteen or seventeen year-old from Nuba in South Sudan, now languishing uneasily in the nearby town of Kodok and being filmed by a team of BBC cameramen, was wearing a thread-bare, semi-transparent whisper white tobe (as is traditional in the region), [...]
Talking about mental health is how we progress mindsets. “The Devil’s Pulling Strings” is a reflection of both personal, and professional experiences with Schizophrenia. A distrust in reality is heartbreaking to see, and difficult to mend. Daily function becomes hampered by your own demons and contradicting truths. Through living in New York, I am submerged [...]
SLOW MOTION by Hastywords Anxiety Infects her thoughts Holding her hostage Screening and erasing Her cries for help Fear Riddles her with angst Constantly chastising Rendering her helpless To its mindless chatter Irrationality Hijacks her emotions Running high speed Full throttled attack Beating her senseless Depression Sends in its battalion Of whispering ants Surrender this [...]
Etymology and Shoes. Sabotage: deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage. The word sabotage derives from the French for wooden shoe. Its original derivative is from the word sabotor, which means to work carelessly. In the 15th century Dutch workers were so afraid that machines would replace humans in the [...]
